genuflect or bow?

[uwwhitewater84]

I have a couple questions that are somewhat related, and I apologize if I seem a little nit-picky, but I really am curious!

In my church, the altar and the crucifix are directly in front, as you walk in through the main doors at the back. Just to the right of the sanctuary, is our Eucharist chapel. Our tabernacle is in a separate room, but is clearly visible through a set of three glass doors that are always open during Mass, and the lantern is suspended from the ceiling on the worship-space side and not in the chapel.

stbrunoparish.com/Growing.html

My question is, are we to genuflect to the tabernacle or bow to the altar when entering a pew or the worship area even though the tabernacle is in a separate room but still clearly visible?

In addition, I was taught when one passes by the tabernacle we are to genuflect, but I don’t see anyone at my church do that (except for the priest). People genuflect when entering a pew, but I almost never see anyone genuflect when passing the tabernacle. Did this custom change too?

In the case of my parish, would I genuflect towards the tabernacle when passing by even though it is in a separate room but clearly visible?

 

[John_Lilburne]

1984 Ceremonial of Bishops:
“71 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.
Simliarly, those who pass before the blessed sacrament genuflect, except when they are walking in procession.”
(Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, pages 36-37)

The 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) made some changes about genuflecting during Mass:
“274. … 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.”
(See USA GIRM, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html ).

So in the Communion Procession do not genflect. I think distance will be a factor in the interpretation of “pass before”.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I have a couple questions that are somewhat related, and I apologize if I seem a little nit-picky, but I really am curious!

In my church, the altar and the crucifix are directly in front, as you walk in through the main doors at the back. Just to the right of the sanctuary, is our Eucharist chapel. Our tabernacle is in a separate room, but is clearly visible through a set of three glass doors that are always open during Mass, and the lantern is suspended from the ceiling on the worship-space side and not in the chapel.

stbrunoparish.com/Growing.html

My question is, are we to genuflect to the tabernacle or bow to the altar when entering a pew or the worship area even though the tabernacle is in a separate room but still clearly visible?

In addition, I was taught when one passes by the tabernacle we are to genuflect, but I don’t see anyone at my church do that (except for the priest). People genuflect when entering a pew, but I almost never see anyone genuflect when passing the tabernacle. Did this custom change too?

In the case of my parish, would I genuflect towards the tabernacle when passing by even though it is in a separate room but clearly visible?

The quick “fly by” with the pictures seems to show the Tabernacls in a separate space.

 

[uwwhitewater84]

I guess that’s part of my question…would one genuflect to the tabernacle if it is in a different room but still clearly visible?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I guess that’s part of my question…would one genuflect to the tabernacle if it is in a different room but still clearly visible?

That is somewhat a gray area. I personally would Genuflect towards the Tabernacle if I could plainly see it. However it is technically in another room, not in the worship space or specifically the sanctuary…

 

[benedictgal]

During our training at my old central Texas parish, we were taught that if we were carrying the Book of the Gospels, we would bow. Furthermore, for more practical reasons, if we were wearing a skirt, it was best not to genuflect, but to bow (not a profound one, though).

I don’t contribute this to be facetious, but, wardrobe has a lot to do with your posture, especially if you are female.

 

[Seatuck]

That is somewhat a gray area. I personally would Genuflect towards the Tabernacle if I could plainly see it. However it is technically in another room, not in the worship space or specifically the sanctuary…

This is the problem in my parish. One side of the church- its a cruciform cannot see inside the Blessed Sacrament Chapel on the way in and to a pew. I tend to genuflect anyway but I know I could bow also.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

During our training at my old central Texas parish, we were taught that if we were carrying the Book of the Gospels, we would bow. Furthermore, for more practical reasons, if we were wearing a skirt, it was best not to genuflect, but to bow (not a profound one, though).

I don’t contribute this to be facetious, but, wardrobe has a lot to do with your posture, especially if you are female.

Then they should not dress in such a way that won’t allow them to genuflect or bow as required. If they can’t genuflect to Christ, because of what they are wearing. I suppose they would not pick up their car keys if they dropped them either?

 

[Quarles47]

**First things first, let’s quit trying to be “technical” here, and remember whose Presence we are in in those situations. If you can see the Tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament inside then genuflect once when coming into sight and then once when leaving sight of, unless your movement is taking you pass the Tabernacle.

If the Tabernacle is not located in the sanctuary then bow to the altar before entering the pew. If you end up doing both would that really be so hard?

Yes, I have seen people genuflect towards the altar in those churches were the Tabernacle is not in the sanctuary and you have to wonder about the faith formation they went through. Now if you, on the rare occasion, come across an empty tabernacle the you are to also bow to it, not genuflect. **