L
lareinatortura
Guest
When I attend Mass, am I obligated to bow or genuflect at the altar?
Why do people bow and genuflect when they approach the altar?
Why do some people make the sign of the cross before entering the pews?
Firstly, I have yet to ask my priest these questions. I want to ask him these questions, but I’ve posted them here because I would like to know what you guys have to say.
Secondly, this topic is really confusing and a little. . well, almost scary for me. For those of you who don’t know, I come from a Protestant background–my very first experiences were in a Southern Baptist church that was very prejudice, very corrupt, very. . anti-Catholic.
Now, the first time I attended Mass, I saw people bowing and genuflecting at the altar. In fact, there’s a lot of people in my parish who do this many, many times during the Mass. I also noticed that people even made the sign of the cross before taking their seats in the pews, and many of the males–I haven’t seen any females do this, go figure–genuflected before taking their seats.
I didn’t know what to make of this. I’m learning that Catholics are taught to show respect to relics. (At least, that’s what I read in my New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism book. .
) So, from what I understand, people genuflect and bow to show their respect to the relics. But, I have a little trouble swallowing this. .
While I’m familiar with the practice of showing respect to inanimate, holy objects, it bothers me to bow or genuflect. The only time I really showed any real respect for special inanimate objects is when I broke away from the Christian church. It wasn’t a positive time in my life, and I was doing that for inappropriate reasons. . I think that experience has reinforced what I was taught as a Protestant–that is basically, don’t treat objects with reverence. To my understanding, that goes back to what the Bible says about graven images and idols.
I know Catholics do not indulge in idolatry. I know that relics are not meant to worship, but something about the bowing during Mass upsets me. Actually, that’s one of the things that upset my husband’s grandfather. It upset him so much, that is one of the reasons why he left the Church and became Protestant.
I watch the deacons and other people in the congregation. It looks like they give a little bow to the priest. I have to say honestly that this does not bother me. I understand that if people do this, it isn’t a sign of worship, but a sign of respect. I was very influenced by different Asian cultures as a child, and I would say that I am fairly knowledgeable about many Asian cultures. I’m familiar and comfortable with giving another person a bow–this is an extremely common practice in Japan. . . . But. . again, I don’t feel the same way about the altar for some reason. .
If someone could put this in perspective for me, I would greatly appreciate that. I don’t like feeling uneasy in Mass. There has to be a good reason for this practice.
But. . the whole sign of the cross before sitting in the pew thing. .
What’s that about?
Why do people bow and genuflect when they approach the altar?
Why do some people make the sign of the cross before entering the pews?
Firstly, I have yet to ask my priest these questions. I want to ask him these questions, but I’ve posted them here because I would like to know what you guys have to say.
Secondly, this topic is really confusing and a little. . well, almost scary for me. For those of you who don’t know, I come from a Protestant background–my very first experiences were in a Southern Baptist church that was very prejudice, very corrupt, very. . anti-Catholic.
Now, the first time I attended Mass, I saw people bowing and genuflecting at the altar. In fact, there’s a lot of people in my parish who do this many, many times during the Mass. I also noticed that people even made the sign of the cross before taking their seats in the pews, and many of the males–I haven’t seen any females do this, go figure–genuflected before taking their seats.
I didn’t know what to make of this. I’m learning that Catholics are taught to show respect to relics. (At least, that’s what I read in my New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism book. .
) So, from what I understand, people genuflect and bow to show their respect to the relics. But, I have a little trouble swallowing this. .While I’m familiar with the practice of showing respect to inanimate, holy objects, it bothers me to bow or genuflect. The only time I really showed any real respect for special inanimate objects is when I broke away from the Christian church. It wasn’t a positive time in my life, and I was doing that for inappropriate reasons. . I think that experience has reinforced what I was taught as a Protestant–that is basically, don’t treat objects with reverence. To my understanding, that goes back to what the Bible says about graven images and idols.
I know Catholics do not indulge in idolatry. I know that relics are not meant to worship, but something about the bowing during Mass upsets me. Actually, that’s one of the things that upset my husband’s grandfather. It upset him so much, that is one of the reasons why he left the Church and became Protestant.
I watch the deacons and other people in the congregation. It looks like they give a little bow to the priest. I have to say honestly that this does not bother me. I understand that if people do this, it isn’t a sign of worship, but a sign of respect. I was very influenced by different Asian cultures as a child, and I would say that I am fairly knowledgeable about many Asian cultures. I’m familiar and comfortable with giving another person a bow–this is an extremely common practice in Japan. . . . But. . again, I don’t feel the same way about the altar for some reason. .
If someone could put this in perspective for me, I would greatly appreciate that. I don’t like feeling uneasy in Mass. There has to be a good reason for this practice.
But. . the whole sign of the cross before sitting in the pew thing. .
What’s that about?
). Just like people got on their knees before Christ in the old days, so we still do when we’re near Him. 
It is a reverent hello and goodbye when we enter and leave Him in the church. The sign of the cross is another form of reverence, and prayer. When we do it as we enter or exit the Church, it is sort of a way of stating your intentions/loyalty. (In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit) Don’t feel uneasy about “bowing” or showing reverence to Christ in the Tabernacle. He’s definitely the ultimate person, He deserves it far more than the priest.