gentuflecting

  • Thread starter Thread starter asd72
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

asd72

Guest
I just need a little advice regarding Mass before I get more information during RCIA.

When do you gentuflect? And when do you do the sign of the cross in regards to entering and exiting the church? I attend the Ordinary Form primarily.

Also because I am overweight šŸ˜Š I am unable to go down on one knee, is it more appropriate to gentuflect as far as I am able or should I do a profound bow. I noticed an elderly man with a walking stick bowed.

Thanks
 
From Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, page 36:

"Reverence toward the blessed sacrament
  1. No one who enters a church should fail to adore the blessed sacrament, either by visiting the blessed sacrament chapel or at least by genuflecting.
    Similarly, those who pass before the blessed sacrament genuflect, except when they are walking in procession."
The 2002 Roman Missal changed this slightly. From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :

ā€œGenuflections and Bows
274. A genuflection, made by bending the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and therefore it is reserved for the Most Blessed Sacrament, as well as for the Holy Cross from the solemn adoration during the liturgical celebration on Good Friday until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.
During Mass, three genuflections are made by the priest celebrant: namely, after the showing of the host, after the showing of the chalice, and before Communion. Certain specific features to be observed in a concelebrated Mass are noted in their proper place (cf. above, nos. 210-251).
If, however, the tabernacle with the Most Blessed Sacrament is present in the sanctuary, the priest, the deacon, and the other ministers genuflect when they approach the altar and when they depart from it, but not during the celebration of Mass itself.
Otherwise all who pass before the Most Blessed Sacrament genuflect, unless they are moving in procession.
Ministers carrying the processional cross or candles bow their heads instead of genuflecting.ā€
 
Thank you for that I will note things down to take with me to Mass next time.

What about not being able to gentuflect though. Is a profound bow appropriate or a partial gentuflect?
 
asd72 said:
Thank you for that I will note things down to take with me to Mass next time.

What about not being able to gentuflect though. Is a profound bow appropriate or a partial gentuflect?
Click to expand...
I have knee problems and bow before entering the pew, and before I leave. When others kneel during Mass I sit near the edge of my seat.
 
asd72 said:
I just need a little advice regarding Mass before I get more information during RCIA.

When do you gentuflect? And when do you do the sign of the cross in regards to entering and exiting the church? I attend the Ordinary Form primarily.

Also because I am overweight šŸ˜Š I am unable to go down on one knee, is it more appropriate to gentuflect as far as I am able or should I do a profound bow. I noticed an elderly man with a walking stick bowed.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Sick People do not need to genuflect. In Madrid, I saw 2 kids in wheelchairs. But it will do some good, it is a good exercise and, please, take some kilos from you for we need English Catholics for a long time !!!:D:D:D
 
Pfaffenhoffen said:
Sick People do not need to genuflect. In Madrid, I saw 2 kids in wheelchairs. But it will do some good, it is a good exercise and, please, take some kilos from you for we need English Catholics for a long time !!!:D:D:D
Click to expand...
Yes I know I need to lose weight. It is a self inflicted disability and a spiritual concern in the virtue of temperence.

But in the mean timeā€¦?

ā€¦I just want to add, not all people are overweight because of lack of temperence, I donā€™t want to point the finger at anyone else. But it is the case for me. šŸ™‚
 
Pfaffenhoffen said:
Sick People do not need to genuflect. In Madrid, I saw 2 kids in wheelchairs. But it will do some good, it is a good exercise and, please, take some kilos from you for we need English Catholics for a long time !!!:D:D:D
Click to expand...
that was a little mean spirited I think.
 
asd72 said:
I just need a little advice regarding Mass before I get more information during RCIA.

When do you gentuflect? And when do you do the sign of the cross in regards to entering and exiting the church? I attend the Ordinary Form primarily.

Also because I am overweight šŸ˜Š I am unable to go down on one knee, is it more appropriate to gentuflect as far as I am able or should I do a profound bow. I noticed an elderly man with a walking stick bowed.

Thanks
Click to expand...
I think all your questions were answered, but I wanted to say:

WELCOME HOME!!! šŸ‘

I hope that you find your RCIA classes to be fulfilling, and you will enjoy the journey through the classes on your way to becoming Catholic.
 
asd72 said:
Yes I know I need to lose weight. It is a self inflicted disability and a spiritual concern in the virtue of temperence.

But in the mean timeā€¦?

ā€¦I just want to add, not all people are overweight because of lack of temperence, I donā€™t want to point the finger at anyone else. But it is the case for me. šŸ™‚
Click to expand...
You are honest and humble. If it is too difficult, even if it is because you are skinny as a rail but donā€™t trust yourself to genuflect in high heels or are just have not got the coordination to genuflect reliably without falling over, you may make a profound bow instead of genuflecting. You may also hang on to the side of the pew with one hand, which many people do as their knees start to go.

You are also right about this: it isnā€™t anyone elseā€™s business to decide whether or not you ā€œqualifyā€.
 
Yes, a bow is good, or a partial genuflection (part way down), if you can manage it, while crossing yourself. We all do what we can. Many aged sit throughout Mass because that is what they can do.

Whatā€™s important here is that you are recognizing the Lord, and you are doing that. The Lord knows our hearts. Welcome to the Church!

Gem
 
asd72 said:
Yes I know I need to lose weight. It is a self inflicted disability and a spiritual concern in the virtue of temperence.

But in the mean timeā€¦?

ā€¦I just want to add, not all people are overweight because of lack of temperence, I donā€™t want to point the finger at anyone else. But it is the case for me. šŸ™‚
Click to expand...
You are not overweight for lack of temperance, forget about it. According to scientific studies and I know what I am talking about, in the old times of famine, the type of genes you have allowed you to survive, and the genes of thin people made them die.

Now, times changed in a century and there are the survivors of famine, with genes unadapted for times of abundance. Ask any doctor that he will confirm what I am talking about.

So, do not blame yourself. It is your genes fault. It is much more harder to you to keep weight than for a person with ā€œthin genesā€. These eat everything and never get fat.

But, there are exceptions, like the ā€œChurchill gene factorā€: the fella smoke as a pipe, drank as a barrel, the exercise he did was lifting the fork to his mouth and got to the 90s as ā€¦ a prime-ministerā€¦
 
I remember being told a long time ago it was customary to make the Sign of the Cross when passing by the front of a church. The reason being that you are crossing the path of the Tabernacle wherein lies The Lord. To this day I often find myself doing just that.
 
asd72 said:
Thank you for that I will note things down to take with me to Mass next time.

What about not being able to gentuflect though. Is a profound bow appropriate or a partial gentuflect?
Click to expand...
Hi,

I would counsel bowing.

God bless.
 
Joanie0131 said:
that was a little mean spirited I think.
Click to expand...
This is harsh English Manā€™s joke. Of course, I was not speaking seriously neither I would joke about an old personā€™s disabilities. It would be, as you said, meanest.

It is the idea: if you cannot win, join them. At least you you exercise. I know for sure that the person did not get offended.

Nevertheless if that would be the case of a ā€œfaux pasā€, I would be ready to apologize.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top