Genuflecting just before receiving the Eucharist?

[Binary]

I’ve seen a number of people start doing this recently, mostly people who appear to be in their 20’s. Is this appropriate? Is it an old tradition that I’m not aware of?

 

[ConstantineTG]

I’ve seen a number of people start doing this recently, mostly people who appear to be in their 20’s. Is this appropriate? Is it an old tradition that I’m not aware of?

I do it.

The rubrics call for a gesture of reverence before receiving the Eucharist standing. Also the GIRM states that genuflection should be directed towards the Blessed Sacrament. Put two and two together.

Although in the US there is a prescription in the GIRM that the gesture of reverence should be a bow. I suggest following the Bishops in that matter. If you are not in the US, then consult the adaptations of the GIRM for your country or territory. Here in Canada the adaptations have yet to receive recognitio from the Holy See, therefore there is no prescription. So I elect to genuflect as I have had in the past.

 

[VetA]

I’ve seen a number of people start doing this recently, mostly people who appear to be in their 20’s. Is this appropriate? Is it an old tradition that I’m not aware of?

i do, i have also never been corrected by a priest for it, it cannot be bad to show reverence for God, who we are about to receive.

 

[Corki]

I’ve seen a number of people start doing this recently, mostly people who appear to be in their 20’s. Is this appropriate? Is it an old tradition that I’m not aware of?

It’s not really an old tradition. In the older method, people would already be on their knees so no additional gesture of reverence was needed. The genuflection or the bow are just two ways of making the required gesture of reverence.

We have quite a few people who either genuflect or kneel for Communion at our parish. If I tried, I’d never be able to get up but I dearly miss the altar rail.

 

[brina1416]

I’ve seen a number of people start doing this recently, mostly people who appear to be in their 20’s. Is this appropriate? Is it an old tradition that I’m not aware of?

I usually bow before recieving the Eucharist. I do that as a sign of respect.

 

[Binary]

Thanks for the answers, all. I really wish that the laity in America (myself included) were better educated, especially about the mass. I’ve seen people bowing, and I just assumed that those people had no idea what they were doing. Yet it was the opposite, since I had no idea that a sign of reverence was called for!

Also, even combining those who bow and those who genuflect, they are greatly in the minority of the laity in general. Why is this practice so rare? Why wasn’t I taught to do this at the Catholic school I attended?

 

[SonCatcher]

If you do genuflect, perhaps when the person in front of you is receiving so as to not disrupt the flow.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Thanks for the answers, all. I really wish that the laity in America (myself included) were better educated, especially about the mass. I’ve seen people bowing, and I just assumed that those people had no idea what they were doing. Yet it was the opposite, since I had no idea that a sign of reverence was called for!

Also, even combining those who bow and those who genuflect, they are greatly in the minority of the laity in general. Why is this practice so rare? Why wasn’t I taught to do this at the Catholic school I attended?

I’m guessing here but I suspect this was not part of the GIRM in the past.

 

[ConstantineTG]

If you do genuflect, perhaps when the person in front of you is receiving so as to not disrupt the flow.

I time it so that I genuflect when I’m in full presence of the Blessed Sacrament and no one in front of me is blocking, and when I move forward to receive. So my genuflecting and taking a step forward becomes one motion.

 

[SonCatcher]

I time it so that I genuflect when I’m in full presence of the Blessed Sacrament and no one in front of me is blocking, and when I move forward to receive. So my genuflecting and taking a step forward becomes one motion.

 

[OraLabora]

I time it so that I genuflect when I’m in full presence of the Blessed Sacrament and no one in front of me is blocking, and when I move forward to receive. So my genuflecting and taking a step forward becomes one motion.

I could time it that way, provided that the person behind me in line was willing to help me back up on my feet

At least at a communion rail I can prop myself back up!!!

At our Benedictine abbey there’s no communion rail. The two priests from whom we receive communion stand at the cloister gate which is opened for the Mass.

 

[puzzleannie]

I’ve seen a number of people start doing this recently, mostly people who appear to be in their 20’s. Is this appropriate? Is it an old tradition that I’m not aware of?

a mark of reverence before reception is required, since in the US at least most people have been kneeling up until the time they actually join the communion procession, that mark has already been given and the genuflexion would seem redundant. In the spirit of humility and obedience we should follow the direction of our pastor and bishop on this point.

 

[Orleans_Attny]

I do it.

So do I - and even that minor sign of reverence feels inadequate to me. I fight the urge to feel annoyance at the offhand manner in which some receive the Eucharist or behave after the Eucharistic Consecration. I recognize that’s a problem on which I need to work.

But you’re right, I rarely see older people do it (I’m 37 and the oldest in my parish that genuflects before the Eucharist). I’ve most often seen it in parishes near (or on) college campuses - or on military bases.

Pax,
OA

 

[zab]

a mark of reverence before reception is required, since in the US at least most people have been kneeling up until the time they actually join the communion procession, that mark has already been given and the genuflexion would seem redundant. In the spirit of humility and obedience we should follow the direction of our pastor and bishop on this point.

I believe the bishops have established that the sign of reverence would be a bow of the head in the United States.
EDIT: And I totally agree with you “In the spirit of humility and obedience we should follow the direction of our pastor and bishop on this point.”

 

[Busymom1]

Thanks for the answers, all. I really wish that the laity in America (myself included) were better educated, especially about the mass. I’ve seen people bowing, and I just assumed that those people had no idea what they were doing. Yet it was the opposite, since I had no idea that a sign of reverence was called for!

Also, even combining those who bow and those who genuflect, they are greatly in the minority of the laity in general. Why is this practice so rare? Why wasn’t I taught to do this at the Catholic school I attended?

Everyone at my parish bows or genuflects before receiving the Eucharist. I’m thankful for our priest who is not afraid to teach the faith to those out in the pews!

 

[amgp]

“At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bend”. And what should we do when we’re standing immediately in front of Him? We should all be obedient to our Holy Father, the Vicar of Christ. Pope Benedict XVI will only give Holy Communion to someone while they are kneeling (and only on their tongue).

Thankfully, my pastor encourages us to kneel while receiving. However, he also gives people the option to stand if they are unable to kneel.

 

[zab]

“At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bend”. And what should we do when we’re standing immediately in front of Him? We should all be obedient to our Holy Father, the Vicar of Christ. Pope Benedict XVI will only give Holy Communion to someone while they are kneeling (and only on their tongue).

Thankfully, my pastor encourages us to kneel while receiving. However, he also gives people the option to stand if they are unable to kneel.

Maybe one day our Communion rails will be restored and we call be more able to kneel for reception of Holy Communion. But for now the proper posture for receiving Communion in the United States is standing and the gesture of respect is to bow before receiving Communion.

 

[MarkThompson]

“At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bend”. And what should we do when we’re standing immediately in front of Him? We should all be obedient to our Holy Father, the Vicar of Christ. Pope Benedict XVI will only give Holy Communion to someone while they are kneeling (and only on their tongue).

We should be obedient, yes, but obedience runs the opposite way of what you think. His Holiness instructed us in Redemptionis Sacramentum, “The observance of the norms published by the authority of the Church requires conformity of thought and of word, of external action and of the application of the heart.” For those of us in the United States, the norm published by the Church “for reception of Holy Communion in the dioceses of the United States is standing.”

Personally, I agree with you; I’d prefer kneeling. But Pope Benedict has not called on the laity to behave at Mass however they want to in accordance with whatever they individually think is better. He’s called on us to conform not merely our actions but even our thought and heart to the liturgical norms selected for us by the proper authorities in the Church. That is obedience.

 

[amgp]

But for now the proper posture for receiving Communion in the United States is standing and the gesture of respect is to bow before receiving Communion.

We aren’t to just show “respect” to our Creator. We revere Him. Standing in front of Him and giving a quick head bob is definitely not a sign of reverence. That’s something you might do towards a stranger as you strut down the street.

As I said, I’ll continue to obey our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, and get down on my knees to receive our Eucharistic Lord, regardless of what others may do. The Vicar of Christ is the successor to Peter, the only person who was given the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

You have to ask yourselves, why was standing and receiving in the hand allowed in the first place?? “Because of the hardness of their hearts.” Well, it’s not allowed by our Holy Father. Who are you going to obey? “Whoever hears you, hears Me.”

 

[ConstantineTG]

So do I - and even that minor sign of reverence feels inadequate to me. I fight the urge to feel annoyance at the offhand manner in which some receive the Eucharist or behave after the Eucharistic Consecration. I recognize that’s a problem on which I need to work.

But you’re right, I rarely see older people do it (I’m 37 and the oldest in my parish that genuflects before the Eucharist). I’ve most often seen it in parishes near (or on) college campuses - or on military bases.

Pax,
OA

I see your location is in Japan. Wouldn’t a profound bow to the waist a better sign of reverence in the culture of your location (not sure if your Japanese or not so I didn’t say your culture)?