Eucharist in a side chapel + genuflection in the main chapel?

[Joannm]

I have a priest friend who is a new pastor and is considering putting the tabernacle back behind the altar. However, the present placement of the tabernacle off to the side of the sanctuary actually makes it more visible. To put it behind the altar it would be very far back and practically blocked the way thesanctuary is designed. As it is now there is seating and kneelers for people, it is on a very nice altar with a beautiful mosaic behind it. It is the first thing you notice if you come in the transept side, and is very visible from all over the church. If it behind the altar the transepts would not get a good view of it. So it is not always good in the center behind the altar.

 

[JS_Cortez]

I genuflect before entering the pew facing the altar, but with my eyes to wherever the tabernacle may be. If I can make it before mass begins, I tend to go before the tabernacle if it is not behind the altar and genuflect there, too, and prayer a little before it.

My church used to have it on the side for most of my life but then put it behind the altar when the church was redesigned. Putting it behind the altar makes it less likely that people will pray before it and for most of the mass the priest’s back is to it (I know the TLM wouldn’t have this problem. Not the point). Hence, I am very conflicted about the placement. I kinda wish that the tabernacle was more portable and put behind the altar for the mass because I understand the reason for its placement there and then placed to the side so the people could be close after and before.

 

[otjm]

Like many churches, ours has the Eucharist in a side smaller chapel.

Everyone in my family who can walk genuflects (yes, even the 2 year old and even the almost 2 year old who has started walking – if they walk, they genuflect, dad’s rules).

But…

An interesting point to be made is we genuflect yet Christ is in the side chapel. I used to think I did it in a matter of protest but I have since then found some documentation indicating that it is actually permitted to have a side chapel.

We will continue to genuflect because it is a way in my mind of showing respect to Christ. And it certainly helps the kids to be reminded that they are in church – my (almost 4) year old even kneels with us during consecration now.

What do you guys do in these situations and why?

We have one parish that is not in the half-round, but in which the bneches are curved somewhat, so the side walls angle away from the back wall. On the right side, the wall is mostly glass, and in the center of the glass is the tabernacle, with the candle lamp next to it. On the other side of the glass is the altar for the chapel.

Because the tabernacle is visible when one enters the Church, appropriately one should genuflect towards the tabernacle.

In our cathdral, the tabernacle is off to the left in a room that is partially open to the main body of the church; but the tabernacle is not directly visible (and as I understand it, this may be similar to some churches and cathedrals in Europe which are cneturies old). When entering the cathedral, one would bow to the main altar since the tabernacle is not visible as one enters, and one would not genuflect to the altar as the Eucharist is not (directly) present.