Humble Catholic gestures

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PelagiathePenit

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Like kneeling before you turn away from the crucifix as you exit
Bowing at the presentation of the wine.
What other ones?
I notice foreign Catholics do that.
I love the veils the women wear
 
I guess crossing our forehead, lips, and chest at the start of the Gospel reading.
 
I kiss the feet of the crucifix I wear whenever I have to adjust it - that’s probably just me.

Kissing one’s fingers after making the Sign of the Cross.

Bowing our heads at the name of Jesus and when the names of the Trinity are pronounced (doxologies).

Striking our breast three times during the Confiteor, twice during the Agnus Dei, and once during the “Domine non sum dignus…” (“Lord, I am not worthy…”).

Bowing (or genuflecting) towards the Altar and/or the Tabernacle when crossing the church.

Making the Sign of the Cross at the Epiclesis.

Bowing before receiving Communion.
Making the Sign of the Cross after receiving Communion.

More…
 
PelagiathePenit said:
Like kneeling before you turn away from the crucifix as you exit
Bowing at the presentation of the wine.
What other ones?
I notice foreign Catholics do that.
I love the veils the women wear
Click to expand...
At risk of “ranting” :rolleyes:

Everyone is supposed to genuflect as they walk away (exit) from the church acknowledging the sacrificial altar and Real Presence in the tabernacle.
People are supposed to reverence the precious blood before they partake, and also if they don’t and simply pass it.

These are not foreign affectations. These are universal Catholic practices.
 
pianistclare said:
At risk of “ranting” :rolleyes:

Everyone is supposed to genuflect as they walk away (exit) from the church acknowledging the sacrificial altar and Real Presence in the tabernacle.
People are supposed to reverence the precious blood before they partake, and also if they don’t and simply pass it.

These are not foreign affectations. These are universal Catholic practices.
Click to expand...
Absolutely.
 
Humility is not something we “do”, is is something we are.

Pious gestures can be a good thing, but not if they are just done for show, or out of some desire to show humility

True humility before God is doing His will, not my own.

St. Ignatius of Loyola said it best~

Eternal Word, only begotten Son of God,
Teach me true generosity.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve.
To give without counting the cost,
To fight heedless of wounds,
To labor without seeking rest,
To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward
Save the knowledge that I have done your will.
Amen.
 
Oneofthewomen said:
Humility is not something we “do”, is is something we are.

Pious gestures can be a good thing, but not if they are just done for show, or out of some desire to show humility

True humility before God is doing His will, not my own.

St. Ignatius of Loyola said it best~

Eternal Word, only begotten Son of God,
Teach me true generosity.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve.
To give without counting the cost,
To fight heedless of wounds,
To labor without seeking rest,
To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward
Save the knowledge that I have done your will.
Amen.
Click to expand...
Excellent post!
 
A little old school I suppose, but there is a tradition of a solemn bow (i.e. bowing with your body not just your head) when mentioning the Holy Trinity in prayer (for instance when saying the Glory Be).
 
pianistclare said:
At risk of “ranting” :rolleyes:

Everyone is supposed to genuflect as they walk away (exit) from the church acknowledging the sacrificial altar and Real Presence in the tabernacle.
People are supposed to reverence the precious blood before they partake, and also if they don’t and simply pass it.

These are not foreign affectations. These are universal Catholic practices.
Click to expand...
It depends where the tabernacle is in the church. Usually one bows to the altar out of respect for what happens there, but genuflects to the Real Presence, as genuflection is an act of adoration, while bowing is an act of veneration. Similarly one bows to the Cross except on Good Friday and Sept. 14th (feast of the Holy Cross), when one kneels or genuflects.

So in our abbey the monks bow to the altar when processing into the choir, unless the Blessed Sacrament is present on the altar such as when it is exposed for adoration. This is because the tabernacle is in a (very beautiful) side chapel.

I learned a lot from observing monks in the last 15 years 😛
 
OraLabora said:
It depends where the tabernacle is in the church. Usually one bows to the altar out of respect for what happens there, but genuflects to the Real Presence, as genuflection is an act of adoration, while bowing is an act of veneration. Similarly one bows to the Cross except on Good Friday and Sept. 14th (feast of the Holy Cross), when one kneels or genuflects.

So in our abbey the monks bow to the altar when processing into the choir, unless the Blessed Sacrament is present on the altar such as when it is exposed for adoration. This is because the tabernacle is in a (very beautiful) side chapel.

I learned a lot from observing monks in the last 15 years 😛
Click to expand...
Yeah, ours are in the same place. 😃
 
There is a tradition, and I have recently seen a couple of younger ladies (maybe 50 years old 🙂 ) make the sign of the cross as they were walking past the church on their daily walk.
 
pianistclare said:
At risk of “ranting” :rolleyes:

Everyone is supposed to genuflect as they walk away (exit) from the church acknowledging the sacrificial altar and Real Presence in the tabernacle.
People are supposed to reverence the precious blood before they partake, and also if they don’t and simply pass it.

These are not foreign affectations. These are universal Catholic practices.
Click to expand...
👍
 
zab said:
There is a tradition, and I have recently seen a couple of younger ladies (maybe 50 years old 🙂 ) make the sign of the cross as they were walking past the church on their daily walk.
Click to expand...
yup. We Hispanics do that. Even when in cars. 😉
 
Perhaps, as already mentioned the wrong title was given to this thread.
Humility is a mindset, an attitude and not a show.
Since “strife is a luxury that Christians cannot afford” it can be understood that the OP meant traditional Catholic gestures. Since these gestures as an inherent part of who we are, they are made without thought or the idea of attraction.

Growing up, I never left home without kissing my mother. This was expected. The accompanying Catholic gesture was my mother’s blessing on my forehead as I left for school each day. I passed this tradition to my grandchildren. It was part of their bedtime routine when they were little. Even though not Catholic, they will greet with a hug, kiss, and blessing on the forehead.

While many bow and pray before meals, Catholics will make the sign of the Cross at the beginning and end of prayers. Kissing the thumb at the end of the Sign of the Cross; it is perpendicular to the closed hand so that where it intersects with the index finger it forms a cross.
Bowing the head slightly whenever the Lord’s name is mentioned.

As Catholics, there are little things that we do on a daily basis that we don’t notice that others do. It may be speech pattern, wearing an Immaculate Conception medal, or carrying a rosary that gives away the fact that we are Catholic. We preach Christ through our lifestyle. The gestures we use on a daily basis are an ingrained part of who we are.
Some are universal Catholic gestures. Others are cultural, and passed down as part of regional tradition.
 
All above, and I would add, bowing during the Eucharistic prayer when the santus bells ring (when the priest genuflects). Making the sign of the cross any time I pass a cemetery.
 
I know that using the orans during prayer, holding hands and waving one’s palm leaf are big in my parish.
 
Easter Sunday I was watching the Communion Line to see what people do on the way up to, and after receiving the Host and Wine. After a different post on CAF last week.
The congregation was a mix of Indian, SE Asian , city and rural Australians, Sudanese and other Refugees, and tourists to the Cathedral. And visiting Religious.

First off , everyone seems to bow, either heads or deeper, to the Glory Be. Most genuflect on entering a pew.

For Communion people were either genuflecting or bowing pre Communion, and crossing themselves in line either before or after Communion. Or when back in the pew.
Most of the Congregation remained kneeling until the Priest started last Prayers and the Blessing.

Most took Communion in the hand. There was a marked increase of kneelers and Communion in the mouth in the Bishop’s Communion Line.

The nuns in the Congregation wore veils. We have on gorgeous aged Nun who directs people on the correct kneel, stand or sit positions at the right moments, esp in the Convent Chapel. It would be one of the oldest Chapels in Aus, absolutely beautiful.

On good Friday , one of the elderly dementia patients was quite aptly reading along with our Priest. Very humbly, her contribution was well received.

A portion of the Indian Congregation wear head coverings. And some older Italians, But that’s about the only women who do.
 
Catholic churches and homes have holy water so we bless ourselves with holy water upon entering Church using the sign of the Cross.
Simply entering a Catholic Church is an Act of piety, as we stop to bless ourselves with the Holy Water. I don’t know how many people bow at least slightly toward the altar crucifix before entering the church. I have seen Africans kneel and bow touching head to floor.
The idea is that once entering the church building, our focus is preparing for Mass, or other liturgical service. Most Catholics do not simply walk to their pews and sit down, but follow the traditional procedure of bowing toward the altar or genuflecting. This is followed by silent prayer on kneelers provided.
The altar is not crossed without bowing before the crucifix.
The silence, the slowing down as we enter the sanctuary are ingrained acts, habits a person performs without thinking. Yes, as I’m sure somebody will mention, there are those who talk before Mass which can be disturbing. This thread however is about the pious gestures that differentiate us from other denominates. There is very much that deliberateness, that stopping and bowing toward the altar while blessing ourselves with holy water while entering the Church.
We pray for loved ones, both living and deceased while lighting votive candles. Some of us light candles while praying at home, although the act of lighting the candle at Church takes on special meaning.
I remove my shoes before prayers at home. Living in the Middle East, this was the expectation for entering the Adoration Chapel, “for this is Holy Ground.” It was not unusual for individuals to remove shoes during Mass. Even Father prayed the First Friday Friday Holy Hour shoeless.
 
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