Genuflect or bow

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standing, bowing etc. is all to show what is in ones heart i think and i agree there should be differences between what we give to God and to Mary.

I go to Holy Trinity now in LA and i have started to kneel when recieving Communion and i were embarrised at first but once i got over what people thought, it feels totally right!
 
KarenElissa said:
We genuflect to the presence of Christ in the tabernacle. So if the tabernacle is visible, and the candle next to it is lit, one should genuflect when passing it and when entering, leaving their pew. If there is no tabernacle present, or the candle is not lit, then it is proper to bow to the altar.

As for why people aren’t doing so, some may have physical problems making genuflecting impossible or others may just not be well catechized. 🤷
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I have a problem genuflecting because of a problem with one of my knees. Instead I bow from the waist before entering or leaving the pew.
 
Here in Japan it is not the custom to genuflect, but to bow. I bow in Japan, but when I return to the States, I genuflect.
 
we all should do the most we can according to health i guess.

as for me now @ 42 years old, the more i realize that it is truly Jesus in Communion, the more i’m tempted to lay down on my face!😃

seriously, st. john did in the book of revelation! He fell down as though dead.
 
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.***

Okay…now I am completely confused. In the NO I sometimes attend anyone who approaches the alter during Mass bows comes to the center of the alter stairs, bows toward the Most Blessed Sacrament behind the Altar and then goes up to speak…upon completion they descend, align themselves in the middle and bow with their whole body again. Is this wrong…why would they not be allowed to do this during a Mass and when would be another time they would be approaching the altar in the first place…and secondly…should they really be genuflecting and not bowing.

Additonally, I have been to a NO where the extradinary ministers of the Eucharists and the lectors just walk up to the lecturn or altar and never bow or genuflect at all during Mass. I was told it is the Pastors choice…and what he say’s goes. the Most Blessed Sacrament is also behind the altar there.

Thanks to anyone who can clear this up for me.
 
I always genuflect,being in respect and in the presence of our almighty father, I will do so until I am no longer physically able to, which one must remember some people cannot…wouldnt it be awful to mention this to an individual to discover they have no kneecaps…I for one will do it even before receiving the Eucharist,for I love the Father,the Son and the Holy Spirit… Those who do not are still my family that I love…all heads should bow, all knees should bend…:bowdown2:
 
things seem to be changing a lot these days.

I do all the bowing and kneeling etc. but in the Trinitine Mass there is even more reverence!

People say to watch out for the “new mass” the N.O. … which has a funny acronym … which in itself is scary!

I read a book on Maria Simma and she said that the Holy Souls told her that God is offended that during the consecration it is interrupted by all the shaking of hands…

i have some confusion too!

ask God to help us love Him better …
 
TerryPaul said:
things seem to be changing a lot these days.

I do all the bowing and kneeling etc. but in the Trinitine Mass there is even more reverence!

People say to watch out for the “new mass” the N.O. … which has a funny acronym … which in itself is scary!

I read a book on Maria Simma and she said that the Holy Souls told her that God is offended that during the consecration it is interrupted by all the shaking of hands…

i have some confusion too!

ask God to help us love Him better …
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I am a relatively new Catholic who has no knowledge of how things used to be. I also have some physical difficulties with my knees that makes genuflecting, kneeling etc very painfull. I do the best I know how to be reverent at Mass. As a former Evangelical being Catholic is a whole new ballgame to me.
One thing I love about Catholicism is Adoration Chapel. An hour seems to go by like a flash bulb going off. I also enjoy the Catholic Bible that has all the extra books that Protestant Bibles don’t have. I have so much to learn and could use lots of prayer.
 
The GIRM was quoted as stating:
  1. A genuflection, made by bending the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and therefore it is reserved for the Most Blessed Sacrament
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This being the case, and the GIRM mandating kneeling during the consecration, why, then is kneeling not mandated for the reception of Our Lord? Receiving Our Lord is an even more intimate act than Him becoming physically present and requires much humility from the recipient. Do not the words of the Mass say “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you…”?

Why should we kneel and adore during the consecration, but then stand to receive Him?
 
The reason I asked this question is because I am a returning Catholic who while growing up was taught to genuflect when approaching the altar or just even walking in front of the altar. I can remember in Catholic school as a class of kids would walk in front of the altar, maybe just passing through the church, everyone would stop and genuflect. I don’t see this happening very much anymore. I see it changing to a bow. Sometimes from the waist and sometimes just the head. Of course, God only knows what is in someones heart and just because one person genuflects instead of bows doesn’t mean they are closer or better.
I, also, realize that people might not be able to genuflect due to physical reasons but what I am seeing is this bowing is also being done by younger people who I guess I would suspect not all of them are physically incapable of kneeling.

I found particularly interesting the person who said in Japan they bow because that is what is the norm for Japan. So, I realize there is also a cultural aspect in this question.
 
TerryPaul said:
things seem to be changing a lot these days.

I do all the bowing and kneeling etc. but in the Trinitine Mass there is even more reverence!

People say to watch out for the “new mass” the N.O. … which has a funny acronym … which in itself is scary!

I read a book on Maria Simma and she said that the Holy Souls told her that God is offended that during the consecration it is interrupted by all the shaking of hands…

i have some confusion too!

ask God to help us love Him better …
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I can’t imagine my Savior being offended by shaking of hands or any sign of brotherhood,after all, when we are with him we will embrace and show all sign of love…forever…what a wonderful day that will be:grouphug:
 
i know and agree but i’ve heard some people say that all attention should be on Jesus at that moment.

so in the end, i dunno…
 
In the eastern church we bow, it is called Metania. To do this properly you reverently bow, cross yourself and audibly say a prayer of praise (e.g. when I bow I verbally say: My Lord and my God).
When I was young and had to go to a Roman Catholic church, I would genuflect, but now I’m old, have a bad back and when I get down I truly cannot get back up without help. So now even in a Roman Catholic church, I bow.
And, I really dont care what others in church think of me doing so. I see how some people genuflect without any respect at all, a quick half-way bouncing down & up while talking to others about “where do you want to sit” – and not even facing the tabernacle (which in this church is tucked away on the right side corner - where NOBODY faces even when they do genuflect with some respect.
Then I kneel and pray before the mass begins and that is very difficult when everyone around you is talking to each other, turning to see who is in church or in the choir loft, etc.
And upon leaving church pew after mass, I dont see anyone genuflect at all.

I’m not writing this in condemnation of anyone, truly, as how people pray and show respect to their God is a very personal thing. But what one sees as disrespect (e.g. bowing) may actually be more reverent.
 
KarenElissa said:
We genuflect to the presence of Christ in the tabernacle. So if the tabernacle is visible, and the candle next to it is lit, one should genuflect when passing it and when entering, leaving their pew. If there is no tabernacle present, or the candle is not lit, then it is proper to bow to the altar.

As for why people aren’t doing so, some may have physical problems making genuflecting impossible or others may just not be well catechized. 🤷
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My understanding is that Jesus is no longer on earth, so why should one bow to “someone” or “something” that is not there. Bless you.
 
Why make this is all so difficult?

Bowing, Kneeling etc. is a “sign” of what is or should be in ourselves.

As we grow in love and belief our outward actions should reflect this inner change.

Hopefully we keep moving forward.

Jesus is present during communion and within all 7 sacraments. This is the Catholic Church teaching whether we agree or not.

If you can’t kneel or bow cause you are ill… don’t. If you can; do.

We could never give to God all that He deserves and we can never out give God.

So let it be a “Holy Romance.”

If one believes then do what you can or one does not believe, let’s find out why others do and maybe that will help us to grow in love and towards God.
 
googie said:
My understanding is that Jesus is no longer on earth, so why should one bow to “someone” or “something” that is not there. Bless you.
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The Real Presence of Jesus," Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity" is present in the Tabernacle!
 
P.S. Look up “Eucharistic Miracles” to see that Jesus is truly Present!

God bless,
TJ
 
Once when I was venerating the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, I saw a man crawl his way from the back of the church all the way to the altar, where he remained on his knees in prayer for a few minutes…

When he completed his prayer , he crawled in ‘reverse’, being very careful not to take his eyes off the blessed sacrament.

I said a prayer for him, not because he needed it but because of his great display of reverence.
 
yes! i’ve seen that type of thing too, maybe more so since I’ve been in LA church’s.

We just have to be careful I think that we are not putting on a show to take our pride out for a stroll. 🙂

Not to say that man was.

I’d rather that than doing too little. you know?
 
TerryPaul said:
etc. but in the Trinitine Mass there is even more reverence!

People say to watch out for the “new mass” the N.O. … which has a funny acronym … which in itself is scary!

I read a book on Maria Simma and she said that the Holy Souls told her that God is offended that during the consecration it is interrupted by all the shaking of hands…

i have some confusion too!

ask God to help us love Him better …
Click to expand...
Forget the term NO - it has been around for over 40 years and is no longer ‘New’. Besides, there will be another new form, or rather, translation. along in 2011.The proper title used by the Pope for that Mass is the OF -Ordinary Form. The name the Pope uses for the Tridentine Mass (which I deduce is what you meant by ‘Trinitine’) is the EF - Extraordinary Form.

I am puzzled by the reference to handshaking ‘during the consecration’. The consecration is the words ‘This is My Body… My Blood’. There is no handshaking going on at that point, surely, in any Catholic church?
 
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