I was taught to bow, but I might have been taught wrong. I hope that I was taught correctly, as this makes me feel more reverential.When receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion at Mass, I see different people either bowing, genuflecting, or nothing before receiving. I always thought that the proper way to show respect was to give a bow once the Mass has started, so I believed that this also was true for the communion line. Is this correct or should everyone genuflect?
In the United States the modifications to the GIRM for the U.S. requires a bow of the head, just before receivinr Holy Communion.When receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion at Mass, I see different people either bowing, genuflecting, or nothing before receiving. I always thought that the proper way to show respect was to give a bow once the Mass has started, so I believed that this also was true for the communion line. Is this correct or should everyone genuflect?
Just out of curiosity, could you give me a link to the section of the GIRM relevant to this? I was recently told in confession that I was being disobedient to the USCCB’s directives by genuflecting before receiving, and I thought that the statement on that was worded such that it didn’t have the force of saying “don’t genuflect,” only “maybe you could bow your head,” as do most directives of this sort.In the United States the modifications to the GIRM for the U.S. requires a bow of the head, just before receivinr Holy Communion.