Genuflecting

[billpenn]

Hi all,

I have a question about genuflecting…I always genuflect before entering the pew when I’m entering from the center aisle, but do not do so when I enter from the side (which is hardly ever).

Also, after Mass, I genuflect when I exit the pew into the center aisle.

Am I genuflecting appropriately? Seems like hardly anyone genuflects post-Mass when leaving pews into the center aisle.

And…why am I genuflecting? Is it toward the altar? Toward the Gospel when it is on the altar prior to its reading? Toward the Tabernacle (which is off to the side in our church)?

THANKS!!!

 

[arieh0310]

I always genuflect towards the tabernacle, whether entering or exiting a pew or walking in front of the tabernacle. Since my Lord is reposed in the tabernacle I bend my knee to Him.

If I cannot find the tabernacle then I genuflect towards the altar, just to be safe (in case I missed it somewhere in the sanctuary).

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Hi all,

I have a question about genuflecting…I always genuflect before entering the pew when I’m entering from the center aisle, but do not do so when I enter from the side (which is hardly ever).

Also, after Mass, I genuflect when I exit the pew into the center aisle.

Am I genuflecting appropriately? Seems like hardly anyone genuflects post-Mass when leaving pews into the center aisle.

And…why am I genuflecting? Is it toward the altar? Toward the Gospel when it is on the altar prior to its reading? Toward the Tabernacle (which is off to the side in our church)?

THANKS!!!

You only genuflect to the tebernacle with the Blessed Sacrament. No matter which door or aisle you enter or leave from.

 

[jbuck919]

Genuflection is actually a fairly modern obeisance. It would have been unknown even in the Renaissance. But as Brother has pointed out, you only do it in front of the Blessed Sacrament. I was for a long time an organist for a protestant church (please, folks, give me space) and I always got a kick out of Catholic women (it was always women) attending weddings and genuflecting because they thought that was what they were supposed to do before entering a pew.

When I was a child, and we are talking pre-Vatican II, I was at what they called in those days “children’s Mass,” and out of pure absent-mindedness entered the pew without genuflecting (it was of course center tabernacle back then and everyone had to genuflect). Sister Mary Attilla the Hun happened to notice and came up to me as though I were some bad boy (I was the best boy in the world). So I apologized because that’s what you do with Sister Mary Attilla the Hun, but she wouldn’t settle for that. She very humiliatingly made me come back out into the aisle and genuflect.