Genuflecting before receiving communion

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leigh2015

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This may be silly of me to ask but I’m not sure if I am doing something wrong so I am going to anyway. I just converted to Catholicism this Easter so forgive me if I’m being ridiculous.

Before receiving communion, I prefer to genuflect on one knee while the person in front of me is receiving as a sign of reverence. I know most people bow but I have seen several people genuflect instead of bow before in my parish (including my sponsor) so I assumed it was an acceptable practice. I saw a few threads on here saying it is improper to genuflect and that bowing is the correct sign of reverence. Should I stop genuflecting and start bowing instead? I prefer to genuflect because I have back issues and to be honest, bowing is a little painful for me but it’s bearable so if I am being improper, I can change what I do before receiving Our Lord. 🙂

Thanks for your help and God Bless!
 
From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, No. 160:

“When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister. The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant. When Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood.”

So, a profound (from the waist) is not necessary, nor is genuflecting. A bow of the head is the prescribed gesture of reverence according to the Church.
 
You could also turn your genuflect into kneeling to receive. Sometimes this can cause problems with people behind you that aren’t expecting this though, so if possible sit next to someone that knows you are going to do that so that you don’t kick them accidentally and/or they don’t step on your feet.
 
=leigh2015;12954158]This may be silly of me to ask but I’m not sure if I am doing something wrong so I am going to anyway. I just converted to Catholicism this Easter so forgive me if I’m being ridiculous.
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Before receiving communion, I prefer to genuflect on one knee while the person in front of me is receiving as a sign of reverence. I know most people bow but I have seen several people genuflect instead of bow before in my parish (including my sponsor) so I assumed it was an acceptable practice. I saw a few threads on here saying it is improper to genuflect and that bowing is the correct sign of reverence. Should I stop genuflecting and start bowing instead? I prefer to genuflect because I have back issues and to be honest, bowing is a little painful for me but it’s bearable so if I am being improper, I can change what I do before receiving Our Lord. 🙂
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Thanks for your help and God Bless!
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BOTH a DEEP Bow and Genuflection are valid and Licit forms of adoration and Divine Worship, when meeting Jesus for and in Catholic Holy Communion. 👍

Similar to Kneeling to receive which too remains valid and licit; Genuflections require no other for of worship.

Welcome HOME!

God Bless you,

Patrick
 
This is a question for your pastor.
Some priests allow it, although it is not necessary, as Mary_Ellen correctly stated.
Genuflecting is not done at my parish. I saw someone do it recently, and the priest did not seem to care, but no one else does it.
Ask the Pastor. We can’t possibly know what he prefers.
 
An interesting question – sometimes I go to Mass at a beautiful Church in downtown San Francisco – St. Patrick’s. There’s a man who attends Mass there – not every day but now and then – and he gets in the line where the priest is giving Communion – he never stands in the line where a Eucharistic minister is giving Holy Communion – THEN when he gets up to the priest he kneels and receives on the tongue.
I might add that they don’t distribute the blood of Christ (wine) at Mass – evidently someone complained and the priest said that since we have so many “beggars” in San Francisco they decided not to have the wine available because he felt he would be besieged with some of those beggars.
I might add that I was somewhat amused one day when one of those beggars on the street had a sign saying"anything helps" – then in his hand he had a Starbuck’s coffee mug – not cheap!!!
 
pianistclare said:
This is a question for your pastor.
Some priests allow it, although it is not necessary, as Mary_Ellen correctly stated.
Genuflecting is not done at my parish. I saw someone do it recently, and the priest did not seem to care, but no one else does it.
Ask the Pastor. We can’t possibly know what he prefers.
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What he prefers does not matter, really it is what Jesus prefers. And He will do that through the Church. The Church says all of what is mentioned is acceptable.

The liturgy is not just something to prefer. But, yes, perhaps talking with him would be good, just to ask questions about the whole matter. It is a good idea.

I just mean to say, if he tries to ban you from genuflecting or kneeling, you do not have to stop.
PAX
Isaac
 
We still have our communion rail, but never used as such, seldom see people genuflect. However, I attended another parish on Sunday and they had 1st Communion. The servers put a kneeler up near the altar. Each Communicant walked up by themselves, knelt down and received on the tongue. Not trying to hijack, but my point is if you prefer to genuflect or kneel, there are Parishes that have a greater reverence for the Real Presence. Also it is easier to genuflect at mass times with lower attendance.
 
Starbucks Coffee Mug? Kind of funny. It may have been a found object, a gift or even a gift of a cup coffee from someone. Judge not…?:tsktsk:
 
Maybe it’s because I’m a traditionalist, I still feel receiving by hand, as Bishops used to teach is more reverent.
 
Neofight said:
Not according to Cyril of Jerusalem, who said hold your fingers like you would as if grains of gold were being placed in your hands.
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Supposedly this is no longer a problem since I’ve been told most hosts are constructed solid enough that no particles fly of by themselves. :rolleyes:
 
ProVobis said:
Supposedly this is no longer a problem since I’ve been told most hosts are constructed solid enough that no particles fly of by themselves. :rolleyes:
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Indeed…however die hard the by the mouth crowd would never agree!
 
Neofight said:
Maybe it’s because I’m a traditionalist, I still feel receiving by hand, as Bishops used to teach is more reverent.
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Hello,

There were “Bishops” who “used to teach” that receiving Communion in the hand “is more reverent” than other ways?

Dan
 
dans0622 said:
Hello,

There were “Bishops” who “used to teach” that receiving Communion in the hand “is more reverent” than other ways?

Dan
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Actually, not more reverent, but the proper way to receive:

From Lecture XXIII, paragraph 21 on the Mysteries of the Sacred Liturgy and Communion by Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Father of the Church (3rd Century):

***In approaching therefore, come not with thy wrists extended, or thy fingers spread; but make thy left hand a throne for the fight, as for that which is to receive a King. And having hollowed thy palm, receive the Body of Christ, saying over it, Amen. ***

Peace and all good!
 
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