GIRM 275 - Does anyone else do this?

[kepha7]

Just curious to know…My wife and I both do this at Mass, but we’ve only ever seen a few other people do these gestures as well as one or two priests.

The General Instruciton of the Roman Missal states in no. 275:

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.

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 honor Mass is being celebrated.

Liturgy professor Fr. Edward McNamara states in this article that: “The bows mentioned in this number are made by whoever recites the prayer to which the gesture is attached. Thus, in those prayers recited only by the priest, only he makes a bow at this moment.”

 

[jpjd]

My priest does that. I’ve never seen anyone else do that.

 

[matthias]

Just curious to know…My wife and I both do this at Mass, but we’ve only ever seen a few other people do these gestures as well as one or two priests.

The General Instruciton of the Roman Missal states in no. 275:

Liturgy professor Fr. Edward McNamara states in this article that: “The bows mentioned in this number are made by whoever recites the prayer to which the gesture is attached. Thus, in those prayers recited only by the priest, only he makes a bow at this moment.”

I only recently discovered this also. Not because I read it in the GIRM but because I saw a priest and server doing it and I had never seen it before (by any priest or person).

I have been trying to do it since I asked the priest and he told me about it, but it is hard because no one else does it and I don’t usually remember.

It is helpful to hear that it should only be done when one recites the words oneself. I was just trying to do it whenever I heard those names now and I guess I’ll have to start just doing it when I say the names.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[thistle]

Just curious to know…My wife and I both do this at Mass, but we’ve only ever seen a few other people do these gestures as well as one or two priests.

The General Instruciton of the Roman Missal states in no. 275:

Liturgy professor Fr. Edward McNamara states in this article that: “The bows mentioned in this number are made by whoever recites the prayer to which the gesture is attached. Thus, in those prayers recited only by the priest, only he makes a bow at this moment.”

I bow during the Creed at the words “by the Power of the Holy Spirit”.
I bow to the priest to offer the sign of peace to him.
I bow immediately before receiving Communion.

 

[tee_eff_em]

tee

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Just curious to know…My wife and I both do this at Mass, but we’ve only ever seen a few other people do these gestures as well as one or two priests.

The General Instruciton of the Roman Missal states in no. 275:

Liturgy professor Fr. Edward McNamara states in this article that: “The bows mentioned in this number are made by whoever recites the prayer to which the gesture is attached. Thus, in those prayers recited only by the priest, only he makes a bow at this moment.”

I bow during the Creed and before receiving. Bowing during the Creed at the words, “by the Power of the Holy Spirit,” which is specified in missals and missalette that we use at Church.
I’ve never noticed if anyone else bows however.

Jim

 

[BillyT92679]

Just to clarify
There is a profound bow during the recitation of the Creed (and a genuflection during Christmas). Bending the whole body

What the GIRM is referring to is the Priest nodding his head with the name of the Blessed Trinity or the Blessed Virgin, or the Saint of the Day is mentioned.

 

[maherite1977]

I bow during the Creed and before receiving. Bowing during the Creed at the words, “by the Power of the Holy Spirit,” which is specified in missals and missalette that we use at Church.
I’ve never noticed if anyone else bows however.

Jim

Our priests also bow at this point in the Creed and our altar servers are also learning to do this as well. Seems like the altar servers catch on quicker than the congregation!

 

[Unfinished]

Just curious to know…My wife and I both do this at Mass, but we’ve only ever seen a few other people do these gestures as well as one or two priests.

The General Instruciton of the Roman Missal states in no. 275:

Liturgy professor Fr. Edward McNamara states in this article that: “The bows mentioned in this number are made by whoever recites the prayer to which the gesture is attached. Thus, in those prayers recited only by the priest, only he makes a bow at this moment.”

I bow at the mention of the Trinity. (“Glory Be to the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost”) During the Divine Office and whatnot it is a 90 degree bow from the waist.

Otherwise, I only really bow my head if I say the name of Jesus. Or when I hear it during the Gospel.

Some priests say His name so much during the homily we would all look like dashboard bobbles!

(Of course, I attend the traditional Mass so we still genuflect during the Credo. But when I attend daily Mass I never see anyone even bow. I try and make the effort. Maybe one day it will catch on).

 

[John_Lilburne]

During Mass I try to bow my head whenever the priest, choir or I say (or sing):
“Jesus”,
“Mary” (when it means the Blessed Virgin Mary),
“Father, Son and Holy Spirit” or other similar words, and
the name of the saint of the day.

I disagree with Fr McNamara’s position at zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=55351 :
“The bows mentioned in this number are made by whoever recites the prayer to which the gesture is attached. Thus, in those prayers recited only by the priest, only he makes a bow at this moment.
In prayers said in common all bow at the indicated moments. Thus, for example, everybody should make a bow of the head during the Gloria at both mentions of the name Jesus Christ but not when the priest mentions the name during the presidential prayers.”

If the GIRM intended this, it would say it. There would be more specific instructions. The instruction would be something like: “A bow of the head is made by someone when they sing or say the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the Saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated and the names of the Divine Persons are said together.”

I do not bow for the “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” during the Liturgy of the Hours. My reason is that the only instructions for bowing for this ceremony are in the Ceremonial of Bishops, and it does not include the Trinity. It has:
“68 … a bow of the head is made at the name of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saint in whose honor the Mass or the liturgy of the hours is being celebrated.”
(Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, page 36).
The Latin edition has the same:
“68. … inclinatio capitis fit ad nomen Iesu, B. Mariae Virginis et Sancti in cuius honorem Missa vel Liturgia Horarum celebratur;”
(Caeremoniale Episcoporum, Liberia Editrice Vaticana, 1995, ISBN 88-209-4217-8, page 29).

I do bow at the naming of the “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” for a Mass celebrated by a bishop. From the 2002 General Introduction to the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“112. … At a Mass celebrated by the Bishop or at which he presides without celebrating the Eucharist, the norms found in the* Caeremoniale Episcoporum* should be observed. [footnote 92: Cf. *Caeremoniale Episcoporum, editio typica, 1984, nos. 119-186.]”
The footnote is only referring to part of the Ceremonial of Bishops, which does not include the instructions on bowing in n. 68. So I see Ceremonial of Bishops, n. 68 about the Mass as superseded by 2002 GIRM n. 275(a).

I notice that not many others make the bows, but some do. For example, last week In “Mass for You at Home” (broadcast on Channel 10 in Australia) I saw Monsignor Geoff Baron make the bows, at least during the Eucharistic Prayer. On broadcasts of the Vatican’s Midnight Mass I have seen groups in the congregation bowing, I think during the Gloria.

 

[Sarabande]

I always bow my head at whenever “Jesus” is mentioned. That was something I learned to do in Catholic school and from my grandmother. I also bow my head when I receive communion. A couple of years ago our diocese went through all of the parishes expressing that all congregants should bow or genuflect before receiving the Eucharist. It makes total sense to me to do this as we are in the Presence and are about to receive Him. Some people do it and some don’t.

I bow at “By the power of the Holy Spirit…” as well and would say about half of the people in the congregation also bow at this.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

When I pray the Liturgy of the Hours at St. Jospehs Abbey, with the monks, the stand and bow at the “Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.”

My wife is on retreat at the Abbey this week-end. Next week-end is my turn!

Jim

 

[SeekerJen]

I bow during the Creed and before receiving. Bowing during the Creed at the words, “by the Power of the Holy Spirit,” which is specified in missals and missalette that we use at Church.
I’ve never noticed if anyone else bows however.

Most people don’t know that they’re supposed to- poor catechesis rearing its ugly head once again. We’re fortunate enough to have a music director who has demonstrated (to the choirs, at least) when we’re supposed to bow, and does it himself which reminds the rest of us. I wish our parish would have a “teaching Mass” weekend, where the parishoners were taken through the Mass and explanations were given as to what is done at each point and why.

 

[baltobetsy]

I learned from the good Sisters back in the 60’s to bow my head at the name of Jesus, no matter who said it. We did not, however, get taught to bow for any other name, such as Mary or the saints.

I noticed my favorite young priest doing this when he celebrates Mass, but did not know it was in the GIRM. I should have known, because he is *Father Perfect *when it comes to Mass - never a stray word or gesture. It’s a beautiful thing.

Betsy

 

[Chatter163]

Traditionally, the bow of the head for the Holy Name of Our Lord is slightly greater than the bow for the the Name of Our Lady or the saint of the day.