How should we enter a church?

[Sungmoon1987]

I have never, ever seen this done. I don’t believe it is a universal custom, and it is misleading to present it as such. Still less is it mandatory. Do you have a document which says otherwise?

As a matter of fact, given the scrum in the porches or entrance areas of most churches, it could be downright dangerous.

You’re right that it is’nt mandatory. However, it is a universal custom to either 1) make a profound bow, or 2) to genuflect; when passing the tabernacle.

And so I always genuflect at the Holy Water Fount because it’s location within the cathedral is directly in front of the doors and the tabernacle (it is not placed to the sides of the church). This means it is actually in the main aisle which leads the Entrance Procession, and so I am directly in front of the tabernacle, which means I will genuflect.

I’ll also genuflect at my pew before entering, ensuring that my right knee (not the left) touches the cathedral’s tiled floor whilst crossing myself.

 

[Sungmoon1987]

What is the reason for genuflecting at the holy water?

Because it’s location is directly in front of the tabernacle, so I genuflect at the tabernacle whilst blessing myself with Holy Water from the fount.

 

[Jayne_L]

Depending on how I’m feeling I either do a half genuflect before entering the pew, at which time I kneel and pray or I quickly slip into the pew and go straight to kneeling. I’m having knee problems atm so it is rather painful to do a full genuflect although that is my preference.