Bowing vs genuflecting for sign of reverence

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My family as well as many of our friends and fellow Catholics have for several years genuflected before receiving Holy Communion as a sign of reverence. Now that the new GIRM is out and it says one should bow the head as a sign of reverence, many are wondering whether or not this is required–the bow-- or may they still genuflect as they think that is more reverent to our Lord?

Thanks for your help.
Teresa
 
You should bow your head. You should not be denied Communion for genuflecting. The idea of offering something in addition to the response “Amen” was what the GIRM wanted, in addition to a little more uniformity.

However it must be noted that it is the Bishop of the diocese who determins exactly what the additional act or response will be so listen to the Bishop and follow his instructions.
 
Teresa T:
My family as well as many of our friends and fellow Catholics have for several years genuflected before receiving Holy Communion as a sign of reverence. Now that the new GIRM is out and it says one should bow the head as a sign of reverence, many are wondering whether or not this is required–the bow-- or may they still genuflect as they think that is more reverent to our Lord?

Thanks for your help.
Teresa
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TeresaT, Maybe this link will be of some help also:

Postures and Gestures Annunciata:)
 
Bowing is the NORM for the Church as of now, in America. But because you genuflect before receiving the priest or EMHC may NOT (is not allowed at ALL) to refuse to give you Communion.
 
Here are two reasons for bowing

The Catholic Church wants as much uniformity in the congregation as possible. This is in several documents and is stressed in the new GIRM, and the Church has decided that bowing will be the way it is done. Additionaly there are examples like old people who are not able to genuflect especially without a pew next to them.

The second reason is that people who genuflect before receiving can and have come up from the genuflection and hit the paten or chalice. If everyone is not doing the same action the probability of this result happening is amplified. It is even worse if only a few people do the genulfecting because the person dispensing the Eucharist doesn’t know what to expect.
 
Do as you will, but in Philippians 2:10, “…So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.”

Now, that’s just about the NAME of Jesus. What about in the PRESENCE AND NAME (Corpus Chrsti) of Jesus?
 
I am leaving the Roman Church and by the Grace of God will be a Maronite Catholic soon. So, take this however you wish.

One, in the Roman Church you have the canonical right to receive while kneeling, let alone to genuflect before receiving.

Two, the Name of Jesus is so Holy that Paul tells us every knee should bend at its sound… how much more so for the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus? (Fr. Groeschel once commented on this when speaking about a Protestant friend of his - if that man believed what we did he would crawl with his face to the floor upon entering the Church… strange that a Protestant has the right thinking on the Presence and most Roman Catholics, both ordained and lay, do not).

Three, while unity is important, as is the avoidance of scandal, what matters most is humility before and reverence for God. I would suggest that you continue to bend the knee. If your pastor makes an issue of it, remind him of your canonical right to receive either kneeling or standing and that he is obligated to offer regardless of either, so genuflecting is a suitable compromise as well as a time-honored gesture of reverence. However, do not fight him over it… if you must do what you must and simply offer up whatever heartache you get in return for your faithfulness.

Your unworthy brother in Christ and by the Grace of God a future Maronite priest,

Donnchadh
 
I understand the practical reasons why the bishops chose standing with a bow as the preferred posture (keeps the line moving, less chance of tripping the person behind), but I still have to reconcile this with “every knee must bend.” Sometimes, I go to a parish in my diocese (just a regular vernacular mass) in which the pastor appears to insist that everyone receive on the tongue (the priest intincts the host) and almost everyone genuflects before receiving this way. It is a very reverent liturgy with great homilies and I go way out of my way when I attend there. But it serves as an antidote to certain things in my own parish. (Note: technically, this pastor should NOT be requiring all to receive on the tongue.)
 
There is a lady in our parish who genuflects before receiving. I am older and not too steady on my feet. I came very close to falling over her and injuring her back. There is no doubt that kneeling and genuflecting are reverent, but many of us older folks can’t get down and back up without grabbing a pew or being helped. Our parish had a devisive controversy over standing or kneeling during eucharistic prayer. I felt reverent standing which was possible for me. With the new rules in our diocese I now must sit through it all. That doesn’t feel very reverent to me, but what are you gonna do. The contoversy by the way was very devisive, with a lot of back biting and snide remarks on both sides so I am glad the new rules solved the problem.
 
Since when is bowing not reverence? It is an act of reverence and it is THE act of reverence that the GIRM calls for before receiving the Eucharist.
 
Thanks to all who replied to my question. Our family has been bowing for awhile now, in response to the new GIRM. Several of our friends are in agony over not genuflecting, and the reason I posted the question was to see if anyone had any clear ideas on whether or not genuflecting was “not allowed”–to reply to my friends who find it so upsetting to not genuflect.

I do understand why bowing is the norm, rather than genuflecting, and I respect that. It saddens me somewhat to bow instead of genuflect, but I realize that the bishops and Rome have approved this sign of reverence, and for me, it is an obedience issue.

Thanks again!
Teresa
 
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