Genuflect

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sarahq

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Is it right or wrong to genuflect before an altar that is not also the location of the Host? E.g. a statue of the Virgin Mary – is it proper or improper Catholic practice to genuflect before such a statue? Or should we only genuflect to the presence of the Host?

Thank you all
God bless.
Sarah
 
You genuflect to the Tabernacle with Jesus present within.

You make a profound bow to the altar.

You do not bow or genuflect to statues.
 
We should only genuflect to the Tabernacle or exposed Host. We bow to the altar, if it is separate from where the Tabernacle is and if there is no host on it (in a monstrance).

We do not genuflect to statues.
 
Well, I am not sure if this is right or not, but I usually make a simple bow (basically a nod) to some statues at my Parish as most of them (with the exception of the Sacred Heart Statue and Saint Philomena Statue) have a relic at the foot of them. I normally make a profound bow to thae Altar and genuflection to the Tabernacle. I always learned that if you cannot venerate a relic properly (a kiss) then to “acknowledge” it through a simple bow.

~ Pius :knight1:
 
sarahq said:
Is it right or wrong to genuflect before an altar that is not also the location of the Host? E.g. a statue of the Virgin Mary – is it proper or improper Catholic practice to genuflect before such a statue? Or should we only genuflect to the presence of the Host?

Thank you all
God bless.
Sarah
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Question for clarification: are you refering to the act of genuflecting (convivially known as “bouncing on one knee”) or kneeling?

If you’re referring to kneeling, the answer will be totally different.
 
paperwight66 said:
We should only genuflect to the Tabernacle or exposed Host. We bow to the altar, if it is separate from where the Tabernacle is and if there is no host on it (in a monstrance).

We do not genuflect to statues.
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Well, not entirely true. We also genuflect to crucifixes at certain times (e.g. Good Friday and after the blessing of one).
 
Thank you all!! This clarifies things for me. I’ve been genuflecting when I shouldn’t be!
(I’m in RCIA right now… I guess this would have been covered at some point but I’m glad to know the proper protocol ahead of time!)

prometheus: I’m referring to “bouncing on one knee”, not plain kneeling.

Take care all and God bless
 
paperwight66 said:
We should only genuflect to the Tabernacle or exposed Host. We bow to the altar, if it is separate from where the Tabernacle is and if there is no host on it (in a monstrance).

We do not genuflect to statues.
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That is an altar on which mass is offered; not to the side altars which are not used for mass.
 
Also the bow is to the altar of sacrifice, not to the crucifix, though many do not know this. I have seen persons, who should know better, stand back to the altar and bow to the crucifix. There are many worse sins, but it is nice to do things right.

In earlier times it was the custom to go down on both knees before the exposed Host. This is no longer required, but you will see some of us following our old habits.
 
All this is right so far, but I would also point out that in the EF, the altar servers genuflect to the altar, even of the Blessed Sacrament is not present, or even just not on that altar. Just thought I’d point that out.
 
Joe_Kelley said:
In earlier times it was the custom to go down on both knees before the exposed Host. This is no longer required, but you will see some of us following our old habits.
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Earlier times? No longer required? Old habits? What are you talking about? Are you in one of these “progressive” wacko parishes or something?

In 50 years I have never entered any Catholic church for Adoration (an “exposed Host”) and not genuflected on both knees (right first and then left, so very briefly one is kneeling), and seen every other person, man, woman and child do the same. One always genuflects “on both knees” before the exposed Sacrament.
 
Margie9 said:
Earlier times? No longer required? Old habits? What are you talking about? Are you in one of these “progressive” wacko parishes or something?

In 50 years I have never entered any Catholic church for Adoration (an “exposed Host”) and not genuflected on both knees (right first and then left, so very briefly one is kneeling), and seen every other person, man, woman and child do the same. One always genuflects “on both knees” before the exposed Sacrament.
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The requirement was removed in the 1970s. If you think about it, it doesn’t make any sense to go on both knees before the Blessed Sacrament exposed and not before the Tabernacle. It is the same Host.

The custom certainly persists, as you say, and must make a huge impression on any non-Catholics or children as to how holy we believe the Host to be. But the poster was right, it is no longer mandated.

I’m sorry, I can’t remember the name of the document, but if you search, you will see that this was discussed a few years ago on one of these boards.
 
paperwight66 said:
The requirement was removed in the 1970s. If you think about it, it doesn’t make any sense to go on both knees before the Blessed Sacrament exposed and not before the Tabernacle. It is the same Host.

The custom certainly persists, as you say, and must make a huge impression on any non-Catholics or children as to how holy we believe the Host to be. But the poster was right, it is no longer mandated.

I’m sorry, I can’t remember the name of the document, but if you search, you will see that this was discussed a few years ago on one of these boards.
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Paperweight is indeed correct. Before the reforms, a double knee genuflection was obligatory in the presence of the exposed eucharist. If you could, you must.

Now, it’s not required, but a laudable custom.
 
paperwight66 said:
The requirement was removed in the 1970s. If you think about it, it doesn’t make any sense to go on both knees before the Blessed Sacrament exposed and not before the Tabernacle. It is the same Host.

The custom certainly persists, as you say, and must make a huge impression on any non-Catholics or children as to how holy we believe the Host to be. But the poster was right, it is no longer mandated.

I’m sorry, I can’t remember the name of the document, but if you search, you will see that this was discussed a few years ago on one of these boards.
Click to expand...
Paperweight is indeed correct. Before the reforms, a double knee genuflection was obligatory in the presence of the exposed eucharist. If you could, you must.

However, that being said, some bishop’s conferences have voted to keep it. In those countries, it would still be required.

But in most countries, it’s not required, but only a laudable custom.
 
Thank you, TheMC, that has clarified the situation.

It’s frustrating, though. I have spent at least half an hour trying to find the document, but the search facility on the Vatican website is so unsatisfactory, hardly any returns for ‘genuflecting’ or similar.

I have trawled through the Catechism, as well, but that doesn’t mention what to do either, which seems an oversight as surely it is a part of Catholic life catechumens should know.
I think if I were writing a Catechism I’d have a chapter on ‘Catholic customs’. How often do we see queries from non-Catholics about using the holy water and so on?

The only useful google result was newadvent, but they said a double genuflection is required, which I knew was wrong and makes me wonder what other wrong notions they are putting out as truth. (Well, I know they say that everyone has to go to confession once a year, but the Church says that the requirement is for those conscious of mortal sin, so there’s one for a start).
 
paperwight66 said:
The only useful google result was newadvent, but they said a double genuflection is required, which I knew was wrong and makes me wonder what other wrong notions they are putting out as truth. (Well, I know they say that everyone has to go to confession once a year, but the Church says that the requirement is for those conscious of mortal sin, so there’s one for a start).
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They aren’t wrong, per se, but just outdated. If I’m not mistaken, that website is simply a transcription of The Catholic Encyclopedia, which is from 1917. I made that mistake once too. 🙂
 
The practice is to genuflect only to the Blessed Sacrament. Outside of Mass, you genuflect to the tabernacle. Between Consecration and Communion, you genuflect to the altar. At other times you bow to the altar (assuming that the tabernacle is elsewhere), but you can bow whenever you wish.
 
Okay wait – So we should genuflect to the tabernacle, bow to the altar, and just cross ourselves in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary?
 
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