How does a priest greet a cardinal?

[normdplume]

Can someone please tell me how a priest greets a cardinal when the latter enters a room? I know a cardinal is referred to as Your Eminence, but does the priest bow, kneel, or genuflect? Is kissing the cardinal’s ring still a common practice?

Thanks
Norm

 

[JulianN]

In my observation, usually with a handshake. But I’m in the US—it could be different elsewhere.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

Hello, Norm:

Your questions really do not admit of a “one size fits all” answer

The easiest is the Cardinal’s honorific, which is “Eminence”. I have known some, even clerics, who will simply say “Cardinal” as in “Good evening, Cardinal” or “Cardinal, we thank you for this opportunity to meet with you.” I would never dream of doing that, personally

What does a priest do when a Cardinal enters a room?

Well, it depends upon the setting, actually. If, for example, one is in an auditorium and the Cardinal is arrived to give an address, one would likely simply greet the Cardinal with applause at his introduction or entrance

If one were at a reception and the Cardinal walked into the room those nearest to him would likely give a bow of the head – but everyone throughout the room would not do that. If it is a reception where everyone, including the Cardinal, is having hors d’oeuvres and a drink, one would acknowledge the Cardinal walking up to you with a simple bow of the head

If you are in his office and he entered the room, the priest would properly stand, if he is physically able to. If the Cardinal is already in his office as you came in, it would be his action that guided the response. Most that I know would stand to greet you but some I have known would simply remain seated and invite you to take your seat. A lot, again, depends upon the setting

As for kissing the ring…that also depends. If we are together in the sacristy before Mass for example, I would not kiss the ring unless the Cardinal deliberately extended his hand. We might be having a conversation, just the two of us, but it is for him to extend his hand…not for me to grab his hand. That applies in other settings, too. Some Cardinals do not extend their hand. If the Cardinal extends his hand, I kiss the ring. Other priests will choose to simply shake his hand. Contrary to what some might think, over the years I have seen both behaviours by priests of all generations

Part of it depends upon how the Cardinal extends his hand. Some present the ring and, if they do, it is rather awkward – not to say impossible – to shake the hand if the ring is in your face. Others extend their hand as men do when they are reaching out to shake someone’s hand. To kiss the ring in that instance requires a gesture of pulling their hand forward and up and if that is met with resistance, the priest should quickly adjust to shaking the hand. Sometimes, the Cardinal’s secretary or aide will advise you of his preference before taking you into see him, if the occasion is a meeting

On occasions when there are multiple Cardinals present, in the sacristy or some other gathering, really it would be at best extraordinary to kiss the rings of all of them – and besides our interactions in those situations tend to be rather perfunctory with the exchange of pleasantries. I have had it happen where a mere pleasantry exchange developed into a conversation or a protracted exchange about some request and, at the end, the Cardinal extended his hand and I kissed the ring

Another factor is the formality of the occasion

 

[Don_Ruggero]

cont’d

Another factor is the relationship the priest has with the Cardinal. At this stage of my life, there are Cardinals I have known and worked with from days when they were priests. In such an instance, although I would first greet them as Eminence, as Europeans, we would greet as old friends do…by embracing each other and also not using each other’s title. When you are working with a Cardinal on a day to day basis, you typically attain a familiarity that sets aside acts like kissing the ring except in some more extraordinary moment – if even then. It depends upon the Cardinal’s preferences

With regard to bowing and genuflecting. If I was working with the Cardinal in question [I am retired from that sort of occupation now] and, for example, brought in a group of lay people or other clerics to meet with him, I would bow on entering into his presence, since I would be entering ahead of the others, and after that, introduce them to him one by one. I would bow at the end after he imparted the blessing [or said goodbye if they were non-Catholic or non-Christians] and proceed to usher them out of his presence. All that to say, one assuredly would not kiss the ring every time one entered or left his presence

Since you are asking about what priests do, I won’t address the customs I have observed of the laity

I will also say that there is a gradation that priests will observe regarding a Cardinal. All else being equal, if the Cardinal is one’s own proper Ordinary, that is to say the Archbishop [or Bishop] of one’s diocese of incardination, the priest will be more inclined to kiss the ring – unless, of course, he knows that his Ordinary does not prefer that gesture. Some have very strong feelings about the matter. The Cardinal’s preference should override the priest’s preference in this matter

In the same way, the Cardinal Prefect or Cardinal President of a dicastery, as head of a dicastery, will be more likely to have his ring kissed by a priest than, for example, the Cardinal of Tuvalu as he makes one of his visits to Europe

With regard to genuflecting, yes it is still a custom that is extant but I would not begin to attempt to quantify the breadth of the custom. It varies from country to country, culture to culture, and situation to situation. I can say with assurance that it is not as customary as it was in the past. I would venture that you see much more of it in Rome than outside Rome, simply because there is a superabundance of both Cardinals and of Priests in Rome. Personally, I have not done it in years now. Even if I have a day that I do not need my cane, I would not take the chance of causing a situation where either the Cardinal or someone else needed to help me back up – or, worse, cause the Cardinal to lose his own balance as I fell over

As to the mind of the younger clerics on this matter, you would have to find and ask a young cleric. I have not been such for a very long time

I hope this helps. I am going away to the monastery but I saw your question when I was checking something else here – and your question stirred memories of Christmases past and I am happy to share them in this moment

Happy Christmas

 

[Don_Ruggero]

I failed to give you an informal example and that occurred to me as I was finishing my baggage.

That is important. It can certainly happen that one is decidedly less formal than I have indicated and that needs to be taken into account.

For example, at clergy gatherings at which a Cardinal is present and we were having meals without assigned seating and without a dais or head table, I can remember a couple of instances where a Cardinal present came up and asked if he could join us and we simply said, “Please. You are welcome.” None of us stood up – we had already begun to eat – and none of us made any act of veneration.

On the other hand, there was a specific instance, too, I recall where it was the seat next to me that a Cardinal inquired about and I had to say, “I am sorry, Eminence, but that seat has been claimed by Monsignor X who had to go back with his tray to retrieve his forgotten dessert. If you would like to sit with this group, though, I would happily offer you my seat and I can sit elsewhere.” He declined and went off in search of a spot at some other table…and there was no more ceremony to the exchange than that.

I would caution that my experiences are probably a bit out of the norm, if you’re seeking a more America-centric answer to your question. Since you had received no answer, I decided to offer what I am able to.

There are few priests on this forum. Beside that, for a not-insignificant-number of priests, rather like many laity, personally interacting with a Cardinal will be a relatively rare occurrence. We have less than 130 Cardinal electors presently and somewhere around 225 Cardinals in total with some of the latter number being quite elderly. The Patriarch Emeritus of Antioch of the Maronites, Cardinal Sfeir, would have to be right at 100 now.

Actually, I would guess that at least 10 percent of the College is over 90 presently…of course, they are non-voting in terms of a conclave and they are also in lesser circulation than once upon a time. It gets harder as we get older to keep up a round of activities. So it is not as if all the members of the College are out and about and meeting people.

 

[normdplume]

Thank you, Don, for such a detailed and helpful response.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas.

Norm