Bowing durring the Profession of Faith?

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clement1:
Just wondering how many Catholics perform the required “bowing” durring the Profession of Faith. For anyone who does not even realize it, for the following three lines, “by the power of the Holy Spirit, he was born of the virgin Mary and became man” Catholics are required to bow. It seems like for the most part, I am the only one bowing which is required, but everyone wants to hold hands or raise hands durring the Lord’s prayer which has never been required.
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I bow, but have only known to do it for a couple of years, when a priest mentioned it after a homily. Otherwise I may never have noticed that it’s right there on the page I’ve been reading from.

I sometime look around, using only my eyes of course, and notice that hardly anyone does bow.
 
This instruction was printed in our bulletin recently. Also, our pastor turns to the Tabernacle and bows! Pretty hard to miss!

Brian
 
Our deacon bows, sometimes the priest does (however I admit that because I am busy bowing myself, I probably miss when he does). I am one of the few in the pews who bows (or nods my head at the name of Jesus).

Part of the problem is that we don’t use Missalettes, so people can’t see the rubrics printed there.

'thann
 
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Jesus4Me:
Yes, we were instructed almost two years ago to start doing this and most in our parish do. At the same time we were also instructed to bow right before receiving the body and blood of Jesus. Again, most do this.
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We were instructed on both, but it was only the bow before receiving Communion that “took” with a lot of people. Only a few of us remember to bow during the Creed. Even the priest doesn’t always do it.
 
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Elzee:
I never knew we were supposed to do this until I attended a Mass with our Bishop a few months ago. He not only does a profound bow at these lines, but he also bows his head at the name of Jesus. He’s an awesome man.
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Sounds like my pastor, who is also totally awesome. :yup: As a new Catholic, I learned from his example to bow during that part of the Creed and lately I even find myself bowing more and more often at the name of Jesus during Mass. Again, I’ve picked that up from his example.

As for how many others bow during the Creed in my parish, I honestly couldn’t say since I can’t see them when my head is bowed. 🙂 I know the pastor and I are not the only ones, though, since I see a number of other heads rising up when mine comes up.
In His love,
Rhonda
 
Michael C:
I have always done it because it is in the missal. I’m the only one who does it around where I sit in church.
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Same here!

Even if you don’t own a Missal, the instruction to bow appears in this section of the Nicene Creed that is included in the supplied Missalettes at every pew.
 
Can’t bow at one parish we belong to. The congregation recites the Apostle’s Creed (and this is not Canada where it is permitted). I think the pastor likes this because it is shorter. In our alternate parish, I bow but I see few others who do, including the priests.

Micki
 
At first after returning “home”, I couldn’t remember the words to the Creed, so I was looking down at the Missalette, didn’t know when to bow, and plus I was already sort of in a bowing postion (although not a true bow). But now that I almost have it re-memorized, I do bow. At first, I wasn’t sure exactly when and for how long. But then I was two rows back from a pair of nuns at Mass one time. I saw clearly when to bow! When in doubt, sit behind a nun!
 
I bow my head even though the profession of faith that we use is the apostles creed. i bow on the lines “He was concieved by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary” I bow for reverence. it is the most humble thing that a God to do, to became a Man.
 
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Cleindian44:
Same here!

Even if you don’t own a Missal, the instruction to bow appears in this section of the Nicene Creed that is included in the supplied Missalettes at every pew.
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Hmm…your comment reminded me of one more reason why it was a bad idea to scrap the missals in our parish several years ago…it also is pretty hard on non-native speakers, children, and the hard of hearing. But our Director of Liturgy rules with an iron hand, so too bad for them!
 
I attend both Traditional and Novus Ordo Masses. Novus Ordo during the week, and Tridentine on Sunday. In the Traditional we either genuflect or kneel. In the Novus Ordo, sometimes I bow and sometimes genuflect. The morning weekaday Novus Ordo masses are VERY conservative and most there genuflect. The women have their heads covered and almost everyone receives on the tongue. The evening and Saturday masses are much more liberal and few people even bother to nod their heads. It is overall a pretty good church however.
 
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palmas85:
The morning weekaday Novus Ordo masses are VERY conservative and most there genuflect.
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I’m a bit confused how an attitude of “let’s ignore the rubrics and make up our own gesture” qualifies as conservative.
 
I guess the reason that most genuflect is because they feel a deep sense of reverence. The priest who normally presides has no objection and in fact has complimented the congregation, it is usually the same group of people, on their piety and devotion. On occasion he also says the Mass facing the altar, and in Latin. While a bit confusing to many he says it is perfectly within the rules. He also has come out against handholding during the Our Father. Oh, if you want to be even more confused, most people genuflect before receiving the Eucharist.

I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong, but I always felt a genuflection was a much more profound sign of respect than a simple bow or nod of the head. And I don’t really think the rules prohibit genuflecting.

Do they?
 
In my orthodox parish, a lot of people still do not bow during the Creed. When I went to Midnight Mass on Christmas at my husband’s assignment. My kids and I were the only ones who genuflected during the incarnation. 😦
 
At my parish almost everyone does. This is in a large part to one associate pastor that we had. For two consecutive Sundays he gave the homily at all the Masses. His homily was primarily catechetical, going through the entire Mass and what we were supposed to do and why. If you teach people what is correct they will do it. The reason I said almost everyone is because we are a rapidly growing parish and get new people in who have yet to be instructed.
 
Michael C:
I have always done it because it is in the missal. I’m the only one who does it around where I sit in church.
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I agree with others who have pointed to a lack of education in this matter. But it also applies to those who were brought up pre-Vatican II and should know better.

In the Australian missal it says we must bow at this point (it also says we should strike our breast during the Confession) but everyone ignores it even our priest who is a most holy and orthodox man. I and my wife have returned to the old form of genuflecting at this point in the hope that a more visible sign may encourage others (and no it is not to prove greater piety).

It is interesting that when I was growing up and genuflection was required, all did it. Its hard to remain standing when the whole congregation goes down like wheat before a scythe. The bow is equally a sign of reverence but one much easier to simply ignore.

This is all of a piece with the modern day genuflection on entering church. For most it is little more than a bob. I think the problem with many of the reforms of the post-Vatican II was that they assumed a very high level of inner devotion, but my experience is that many people’s faith is in need of external support. When that support is removed it is all too easy to let the devotion we owe to the Lord to slip.
 
At my parish bowing was not done for as long as I can remember…until the last couple years. We got a new pastor a few years ago and from what I can tell he has done a pretty good job at making sure things are “done right”. However, there are still things that need to be corrected so hopefully he continues in the right direction.
 
I also knell . . and almost no one in my parish (even priest) bow during this part of the Creedo.
 
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