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Question

Dear Father Angelo,

First and foremost, thank you for your prayers! They helped us a lot. We always pray for you and remember you every day in the intentions of lauds and vespers. I have a couple of questions I hope you can answer! 

  1. Holy Communion received while kneeling – I am used to kneeling while taking Communion because here in England many people do the same. Nevertheless, we are about to come back to Italy now, and a few religious sisters we were having a conversation with labeled us as extremists. They maintain we should not do so. For me, this is an act of humility: we recognise how wretched we are in comparison with the Son of God made bread. My spiritual director here in England, Father Domenico, is favorable to kneeling. He said: “what do you think would happen if people could see Jesus in the Eucharist? Would they stand and stretch out their hand, or would they prostrate themselves in adoration? I think there is nothing wrong with kneeling, on the contrary, I think it pleases the Lord. Do not worry about what other people think; they criticize you because they are aware that they should do like you but do not”. What are your views on this? Do you think I should stop kneeling? Here in Italy I have hardly ever seen people taking communion while kneeling, and when we have been to Italy on holiday many youngsters were stupefied and asked us why we kneel. 
  2. Attending mass twice a day. When I can I go to mass twice a day. I do so with faith and reverence pleading with the Lord to grant me the strength to scrape along despite the fatigue of these months; I have so many things to do and so little time. And I feel such strength and peace descending into my heart and lasting many hours. Usually I go to mass in the morning, while taking a break at work, and then I drive my wife to mass in the evening, because she does not have a driving license. I do not think this is wrong, because this is a communion my heart longs for. I also see that it bears fruits of holiness in my life. My wife, on the other hand, says that some priests advise against it. But as far as I know, the Church’s doctrine approves of  it!
  3. The fifteen prayers of Saint Bridget. I have been saying these prayers for seven months now. One the promises regards the first grade of perfection. I have searched the internet in order to learn more about this, but I have been unable to find anything relevant, except for a cryptic reference to the third grade of perfection in the Diaries of Saint Faustina. If I look back, I cannot but acknowledge the sanctifying and purifying value that these prayers, along with Holy Communion and two/three weekly hours of adoration, have had in my life. When I started I was a different person, my faith was very superficial. For instance, I used to hate Wednesdays and Fridays because my wife did not want us to have neither meat nor alcohol on those days. Now Ifast on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays and I eagerly wait for those two days: as a matter of fact, such fasting does not weigh on me, on the contrary, I experience it joyfully! And there are many other examples. How do you interpret this “first grade of perfection”? 

We have started our path of vocational verification with the Community Pope John XXIII and we will be returning to Italy soon because the Lord has clearly called us there. If you have time, pray for us!

You are always in my prayers. May the Lord grant you health and a strong faith. 

Andrea

The priest’s answer

Dear Andrea,

  1. as for Holy Communion: if you can kneel easily without getting in other people’s way, do kneel. It is a beautiful sign of adoration. Recently a few youngsters who happened to be in our Church have received Communion while kneeling. It has been edifying.Others have genuflected before taking the Holy Communion and have received it on the tongue. The difference between these people and those who take the particle on the fly with their hand and take it to their mouth on their way back to their seat is clearly visible. In England people still kneel while taking the Communion because Anglicans still receive the Eucharist while kneeling. 
  2. I am sorry about what that religious sister said. Probably for many years she herself used to receive Holy Communion on the tongue while kneeling. Could she be labeled as an extremist then? In any case, there is no extremism in giving praise and adoration to Our Lord. Whatever we do for Him is always less than what He deserves. Therefore this is my advice: try to edify others with your example and to encourage others to do better. 
  3. You also say that you attend mass twice a day. Also in this regard, I cannot but praise you, given that you have the opportunity to do so. Saint Thomas Aquinas used to celebrate mass every morning and to serve it soon after for his assistant. Therefore, he used to attend the Eucharist twice a day, even though he did not receive Holy Communion during the second mass, because at that time it was forbidden. He was also likely to attend a third mass, because every day there was also a conventual mass every friar (except those who were exonerated) was required to attend. 
  4. Moreover, for you this is a real nourishment. You say you feel strength and peace descending into your heart and lasting many hours. There is no reason to deprive you of Christ, living bread which came down from Heaven to bring life to men’s hearts. Some priests advise against attending mass twice because they are afraid that fervor may decrease. But this is not your case. Therefore go ahead like this, because this lifestyle is sanctifying and fruitful for you and for your loved ones. 
  5. As for the prayers of Saint Bridget: they are beautiful prayers. Some say them because they have read about their effects. But on this point we must be cautious. The Church has always denied this kind of automatism. The efficacy of prayer does not depend on the words, but rather on devotion and charity towards God and our neighbor. In other words, it depends on a soul which is pure, which is full of love and virtue. 
  6. Do not ask yourself what is your grade of perfection.  If you go ahead in your spiritual life you will feel ever more sinner, ever unworthier. As light comes in, dust and cobwebs, however small they may be, can be seen better. Always try to be detached from whatever separates you from the Lord. And make an effort to love the Lord ever more. Let the priest judge which grade of perfection you have reached, in order for him to guide you better (not in order for you to know at what point you are: if you go ahead well, even if he says you are at a good point, you will always feel unworthy and draw the conclusion that unfortunately the priest does not know you well enough). 

Thank you for your prayers. I will be glad to remember you in mine. 

I wish you all the best and I bless you.

Father Angelo

P.S.: As for the 15 Hail Maries of the Angelic Warfare, their protection is permanent. And if you say them at the end of the day, they will be retroactive.