Genuflecting

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Churchman25

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Do you not have to genuflect if the tabernacle isn’t visible?
thanks
 
You genuflect to the tabernacle but make a profound bow to the altar.

So if the tabernacle isn’t in the sanctuary, you have no tabernacle to genuflect to.

Make a bow to the altar.
 
I didn’t know that…I always genuflect towards the crucifix at the center of the church when entering and leaving my pew. I guess that’s not proper if there’s no tabernacle there
 
We Catholics from the Anglican branch seem to make a sport out of how many times one can genuflect:D.

On entering the church, leaving the church, into the pew, out of the pew, any time you cross the center line of the nave where the tabernacle is located. People’s FitBits go off by halfway through the Mass having completed the workout for the day:p
 
dangerousdyls said:
I didn’t know that…I always genuflect towards the crucifix at the center of the church when entering and leaving my pew. I guess that’s not proper if there’s no tabernacle there
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The GIRM is our guide for genuflections and bows:
  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.
During Mass, three genuflections are made by the Priest Celebrant: namely, after the elevation of the host, after the elevation of the chalice, and before Communion. Certain specific features to be observed in a concelebrated Mass are noted in their proper place (cf. nos. 210–251).

If, however, the tabernacle with the Most Blessed Sacrament is situated in the sanctuary, the Priest, the Deacon, and the other ministers genuflect when they approach the altar and when they depart from it, but not during the celebration of Mass itself. Otherwise, all who pass before the Most Blessed Sacrament genuflect, unless they are moving in procession. Ministers carrying the processional cross or candles bow their heads instead of genuflecting.
  1. A bow signifies reverence and honour shown to the persons themselves or to the signs that represent them. There are two kinds of bow: a bow of the head and a bow of the body.
a. A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honour Mass is being celebrated.

b. A bow of the body, that is to say, a profound bow, is made to the altar; during the prayers *Munda cor meum (Cleanse my heart)*and In spiritu humilitatis (With humble spirit); in the Creed at the words et incarnatus est (and by the Holy Spirit…and became man); in the Roman Canon at the Supplices te rogamus (In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God). The same kind of bow is made by the Deacon when he asks for a blessing before the proclamation of the Gospel. In addition, the Priest bows slightly as he pronounces the words of the Lord at the Consecration.
 
I’ve noticed more and more that at the end of mass, since fellow Catholics are leaving in large masses, some genuflect inside the pew upon exit. I picked up the habit and also do a slight genuflect at the back of the church when passing by. It’s a very good practice.
 
Churchman25 said:
Do you not have to genuflect if the tabernacle isn’t visible?
thanks
Click to expand...
This leads me to ask why on earth the tabernacle isn’t visible upon entering any church? I find it disheartening when the tabernacle is off to one side of the other of the alter :(. So when I enter an unfamiliar church, I have to search for the tabernacle so that I know in which direction to genuflect, and if I can’t easily locate the tabernacle I have to settle for bowing to the altar.🤷
 
1ke said:
You genuflect to the tabernacle but make a profound bow to the altar.
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  • this. If you know the tabernacle is in the Church then you genuflect. Bowing is good to do when passing the center (in line with the altar), at any time, whether the tabernacle is there or not.
So if the tabernacle isn’t in the sanctuary, you have no tabernacle to genuflect to.
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Make a bow to the altar.
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  • and this.
 
CatholicSpirit said:
I’ve noticed more and more that at the end of mass, since fellow Catholics are leaving in large masses, some genuflect inside the pew upon exit. I picked up the habit and also do a slight genuflect at the back of the church when passing by. It’s a very good practice.
Click to expand...
At my parish the custom is now to genuflect to the crucifix standard during the entrance procession as it passed by you. It was confusing the first couple times I witnessed it until I was told why. Now I begin to short-circuit when I visit other parishes that don’t do so because I become unsure of what to do. 😃
 
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