Genuflecting

[kristie_m]

i’m a bit out of practice on this, I admit. But prior to the start of Mass, when the Blessed Sacrament is not on the altar, are we supposed to genuflect toward the altar, or the sacrament? I see people just sort of randomly dropping to one knee…

 

[duskyjewel]

Toward the tabernacle, where the consecrated Body and Blood of Jesus repose.

Hope that helps!

 

[kristie_m]

Toward the tabernacle, where the consecrated Body and Blood of Jesus repose.

Hope that helps!

Thanks…that’s what I thought…but the way our church is designed, the tabernacle is tucked away in a separate, confined room, in the back of the church (or way off to one side, depending on which enterance you use) which makes the aim a little awkward.

 

[duskyjewel]

Which is one good reason why Catholic churches shouldn’t be constructed that way. Why are they hiding Jesus?!

Anyway, if anyone asks you why you are genuflecting in the “wrong direction,” you will get a chance to do some educating!

P.S. Welcome back… feels good, doesn’t it? (I too was away for many years.)

 

[Eilish_Maura]

It is also appropriate to show respect for the altar where Mass will be held.

Since I have not been able to genuflect for over 10 yrs (opting for bowing instead) I don’t remember the exact protocol.

 

[Orionthehunter]

Toward the tabernacle, where the consecrated Body and Blood of Jesus repose.

Hope that helps!

If the Tabernacle is out of the main worship area (in a chapel), we are to genuflect to the altar. It is inappropriate to genuflect to another room. It is my understanding that it is also appropriate to do so if the Tabernacle is in the back or otherwise outside the sanctuary. While I’m sure that this is a compromise for order and unity among the faithful, it is to also accomplish the main purpose: we are to conform our mind and body to the fact that we have entered sacred ground.

You are quite correct that this is problem created by poorly designed churches and misplacement of the tabernacle. Because the USCCB has issued a directive to correct this problem, it is my understanding that renovations of worship areas are not allowed unless it addresses this problem.

 

[ArAnMike]

If the Tabernacle is out of the main worship area (in a chapel), we are to genuflect to the altar.

I don’t mean to be picky about this, but genuflection is a sign of adoration. We bow to the altar and genuflect to the Blessed Sacrament. Information can be found here.

1. A genuflection, made by bending the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and therefore it is reserved for the Most Blessed Sacrament, as well as for the Holy Cross from the solemn adoration during the liturgical celebration on Good Friday until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.

1. A bow signifies reverence and honor shown to the persons themselves or to the signs that represent them. There are two kinds of bows: a bow of the head and a bow of the body.

 

[Sure]

When the Blessed Sacrament is held in a small side chapel (a perfectly good but fairly un-American tradition), one should bow from the waist toward the altar and crucifix.

 

[scylla]

I genuflect toward Jesus in the Tabernacle, as I walk by the Altar I bow out of respect.

Our Tabernacle is off to the side, at least it isn’t hidden. You can see it when you come in the Church, so that makes it nice.

God Bless
Scylla

 

[JonW]

I just have a question. Why did some churches move the tabernacle in the first place? I assume this had something to do with Vatican II and abuses therefrom. I am new to the Church (will receive my first communion this Easter vigil) and I am not even sure where the Blessed Sacrament is held. Thanks very much.

God Bless

Jon

 

[Eilish_Maura]

I just have a question. Why did some churches move the tabernacle in the first place? I assume this had something to do with Vatican II and abuses therefrom. I am new to the Church (will receive my first communion this Easter vigil) and I am not even sure where the Sacrament is held. Thanks very much.

God Bless

Jon

Reserved Sacrament is kept securely in a tabernacle.

Where the tabernacle is located is different depending on the church you visit.

Often you will find it in a chapel set aside for private prayer and adoration, sometimes it will be someplace in the sanctuary.

 

[Sure]

I just have a question. Why did some churches move the tabernacle in the first place? I assume this had something to do with Vatican II and abuses therefrom. I am new to the Church (will receive my first communion this Easter vigil) and I am not even sure where the Sacrament is held. Thanks very much.

God Bless

Jon

Many did move it after Vatican II, although it wasn’t Vatican II’s fault. In the US, there was a fairly common tradition of having the tabernacle on the high altar. Many European churches and cathedrals frequently reserved the Blessed Sacrament in a side chapel. Thankfully, many churches are now putting the tabernacle back on the center line of the apse.

 

[Eilish_Maura]

Many did move it after Vatican II, although it wasn’t Vatican II’s fault. In the US, there was a fairly common tradition of having the tabernacle on the high altar. Many European churches and cathedrals frequently reserved the Blessed Sacrament in a side chapel. Thankfully, many churches are now putting the tabernacle back on the center line of the apse.

Which, sadly, can lead to many misconceptions.

Such a move needs lots of catechesis to avoid things like it is there so the priest can offer mass to Jesus or that Jesus’s presence in the Reserved Sacrament is more important for a mass than his presence in the priest.

 

[japhy]

Which, sadly, can lead to many misconceptions. Such a move needs lots of catechesis to avoid things like it is there so the priest can offer mass to Jesus or that Jesus’s presence in the Reserved Sacrament is more important for a mass than his presence in the priest.

While I’m sure catechesis is necessary, I think it should focus on the location of the Sanctuary being the Holy of Holies, and that the tabernacle acts as the Ark in that sense, and that since Jesus is present in the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the tabernacle, it is just and proper than the tabernacle be in a prominent location in the Sanctuary.

 

[Eilish_Maura]

While I’m sure catechesis is necessary, I think it should focus on the location of the Sanctuary being the Holy of Holies, and that the tabernacle acts as the Ark in that sense, and that since Jesus is present in the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the tabernacle, it is just and proper than the tabernacle be in a prominent location in the Sanctuary.

The Church has determined that the focus of a church is the altar in the sanctuary NOT the tabernacle.

Unfortunately too many think these are suppose to be in the opposite order with the area where the mass takes please and the Eucharist is confected plays 2nd fiddle to where reserved Blessed Sacrament is kept in case need and for private prayer/adoration.

 

[japhy]

I just have a question. Why did some churches move the tabernacle in the first place? I assume this had something to do with Vatican II and abuses therefrom.

Many did move it after Vatican II, although it wasn’t Vatican II’s fault.

To clarify, Vatican II did not say the tabernacle must be moved. It said (Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 128):
… there is to be an early revision of the canons and ecclesiastical statutes which govern the provision of material things involved in sacred worship. These laws refer especially to … the nobility, placing, and safety of the eucharistic tabernacle… Laws which seem less suited to the reformed liturgy are to be brought into harmony with it, or else abolished; and any which are helpful are to be retained if already in use, or introduced where they are lacking.
Canons 938 and 940 regulate the tabernacle nowadays; in the older canon law, it was Canons 1269 and 1271.

The older law says (in official Latin), specifically:
Can 1269 §1. Sanctissima Eucharistia servari debet in tabernaculo inamovibili in media parte altaris posito. (The Most Blessed Eucharist must be preserved in an unmovable tabernacle positioned in the middle part of the altar.)

§2. Tabernaculum sit affabre exstructum, undequaque solide clausum, decenter ornatum ad normam legum liturgicarum, ab omni alia re vacuum, ac tam sedulo custodiatur ut periculum cuiusvis sacrilegae profanationis arceatur. (The tabernacle must be skillfully constructed, solid and enclosed, made from a solid material, tastefully adorned according to liturgical law, free of every other thing [for the reservation of only the Most Blessed Sacrament] and painstakingly guarded to prevent every sort of impious profanation.)

The newer law (enacted in 1983) says (in English), specifically:
Can. 938 §1 The blessed Eucharist is to be reserved habitually in only one tabernacle of a church or oratory.

§2 The tabernacle in which the blessed Eucharist is reserved should be sited in a distinguished place in the church or oratory, a place which is conspicuous, suitably adorned and conducive to prayer.

§3 The tabernacle in which the blessed Eucharist is habitually reserved is to be immovable, made of solid and non-transparent material, and so locked as to give the greatest security against any danger of profanation.
So the newer law does not require (as the older law did) that the tabernacle be in the middle of the altar, but does not preclude the traditional placement either.

After Vatican II, a series of instructions came out on how to properly apply Sacrosanctum Concilium. The first, Inter Oecumenici (from 1964), said this in n. 95:
The Eucharist is to be reserved in a solid and secure tabernacle, placed in the middle of the main altar or on a minor, but truly worthy altar, or, in accord with lawful custom and in particular cases approved by the local Ordinary, also in another, special, and properly adorned part of the church.

After that, in 1967, came a document called Eucharisticum Mysterium:
53. The place in a church or oratory where the eucharist is reserved in a tabernacle should be truly a place of honor. It should also be suited to private prayer so that the faithful may readily and to their advantage continue to honor the Lord in this sacrament by private worship. Therefore, it is recommended that as far as possible the tabernacle be placed in a chapel set apart from the main body of the church, especially in churches where there frequently are marriages and funerals and in places that, because of their artistic or historical treasures, are visited by many people.

1. [It simply quotes *Inter Oecumenici, n. 95, as shown above.]
2. In the celebration of Mass the principal modes of Christ’s presence to his Church emerge clearly one after the other: first he is seen to be present in the assembly of the faithful gathered in his name; then in his word, with the reading and explanation of Scripture; also in the person of the minister; finally, in a singular way under the eucharistic elements. Consequently, on the grounds of the sign value, it is more in keeping with the nature of the celebration that, through reservation of the sacrament in the tabernacle, Christ not be present eucharistically from the beginning on the altar where Mass is celebrated. That presence is the effect of the consecration and should appear as such.

Then in 1973, Eucharistiae Sacramentum quoted n. 55 from above, and then said (in n. 10):
The holy Eucharist is to be reserved in a solid tabernacle. It must be opaque and unbreakable. Ordinarily there should be only one tabernacle in a church; this may be placed on an altar or if not on an altar, at the discretion of the local Ordinary, in some other noble and properly ornamented part of the church.

There were also other documents that mentioned the tabernacle’s placement. (See the next post.)

 

[japhy]

There were also other documents that mentioned the tabernacle’s placement. (See the next post.)

Inaestimabile Donum, from 1980, n. 24:
The tabernacle in which the Eucharist is kept can be located on an altar, or away from it, in a spot in the church which is very prominent, truly noble, and duly decorated, or in a chapel suitable for private prayer and for adoration by the faithful.

From L’Osservatore Romano July 14, 1999 issue, as presented by the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, n. 2:
Indeed, in our age, marked by haste even in one’s personal relationship with God, catechesis should reacquaint the Christian people with the whole of Eucharistic worship, which cannot be reduced to participation in Holy Mass and to Communion with the proper dispositions, but also includes frequent adoration – personal and communal – of the Blessed Sacrament, and the loving concern that the tabernacle – in which the Eucharist is kept – be placed on an altar or in a part of the church that is clearly visible, truly noble and duly adorned, so that it is a centre of attraction for every heart in love with Christ.

Ecclesia de eucharistia, from 2003, n. 49, talks about the design of sanctuaries in the history of the Church:
Such was the case, for example, with architecture, which witnessed the transition, once the historical situation made it possible, from the first places of Eucharistic celebration in the domus or “homes” of Christian families to the solemn basilicas of the early centuries, to the imposing cathedrals of the Middle Ages, and to the churches, large and small, which gradually sprang up throughout the lands touched by Christianity. The designs of altars and tabernacles within Church interiors were often not simply motivated by artistic inspiration but also by a clear understanding of the mystery.

(I think it’s important to see that the previous designs of tabernacles and altars – with the tabernacle ON the altar in the middle – was not due to a misunderstanding, but due to a “clear understanding of the mystery”. Perhaps, then, the “cloistering” of the tabernacle today is one which actually obscures the understanding of the mystery?)

Mane Nobiscum Domine, from 2004, n. 18:
The way that the ministers and the faithful treat the Eucharist should be marked by profound respect. The presence of Jesus in the tabernacle must be a kind of magnetic pole attracting an ever greater number of souls enamoured of him, ready to wait patiently to hear his voice and, as it were, to sense the beating of his heart. “O taste and see that the Lord is good!” (Ps 34:8).

From 2004, Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 130
“According to the structure of each church building and in accordance with legitimate local customs, the Most Holy Sacrament is to be reserved in a tabernacle in a part of the church that is noble, prominent, readily visible, and adorned in a dignified manner” and furthermore “suitable for prayer” by reason of the quietness of the location, the space available in front of the tabernacle, and also the supply of benches or seats and kneelers.

Finally, the recent Sacramentum Caritatis, n. 69:
… The correct positioning of the tabernacle contributes to the recognition of Christ’s real presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Therefore, the place where the eucharistic species are reserved, marked by a sanctuary lamp, should be readily visible to everyone entering the church. It is therefore necessary to take into account the building’s architecture: in churches which do not have a Blessed Sacrament chapel, and where the high altar with its tabernacle is still in place, it is appropriate to continue to use this structure for the reservation and adoration of the Eucharist, taking care not to place the celebrant’s chair in front of it. In new churches, it is good to position the Blessed Sacrament chapel close to the sanctuary; where this is not possible, it is preferable to locate the tabernacle in the sanctuary, in a sufficiently elevated place, at the centre of the apse area, or in another place where it will be equally conspicuous. … In any event, final judgment on these matters belongs to the Diocesan Bishop.

 

[japhy]

The Church has determined that the focus of a church is the altar in the sanctuary NOT the tabernacle. Unfortunately too many think these are suppose to be in the opposite order with the area where the mass takes please and the Eucharist is confected plays 2nd fiddle to where reserved Blessed Sacrament is kept in case need and for private prayer/adoration.

I would offer that the tabernacle being placed on (or immediately behind) the altar would draw attention to the entire altar, and that there would be no contention between the altar and the tabernacle. See my other posts on the excerpts from documents about the tabernacle.

 

[palmas85]

This ia an official explanation as to why the tabernacle should not be on the altar of celebration given in the document “Eucharisticum Mysterium” (1967) No. 55: That incidentally is an official Church Document, not something I snatched out of the air,

“In the celebration of Mass the principal modes of Christ’s presence to his Church emerge clearly one after the other: first he is seen to be present in the assembly of the faithful gathered in his name; then in his word, with the reading and explanation of Scripture; also in the person of the minister;** finally, in a singular way under the Eucharistic elements.** Consequently, on the grounds of the sign value, it is more in keeping with the nature of the celebration that, through reservation of the sacrament in the tabernacle, Christ not be present Eucharistically from the beginning on the altar where Mass is celebrated. That presence is the effect of the consecration and should appear as such.”

Read it as you will, it seems pretty cut and dried where the focus is to be.

As far as genuflecting, you do not genuflect to the altar or to the Crucifix. You genuflect to the Tabernacle wherever it may be when you pass in front of it, the same way you did before they were moved.

 

[japhy]

“Eucharisticum Mysterium” (1967) No. 55: That incidentally is an official Church Document, not something I snatched out of the air,

“In the celebration of Mass the principal modes of Christ’s presence to his Church emerge clearly one after the other: first he is seen to be present in the assembly of the faithful gathered in his name; then in his word, with the reading and explanation of Scripture; also in the person of the minister;** finally, in a singular way under the Eucharistic elements.** Consequently, on the grounds of the sign value, it is more in keeping with the nature of the celebration that, through reservation of the sacrament in the tabernacle, Christ not be present Eucharistically from the beginning on the altar where Mass is celebrated. That presence is the effect of the consecration and should appear as such.”

Read it as you will, it seems pretty cut and dried where the focus is to be.

Right, however, EM is only an Instruction (rather than some dogmatic proclamation) and so it can be overruled in the future (as Inter Oecumenici was overruled in this case.) It is also not part of Vatican II, as a matter of fact. Finally, the “sign value” behind it may be found to be of less importance than the previously existing sign value of the tabernacle being a part of the altar itself.