Genuflect or bow

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RuthCatherine said:
I have recently, about a little over a year ago, returned to the Catholic church. I was always taught to genuflect just before you enter your pew. I have noticed that there are some, (and I am not trying to judge, I just want to know if it something that is now being taught and if it is what we are supposed to do now) who just bow their heads. That is all they do is just bow their heads.
It is not my regular parish where I see it. I attend there during the week because it is close to where I drop my son off to school. The parish I attend on the weekends I don’t seem to see this.

I am not talking about bowing before communion. I am talking about it being like a new thing instead of genuflecting before entering the pew. Is this something that is seen in other countries or other parts of America? Is it something that people did along time ago and it is being brought back. I am just wondering.

Any insight?
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Hi Ruth,

Just a thought – are you attending an Eastern Catholic church during the week as opposed to a Roman Catholic church? It’s my understanding that in some of the Eastern Catholic churches, the parishioners bow to the Blessed Sacrament as opposed to genuflect.

Pax,
Palomas
 
Palomas said:
Hi Ruth,

Just a thought – are you attending an Eastern Catholic church during the week as opposed to a Roman Catholic church? It’s my understanding that in some of the Eastern Catholic churches, the parishioners bow to the Blessed Sacrament as opposed to genuflect.

Pax,
Palomas
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Actually Redemptionis Sacramentum says that when you receive Communion standing, you should make a gesture of reverence. The US adaptation of the GIRM states that the Bishops instructs people to make a bow as a gesture of reverence prior to receiving Communion.
 
googie said:
Can you tell me where you got this information from please. Blessings.
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This is a basic truth taught by the Church.
I cite Fr. McGuire’s “Baltimore Catechism”
#351 : Jesus Christ is whole and entire both under the appearances of bread and under the appearances of wine.
 
I am glad to see this topic, because I’ve been thinking a lot about genuflection /vs bowing lately. My knees are not what they used to be. Sometimes my genuflections are pretty sad things. So I have taken to making a profound bow toward the Tabernacle on the assumption, that God would prefer a profound bow rather than a sloppy genuflection.
 
thomas_jd said:
This is a basic truth taught by the Church.
I cite Fr. McGuire’s “Baltimore Catechism”
#351 : Jesus Christ is whole and entire both under the appearances of bread and under the appearances of wine.
Click to expand...
This is contrary to the word of God. If you read Heb 12:2, you will see that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Looking further in Acts 17:24-25, and Acts 7:48-51, you will also see that God does not dwell in tabernacles made by hands. Blessings.
 
googie said:
This is contrary to the word of God. If you read Heb 12:2, you will see that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Looking further in Acts 17:24-25, and Acts 7:48-51, you will also see that God does not dwell in tabernacles made by hands. Blessings.
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The Bible also states that whenever two or three are gathered in his name, He is in the midst of them (sorry I don’t have a reference for that). So how can He be in the midst of us if he is also seated at the right hand of the Father? Perhaps Jesus as God has abilities to transcend time and space in His risen and glorified body?

The passages in Acts that were referenced above refer to Pagan and Jewish practice that confine God to one place e.g. the Temple in Jerusalem. If you read these passages in context they speak to the fact that God cannot be limited as to being in one place, which if anything supports the idea that He can be present in all of the Tabernacles of the world at the same time and is not chained to a throne in heaven.
 
What I was taught many years ago was this: One genuflects upon entering and leaving the pew and when crossing the aisle in front of the Eucharist. If the Eucharist is not present in the Tabernacle (the door is usually open at the point), it is perfectly all right to bow before the altar. When the Eucharist is exposed as in Adoration, we are to get down on both knees before sitting.
Of course, this all depends on the health of someone. Only God knows what is in our hearts.
I’m not in favor of all the handshaking either. Too distracting from the holiness of the moment. Hopefully, it will be dispensed with. 👍
 
googie said:
This is contrary to the word of God. If you read Heb 12:2, you will see that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Looking further in Acts 17:24-25, and Acts 7:48-51, you will also see that God does not dwell in tabernacles made by hands. Blessings.
Click to expand...
These wrightings of St. Paul do not limit God to one place or the other. Rather they are meant to show the Majesty and omnipotence of God. Paul does not mean that it is not desireable for God to be worshipped in sacred places designed for that purpose.

Pauls language is in line with way God is described in the Old Testament as being Lord of Heaven and earth! His words echo those of Solomon at the dedication of the first temple “Behold Heaven and earth cannot contain thee: how much less this house which I have built.” Navarre Bible footnotes

Nothing contrary at all!
 
thomas_jd said:
The Real Presence of Jesus," Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity" is present in the Tabernacle!
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My understanding is that the only time Jesus is NOT present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity is on Good Friday and the day before Easter when the sanctuary is emptied to signify that Jesus is dead and in the tomb and we are awaiting his rising from the dead.🤷 And that during a Good Friday service you don’t genuflect when entering or leaving the pew because there’s nothing or no-one to genuflect to!
 
LegoGE1947 said:
And that during a Good Friday service you don’t genuflect when entering or leaving the pew because there’s nothing or no-one to genuflect to!
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From the end of the Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday up to but exclusive of the Paschal Vigil on Holy Saturday, we should genuflect (as normal on right knee) before a cross if one is set up for veneration.
 
Matthew_Holford said:
From the end of the Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday up to but exclusive of the Paschal Vigil on Holy Saturday, we should genuflect (as normal on right knee) before a cross if one is set up for veneration.
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Thank you. I’m just learning this stuff since I wasn’t born Catholic and I only became one about 9 years ago.
 
jonpd said:
The Bible also states that whenever two or three are gathered in his name, He is in the midst of them (sorry I don’t have a reference for that). So how can He be in the midst of us if he is also seated at the right hand of the Father? Perhaps Jesus as God has abilities to transcend time and space in His risen and glorified body?

The passages in Acts that were referenced above refer to Pagan and Jewish practice that confine God to one place e.g. the Temple in Jerusalem. If you read these passages in context they speak to the fact that God cannot be limited as to being in one place, which if anything supports the idea that He can be present in all of the Tabernacles of the world at the same time and is not chained to a throne in heaven.
Click to expand...
Before Jesus left this earth, He said that he would send the Holy Spirit to dwell with us. God the Holy Spirit is here with us, dwelling in our hearts if you are saved (a born again Christian), 1Cor 6:19-20, he dwells in you, this is his “temple”, or “tabernacle”, whatever you want to call it. He is not present anywhere on earth in a “physical” form. John 4:24 say’s “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth”. Blessings.
 
paperwight66 said:
Actually, the requirement to go down on both knees was removed in the 1970’s. This isn’t to say that it’s not a good sign of reverence, and very striking to any children or non-Catholics who see it. But it’s no longer mandated, so anyone who doesn’t is not to be thought lacking in reverence.

It would be very wrong to bow at the name of Mary. She is not God!l
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I will say this because I do bow my head to the name of Mary, because she is the Mother of God, it is to give her respect and honor.

As for the first part, in the all the parishes I have been to when the Eucharist is exposed we genuflect on both knees if we are physically able to.

God Bless,
Nikita op
 
RuthCatherine said:
I have recently, about a little over a year ago, returned to the Catholic church. I was always taught to genuflect just before you enter your pew. I have noticed that there are some, (and I am not trying to judge, I just want to know if it something that is now being taught and if it is what we are supposed to do now) who just bow their heads. That is all they do is just bow their heads.
It is not my regular parish where I see it. I attend there during the week because it is close to where I drop my son off to school. The parish I attend on the weekends I don’t seem to see this.

I am not talking about bowing before communion. I am talking about it being like a new thing instead of genuflecting before entering the pew. Is this something that is seen in other countries or other parts of America? Is it something that people did along time ago and it is being brought back. I am just wondering.

Any insight?
Click to expand...
Hello My friend,

First of all welcome back. This is yet another one of those wonderful post V-II things that have left many catholics bowing and genuflecting aimlessly. I would suggest the following:
  • locate the Blessed Sacrament, wherever it may be located according to the “set-up” of your specific church.
  • Genuflect in the direction of the Blessed Sacrament as this is truly Jesus in the Tabernacle.
  • Here you have to refer to the set-up of your church once again. Is the entrance oriented to the main altar and an adjacent Blessed Sacrament? If so, approach the pew of your choice and genuflect towards the Blessed Sacrament.
This can get tricky in Military Chapels in which the Blessed Sacrament is located in a little room off to one side of the main entrance. But I digress.

Anytime you pass the altar you bow your head unless the Consecration has already taken place, in which case you genuflect because Jesus is there in the Eucharist.

That is the key! Is Jesus on the altar or is the altar empty.?

At any rate - that is the difference…which wouldn’t be a problem if the Blessed Sacrament were still in the center of the main altar as it always was.

Do I sound bitter?..I hope not.
 
I lived in a Benedictine Monastery for a couple of years, and all of the sisters bowed profoundly before entering their Church stalls. I was taught that this was a monastic tradition, to bow as opposed to genuflecting. I have also experienced life in a Cistercian Monastery where they also bowed profoundly as opposed to genuflecting.
 
mangy_dog said:
At any rate - that is the difference…which wouldn’t be a problem if the Blessed Sacrament were still in the center of the main altar as it always was.
Click to expand...
That was actually a pretty late innovation, mostly baroque.
 
mangy_dog said:
Hello My friend,

First of all welcome back. This is yet another one of those wonderful post V-II things that have left many catholics bowing and genuflecting aimlessly. I would suggest the following:
  • locate the Blessed Sacrament, wherever it may be located according to the “set-up” of your specific church.
  • Genuflect in the direction of the Blessed Sacrament as this is truly Jesus in the Tabernacle.
  • Here you have to refer to the set-up of your church once again. Is the entrance oriented to the main altar and an adjacent Blessed Sacrament? If so, approach the pew of your choice and genuflect towards the Blessed Sacrament.
This can get tricky in Military Chapels in which the Blessed Sacrament is located in a little room off to one side of the main entrance. But I digress.

Anytime you pass the altar you bow your head unless the Consecration has already taken place, in which case you genuflect because Jesus is there in the Eucharist.

That is the key! Is Jesus on the altar or is the altar empty.?

At any rate - that is the difference…which wouldn’t be a problem if the Blessed Sacrament were still in the center of the main altar as it always was.

Do I sound bitter?..I hope not.
Click to expand...
I have a little question since you elaborated so nicely:
I knew that one genuflects towards the sacrament and bows in front of the altar. If the sacrament is behind or on the altar genuflecting is apropos.
Now to my question: I was basically taught (by watching quite a few others) that when entering the pew during perpetual adoration it’s even different. I have to describe it as I simply don’t know the proper English words for this. If I was to translate the term from German into English this would be called a double genuflection. Both knees on the ground and a bow.
Would this be right?
TheLittleWay86 said:
I lived in a Benedictine Monastery for a couple of years, and all of the sisters bowed profoundly before entering their Church stalls. I was taught that this was a monastic tradition, to bow as opposed to genuflecting. I have also experienced life in a Cistercian Monastery where they also bowed profoundly as opposed to genuflecting.
Click to expand...
I’ve seen Franciscan Sisters genuflect (and bow if they wouldn’t have been able to get back up).
 
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