When an orthodox Catholic goes abroad

Sometimes a story lands in your lap. That is something that as an ISI blogger, I have been waiting for. I am writing a four part series about children and imagination in our society. The last issue was part three, so naturally, this should be part four. Alas, I have something I must share with the ISI community and readers.

It is not hard to tell, but if you did not know, I am Roman Catholic. I receive the Eucharist on my knees, which is not all that common among Catholics my age. My reasoning is simple, if I truly believe that the Eucharist is Christ, I show my respect by kneeling before the Christ the King.

Well, this past Sunday, I was in a different region of the country, and went to Mass. Everything was normal until I went to receive the Eucharist, in my normal fashion, I knelt, but there was a pause, and the priest told me to stand up. Looking up into his face, I could see the anger at what I had done.

Let me pause at this point and say, this is the first time I have had a priest tell me to stand up. I have knelt countless times, and never once been told to stand up or change the way I was receiving the Eucharist.

As you can imagine, I was shocked! I looked at the priest, and told him I could not do what he was asking me. He then accused me of thinking I was holier than all the other people in the Church. I asked him, respectfully, if he was denying me the Eucharist while my soul is in a state of grace. Without a word more, the priest shoves the Eucharist in my face, and I received still kneeling.

Needless to say, I was very shaken by the whole experience. I recognize that many people do not like or simply cannot receive communion on their knees. That preference is allowed, as is mine.  Never have I had a priest look at me with disgust when I tried to venerate the Eucharist. To my readers, whoever you may be, I am sorry about such an explicitly Catholic post, but I thought this was worth sharing.