Genuflecting before the Blessed Sacrament

[Don9of11]

I happened to attend church this Sunday with my Sister and her family, I am visiting the church to see if I like it and if I want to make it my parish. My church will be closing in late June and so I am looking for a new home. One of the things I found rather surprising is that no one genuflected when they crossed in front of or approached the main altar even though the Blessed Sacrament was present. What they did do was bow. I looked through the Roman Missal and I think it reads that if the Most Blessed Sacrament is present in the sanctuary then all who pass before the Blessed Sacrament should genuflect.

My question, is this abuse if you don’t genuflect? I was always taught to genuflect especially if the Blessed Sacrament is present, whether you are at the first pew of the church or the last. I can understand if a person is old and unable to genuflect, but shouldn’t those who are able do so? I didn’t see a moratorium on this subject so I hope it is a legitimate concern.

 

[patsydtr]

I recently went on retreat to a Benedictine Monastery. During one of our conferences, that question actually came up. The Monk, who is also a Priest said: "To bow in front of the Altar if there was no Blessed Sacrament present. If there is, then you genuflect. That also includes the Tabernacle when the candle is lit. In our parish, we have a high Altar where the Tabernacle is located and a partition that obscures our view just behind the lower Altar. We older folks are only able to bow, our knees just won’t bend in order to genuflect.

 

[robinolocksley]

I’m sure that it is a discipline that is encouraged but not doctrine.
I would genuflect anyway

 

[PatriceA]

The way I always understood it, you genuflect when first entering the church or exiting. But once you’re in the church and you have to pass the tabernacle, you bow.

 

[zab]

The way I always understood it, you genuflect when first entering the church or exiting. But once you’re in the church and you have to pass the tabernacle, you bow.

I have been instructed that we are also supposed to genuflect before passing the tabernacle if it is outside of the Mass. During Mass, there are times when the reader, the EMHC and others must enter the sanctuary or pass the tabernacle and then it is proper to bow.

 

[hamjeepr]

You genuflect to the Eucharist and only bow to the altar when there is no tabernacle present. I’m sure this wasn’t the only lack of reverence you witnessed but it stood out the most. If this bothered you, you might keep looking for a new parish. It would (and does in my own parish) bother me.

I teach 5th grade CCD and use the article below from Adoremus Bulletin when discussing the mass with my kids. It’s amazing how much we forget or never learned. Take a look at the below link. It has proven extremely valuable for me! You might even try printing it out and leaving a few copies around for people to find in the church and hall. Many times it’s ignorance that drives these actions.

adoremus.org/Folsom-Signs-598.html

 

[PatriceA]

I have been instructed that we are also supposed to genuflect before passing the tabernacle if it is outside of the Mass. During Mass, there are times when the reader, the EMHC and others must enter the sanctuary or pass the tabernacle and then it is proper to bow.

 

[Jea9]

Genuflecting is a more reverent posture, even during Mass. The “norm” is to bow to the altar because Christ is actively present, but in my opinion (and Fr. Serpa answered this question posed by my husband) if you are passing in front of the Tabernacle you should always genuflect. Christ is present in the Sacrament in the Tabernacle, would you not be on your knees in front of Him if you saw Him in the flesh? Of course this is for those who are able to kneel, not saying that those that are physically unable to kneel are irreverent.

 

[Dorothy]

The way I always understood it, you genuflect when first entering the church or exiting. But once you’re in the church and you have to pass the tabernacle, you bow.

That is what I was told by a holy priest.

 

[The_Reginator]

The way I always understood it, you genuflect when first entering the church or exiting. But once you’re in the church and you have to pass the tabernacle, you bow.

I have been instructed that we are also supposed to genuflect before passing the tabernacle if it is outside of the Mass. During Mass, there are times when the reader, the EMHC and others must enter the sanctuary or pass the tabernacle and then it is proper to bow.

 

[PatriceA]

zab;6618000:

Rules and conventions/instructions have nothing to do with this topic.
It is scary to me that a Catholic would not be fully aware that it is God Himself that they ought to be adoring in the Tabernacle. And a whole congregation? And clergy not encouraging us to venerate God when He is physically present?
Except during the Sacrifice of the Mass, the Tabernacle (containing the physical presence of our God) must be our focus – the most Holy place of all.
I can understand the significance of bowing before the altar of sacrifice.
But how can one possibly pass before God himself without showing a sign of profound reverence and adoration?

Are you saying “bowing” is not a sign of profound reverence and adoration? Are we not to 'bow" before receiving the Eucharist?

 

[ljubim]

zab;6618000:

Rules and conventions/instructions have nothing to do with this topic.
It is scary to me that a Catholic would not be fully aware that it is God Himself that they ought to be adoring in the Tabernacle. And a whole congregation? And clergy not encouraging us to venerate God when He is physically present?
Except during the Sacrifice of the Mass, the Tabernacle (containing the physical presence of our God) must be our focus – the most Holy place of all.
I can understand the significance of bowing before the altar of sacrifice.
But how can one possibly pass before God himself without showing a sign of profound reverence and adoration?

I know… my parish is full of these kinds of people. People walk right past the tabernacle, and this always comes to mind: “how lovingly I have watched you approach, thrilled at your coming, … and how sadly I have watched you pass me by with not so much as a silent greeting, a genuflection or even a bow.” from an article on Boston Catholic Journal.

We always, constantly need to ask ourselves if we are acting any differently towards the Tabernacle and towards the Eucharist than we would if Jesus Christ Himself was standing in front of us. Sadly, MANY do!

 

[zab]

Rules and conventions/instructions have nothing to do with this topic.
It is scary to me that a Catholic would not be fully aware that it is God Himself that they ought to be adoring in the Tabernacle. And a whole congregation? And clergy not encouraging us to venerate God when He is physically present?
Except during the Sacrifice of the Mass, the Tabernacle (containing the physical presence of our God) must be our focus – the most Holy place of all.
I can understand the significance of bowing before the altar of sacrifice.
But how can one possibly pass before God himself without showing a sign of profound reverence and adoration?

I’m afraid that I don’t understand why you have quoted me or PatriceA to make your point. Surely you are not accusing us?

 

[The_Reginator]

I’m afraid that I don’t understand why you have quoted me or PatriceA to make your point. Surely you are not accusing us?

Oh, sorry. I should have made it more clear.
The sentiments in these two posts are merely examples of what I see as a lack of reverence for the Blessed Sacrament. I could have picked the OP for that matter.
I am not accusing anyone in particular. I am simply deeply concerned about the appearance that many in today’s Church seem to lack any real belief in God’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament. This is a great concern to me.

Again, I am not accusing anyone – no offence intended. "Sorry ‘bout that chief’.

 

[The_Reginator]

The Reginator;6618219:

Are you saying “bowing” is not a sign of profound reverence and adoration? Are we not to 'bow" before receiving the Eucharist?

I’m thinking about how we would behave if we really, really, ACTUALLY believed that Jesus is present in His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity.
Actually present.

I’m not doubting that you believe this. But I often feel that many people either do not believe He is actually, physically present … or if they appear not to always be aware of that fact.
To me kneeling is more profound than genuflecting. Laying fully prostrate even more so. Similarly, I find that genuflecting shows more reverence than a simple bow – partially because it takes more effort.

 

[EasterJoy]

Genuflecting is the norm as far as I know, but if there is a reason (bad knees, high heels, etc.), a profound bow works, too. Honestly, if I were looking for a parish and the worst thing I could find is that the Blessed Sacrament was always acknowledged and reverenced, but with a bow rather than genuflection, I’d deal with it. Sometimes a pastor comes in who always bows because his knees are bad, everybody does what he does, and it becomes the norm thereafter.

I am a big believer in attending one’s geographical parish, but if a parish didn’t seem to have a widespread recognition of the True Presence, that would be a real problem. I teach kids in CCD what our pastor said one year for a First Holy Communion homily: that is, that Jesus is even more present to us in the Eucharist than I am to you, for in the Blessed Sacrament there are no barriers between the Lord and you. I cannot possibly be that present to another person. Or, as the catechism puts it, the Lord’s presence is real, not as if other ways of His being present to us are not real, but rather the True Presence is presence par excellence. I think that when Catholics believe that, it shows in their reverence towards the Blessed Sacrament. If one knows it intellectually but neglects to show it physically, that neglect can erode faith and have a bad impact on the spiritual life. This is not to be judgmental, to say that the neglect deserves punishment or anything like that, but simply that the purpose of the parish church is to share a life in Christ. That’s why I’d think it a problem when physical neglect has become the norm for a parish.

I mean the norm among, say, the clergy and the people the clergy train to assist them at Mass: servers, lectors, and so on. If they are excellent, if the example is there, that is the norm I’m talking about. If the rest of the parish hasn’t come around yet, that is something else again. The pastor and staff can’t change everyone’s poor habits, at least not overnight. (Choir excluded. I don’t know why, but sometimes the choir just does not come around when it comes to rules, and permits itself neglect that individual members do not show outside of choir. I have heard a music historian say, only a little tongue-in-cheek, that this has been true throughout the centuries.)

 

[chaunceygardner]

The great majority of the time at the various churches I have been in the practice is usually to bow. I know of parishes where the Priests instructed readers, Eucharistic Ministers and anyone approaching the altar to bow. I see little genuflecting except when entering and leaving church (and much less of that); it is almost all bowing.

I guess I assumed the norms had changed over the past 40 years or so; back then it was almost all genuflecting.

 

[OraLabora]

Seen regularly at weekday Mass at St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal.

Before Mass, a gentleman of a certain age proceeds to the the entrance of the sanctuary at the foot of the (bare) altar, genuflects profoundly while crossing himself, then walks right past the tabernacle without acknowledging it, and then genuflects profoundly before a crucifix placed to the far right of the sanctuary, well past the tabernacle.

Go figure. I can only assume it is invincible ignorance, not lack of faith.

 

[Don9of11]

Genuflecting is the norm as far as I know, but if there is a reason (bad knees, high heels, etc.), a profound bow works, too. Honestly, if I were looking for a parish and the worst thing I could find is that the Blessed Sacrament was always acknowledged and reverenced, but with a bow rather than genuflection, I’d deal with it. Sometimes a pastor comes in who always bows because his knees are bad, everybody does what he does, and it becomes the norm thereafter.

This isn’t about some people who because of age, or illness can no longer genuflect. I was really trying to find out what the church teaches on this matter and what is the correct posture. It seems in many catholic churches the norm is what the people want to do and not what they should be doing. In addition to this, being Mothers Day, there was not one hymn to the Blessed Mother. But that’s a topic for another day.

 

[callmeChris]

Im 16 and I was told by a sweet old lady in our small parish that we should get down on both knees (I was only genuflecting in front of the blessed sacrament). So that is what i now do.
Only when the blessed Sacrament is exposed do I get down on both knees. :bowdown: I mean the one week where I get to see Christ, my lord, and creator exposed only a few feet away from me of coarse I’m going to get down on both knees in adoration.

Please pray that I don’t break my legs in an accident:yup: