A: "The Faithful should stand from the beginning of the Entrance chant, or while the priest approaches the altar, until the end of the collect; for the Alleluia chant before the Gospel; while the Gospel itself is proclaimed; during the Profession of Faith and the Prayer of the Faithful; from the invitation, Orate, fratres (Pray brethren), before the prayer over the offerings until the end of Mass, except at the places indicated below. - they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after communion is observed."¹ NOTE: This period of sacred silence refers to the time after each communicant receives, not after all the communicants have received. In other words, you may sit or kneel after you receive Holy Communion or you may stand after receiving until the last person in the Church has received. This was officially clarified by the Congregation for Divine Worship. "Concerning the practice of kneeling after receiving Holy Communion, Cardinal Francis George (Chicago), chairman of the Committee on the Liturgy, submitted a dubium to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on May 26, 2003: Dubium: In many places, the faithful are accustomed to kneeling or sitting in personal prayer upon returning to their places after having individually received Holy Communion during Mass. Is it the intention of the Missale Romanum, editio typical tertia, (General Instruction of the Roman Missal) to forbid this practice? Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect of the CDW, responded to the question on June 5, 2003 (Prot. N. 855/03/L): Responsum: Negative, et ad mentem (No, for this reason). The mens [reason] is that the prescription of the Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani, no. 43, is intended, on the one hand to ensure within broad limits a certain uniformity of posture within the congregation for the various parts of the celebration of Holy Mass, and on the other, not to regulate posture rigidly in such a way that those who wish to kneel or sit would no longer be free."²

Sorry for the long answer. However, many priests and laity have misinterpreted when and even if a communicant can sit or kneel immediately after receiving. So, Bishop Pilla is following the mandates of which parts during the Mass we must stand. The GIRM also make it clear, with the affirmation of the CDW, that the faithful have the option of sitting or kneeling immediately after receiving.