Disciple of God:
I am trying to find information on the proper procedure for going to adoration of the blessed sacrament. By this I mean, how are you to enter the tabernacle and do you genuflect when you enter the room or when you kneel at on the kneelers. I have been trying to find as much information as possible and everything I have read makes it sound as if everyone already know what to do. An help would be greatly appreciated.
God Bless. :bowdown:
You should genuflect the same way as when you enter any church with the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle.
From the 1984 Ceremonial of Bishops:“1103. Genuflection in the presence of the blessed sacrament exposed for public adoration is on one knee.” (Latin text: “Coram Sacramento publicae adorationi exposito, unico genu flectitur.”)
From the 1973 liturgical book “Holy Communion and the Worship of the Eucharist Outside of Mass”: “84. A single genuflection is made in the presence of the blessed sacrament, whether reserved in the tabernacle or exposed for public adoration.” (Latin text: “Coram sanctissimi Sacramento, sive in tabernaculo asservato sive publicae adorationi exposito, unico genu flectitur.”)
I disagree with the approach of Monsignor Peter Elliott in his 1998 book Liturgical Question Box:
“The new directives for eucharistic adoration did not maintain the double genuflection (kneeling on both knees for a moment while bowing the head) as universal practice before the Blessed Sacrament exposed (cf. Eucharistic Worship outside Mass, no. 84). While clergy may be aware of this and some insist on reminding people not to make the double genuflection, many of the faithful often continue to make this extra act of reverence … No one should ever be discouraged from making this extra act of reverence to Our Lord. That would be as pastorally insensitive as forbidding people to make small gestures that are ethnic religious customs.”
References:
Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, page 297.
Caeremoniale Episcoporum, Liberia Editrice Vaticana, 1995, ISBN 88-209-4217-8, page 254.
Holy Communion and the Worship of the Eucharist Outside of Mass, E.J. Dwyer, Sydney, 1975, ISBN 0-85574-401-4, page 65.
De Sacra Communione et de Cultu Mysterii Eucharistici Extra Missam, 1974, page 38.
Peter Elliott, Liturgical Question Box, Ignatius Press, 1998, ISBN 0-89870-677-7, page 65.