Genuflecting before the Blessed Sacrament

[EasterJoy]

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.

I think what happens, though, is when the pastor is one of those people who can’t reliably genuflect, there are those who mistakenly think he uses a profound bow out of preference or because it is an equivalent gesture, rather than out of necessity. This is particularly true if others bow with him out of deference to the combination of his station and his ability level or if he looks kind of young to have such old joints. It’s unlikely anyone will announce, “Hey, listen, Father Smith can’t be sure when he genuflects that he’s going to be able to get up again, but that’s no excuse for you”, because they don’t want to draw attention to it.

(As for Mother’s Day, it’s a secular observance, not a Marian feast day. It is nice to add a Marian hymn for that day, that is OK, but it is not impious or neglectful of Our Lady to stick with the hymns of Eastertide, either. I know people who get their nose bent out of shape when the homilist ignores the fact that it’s Mother’s Day altogether, or barely mentions it, but the observance is not on the liturgical calendar. But yes, I’d agree that one can’t make a big deal at Mass about Mother’s Day without Our Lady deserving by far the most prominent attention.)

 

[patsydtr]

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.

 

[corsair]

Every thursday when I attend Adoration there is an OLD man that usually is there 15 minutes before me. When he leaves he struggles out of the pew, grabs his cane, and genuflects (both knees in deep reverence). He then struggles back up and hobbles out of church. I found out that he is 92 years old.

so that brings me to being a little critical of priests half his age that cannot genuflect because they have “bad knees or bad back”. sorry I have no patience or sympathy for them after watching this old man at Adoration.

 

[zab]

Every thursday when I attend Adoration there is an OLD man that usually is there 15 minutes before me. When he leaves he struggles out of the pew, grabs his cane, and genuflects (both knees in deep reverence). He then struggles back up and hobbles out of church. I found out that he is 92 years old.

so that brings me to being a little critical of priests half his age that cannot genuflect because they have “bad knees or bad back”. sorry I have no patience or sympathy for them after watching this old man at Adoration.

I guess you wouldn’t understand unless you had the bad back or bad knees.

 

[BernadetteM]

I feel it is the priest’s responsibility to teach his members what they should be doing when entering the church or during Mass.

In our parish two years olds genuflect, some of the members kneel on both knees before enterting their pews and some even half way protrate themselves.

Of course there are always exceptions, but they might be visitors. Our pastor has taught us to show great reverence for the Body of Christ at all times.

It is sad that so many pastors just don’t seem to care and this is why there are Catholics who don’t really know their faith.

Although this is not part of the thread, I am a convert from the Episcopal church and one thing that really bothers me is that after the recession, while people are still singing the hymn, people almost run to get out of the church before the final verse. We always stayed until the last verse and usually sang 3 or 4 verses. After that some would stay praying for a while. I think these actions also show irreverence. What’s the hurry?

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette

 

[The_Reginator]

I feel it is the priest’s responsibility to teach his members what they should be doing when entering the church or during Mass.

In our parish two years olds genuflect, some of the members kneel on both knees before enterting their pews and some even half way protrate themselves.

Of course there are always exceptions, but they might be visitors. Our pastor has taught us to show great reverence for the Body of Christ at all times.

It is sad that so many pastors just don’t seem to care and this is why there are Catholics who don’t really know their faith.

Although this is not part of the thread, I am a convert from the Episcopal church and one thing that really bothers me is that after the recession, while people are still singing the hymn, people almost run to get out of the church before the final verse. We always stayed until the last verse and usually sang 3 or 4 verses. After that some would stay praying for a while. I think these actions also show irreverence. What’s the hurry?

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette

I like your parish already!
(My local parish has very few abuses and I think it`s somewhat ‘conservative’ compared to what I’ve heard about elsewhere.
Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament doesn’t get the respect He’s due however.)

I have to pick up on your last comment.
I was an Anglican until the age of 38, although I did attend a Catholic Mass with my wife for about 15 years.
I recall that we sang EVERY appropriate verse of the recessional hymn. That would sometimes mean 7 verses – with everyone singing. After the recessional everybody knelt and prayed for a few moments before leaving.
WHAT IS THE RUSH???

Back to the OP. How can anyone not want to get down on their knees when in the very presence of God Almighty?

 

[EasterJoy]

Every thursday when I attend Adoration there is an OLD man that usually is there 15 minutes before me. When he leaves he struggles out of the pew, grabs his cane, and genuflects (both knees in deep reverence). He then struggles back up and hobbles out of church. I found out that he is 92 years old.

so that brings me to being a little critical of priests half his age that cannot genuflect because they have “bad knees or bad back”. sorry I have no patience or sympathy for them after watching this old man at Adoration.

It would not do for a priest to fall during Mass when allowing prudence and humility to limit him to the allowed alternative of a profound bow would have avoided it. Besides, it is not for us to decide to withhold patience or sympathy from people who say their joints are failing. It would be the equivalent of accusing them of lying, and would be a violation of the Lord’s strict command that we love one another.

PS Half of that admirable old fellow’s age is 46. I’ve only known one priest whose arthritis was that bad at age 46, and trust me, you wouldn’t want the suffering he had to endure.

 

[paperwight]

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:

Don’t stop showing whatever sign of adoration you can, but strictly speaking, we are not obligated to go down on both knees any more - since 1973, I believe.

Another poster gave the relevant document months ago when we were discussing it.

 

[Jea9]

Although this is not part of the thread, I am a convert from the Episcopal church and one thing that really bothers me is that after the recession, while people are still singing the hymn, people almost run to get out of the church before the final verse. We always stayed until the last verse and usually sang 3 or 4 verses. After that some would stay praying for a while. I think these actions also show irreverence. What’s the hurry?

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette

I can tell you what the rush is for my husband and me at OUR parish. The songs are horrible…if they’re JUST ridiculously ‘happy’ (can’t think of another descriptor sorry) then that’s a good day. Often our cantor chooses songs that either tread a fine line on Catholic teaching, or are blatantly heretical. It’s the same reason that we don’t participate in singing the Communion hymn. This particular cantor must be of the opinion that everyone loves his voice and needs watered down catechesis. It’s really very sad.

Anyway, not saying this is why people leave at YOUR Parish, but at ours, that is why we are often found leaving once the priest and deacon have left the church.

 

[BernadetteM]

I can tell you what the rush is for my husband and me at OUR parish. The songs are horrible…if they’re JUST ridiculously ‘happy’ (can’t think of another descriptor sorry) then that’s a good day. Often our cantor chooses songs that either tread a fine line on Catholic teaching, or are blatantly heretical. It’s the same reason that we don’t participate in singing the Communion hymn. This particular cantor must be of the opinion that everyone loves his voice and needs watered down catechesis. It’s really very sad.

Anyway, not saying this is why people leave at YOUR Parish, but at ours, that is why we are often found leaving once the priest and deacon have left the church.

I attend a very traditional parish and our hymns are the same ones I sang as an Episcopalian. Still people will leave ASAP. That makes it a little uncomfortable for us who wish to fininsh the hymn as sometimes I can feel that the people next to me want to leave. We only have one aisle, it is a very old spanish style church.

I do feel for you, hopefully one of Pope Benedict’s next projects will be overseeing the music played at parishes. I find beautiful hymns can bring a very spiritual experience, at least for me. Again I am sorry that you must endure those types of songs. Are there other innovations at your parish. Most of these new songs remind me of being in a protestant church, not one which is liturgical, although I think even some of them are using these types of songs.

God Bless

Bernadette

 

[Jea9]

I attend a very traditional parish and our hymns are the same ones I sang as an Episcopalian. Still people will leave ASAP. That makes it a little uncomfortable for us who wish to fininsh the hymn as sometimes I can feel that the people next to me want to leave. We only have one aisle, it is a very old spanish style church.

I do feel for you, hopefully one of Pope Benedict’s next projects will be overseeing the music played at parishes. I find beautiful hymns can bring a very spiritual experience, at least for me. Again I am sorry that you must endure those types of songs. Are there other innovations at your parish. Most of these new songs remind me of being in a protestant church, not one which is liturgical, although I think even some of them are using these types of songs.

God Bless

Bernadette

You are very blessed! There actually aren’t too many “innovations” at our parish, I mean, I don’t think that we have many abuses after reading about some other people’s experiences. But, the cantor is definitely one that we’ve had for a while, and things that come with his choices.

Sorry to derail the thread somewhat!