Kissing the bishops ring

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dorrbell

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You never see anyone kiss the local bishops ring anymore only the pope. Why is this?
 
I had the privelage of kissing the ring of a visiting African Bishop. 🙂
 
I do whenever I ask for or given a personal blessing.
 
It is more of an American thing, of failing to respect royalty or status. There is nothing wrong with it, but you are right that few people still do it.
 
I was taught to genuflect and kiss the bishop’s ring, and have had the privilege of doing so in my younger life.

However, when I first moved to Seattle, the Auxillary Bishop was in residence in my new parish. Of course, when introduced, I knelt to kiss his ring. He seemed embarassed and while accepting the gesture, told me that this was no longer “done” in this country. I was appalled.

However, this might have been his personal preferance, as I know him to be a modest and humble man. He has since moved on to another diocese; but if I ever meet a bishop again, I will genuflect and kiss his ring showing my fealty to the Church of Rome.
 
Peggy_in_Burien said:
I was taught to genuflect and kiss the bishop’s ring, and have had the privilege of doing so in my younger life.

However, when I first moved to Seattle, the Auxillary Bishop was in residence in my new parish. Of course, when introduced, I knelt to kiss his ring. He seemed embarassed and while accepting the gesture, told me that this was no longer “done” in this country. I was appalled.

However, this might have been his personal preferance, as I know him to be a modest and humble man. He has since moved on to another diocese; but if I ever meet a bishop again, I will genuflect and kiss his ring showing my fealty to the Church of Rome.
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I think the general custom is to genuflect and kiss the ring of your Dioceses Bishop, or the Bishop of Rome, and to just kiss the ring of a Bishop of another diocese that is not your own or Rome. I generally upon meeting a Bishop kiss his ring, and I genuflect and kiss the ring of His Grace Bernard Longley (The Archbishop of Birmingham, UK), and kiss the ring of any other Bishop I happen to meet. Although His Grace Bernard does often tell me I’m always “so formal” when i meet him lol
 
dorrbell said:
You never see anyone kiss the local bishops ring anymore only the pope. Why is this?
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The last time our bishop visited I had the privelege of kissing his ring. I saw many other do it as well. The number of people who just shook his hand was far greater, but there was a definite number of people who kissed his ring. Probably one of the moments I will never forget. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps!
 
dorrbell said:
You never see anyone kiss the local bishops ring anymore only the pope. Why is this?
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When we said goodbye to Archbishop Chaput at his last Mass in Denver, I saw a lot of people genuflect, and kiss his ring. He was so gracious. Blushing bright red, I think, he was embarrassed by the gesture. Nonetheless, he profusely thanked everyone, hand shakers and ring kissers alike.
 
This is a bit of a foreign concept to me. I started a thread on this same topic. With all do respect, why do you consider it a privilege to kiss their ring?
 
dje101 said:
This is a bit of a foreign concept to me. I started a thread on this same topic. With all do respect, why do you consider it a privilege to kiss their ring?
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I have kissed the ring of a bishop several times during my life. It is a privilege because you are paying respect to the authority given by our Lord Jesus Christ to the Apostles that has been handed down to the bishop. It is not respect for the man, rather it is respect for the authority held by the man.

Over one fifth of the world is Catholic and less than another fifth is of some other type of Chritian, thus over three fifths of the world is not Christian. In light of how many people in the world don’t know Jesus Christ why should I not consider it a privilege to pay respect to the authority that comes directly from Jesus Christ?

Peace

Ran Pleasant
 
I asked our Archbishop when he was visiting our parish if I could kiss his ring. The reason I did so was to earn the indulgence for particular souls I was praying for. I never thought of genuflecting while I did it though. 😊
 
Correct me if I’m wrong but when you genuflect to kiss the Bishop’s ring I think you are to genuflect with the left knee down. (I know there is a correct protocol, just can’t remember).
 
corsair said:
Correct me if I’m wrong but when you genuflect to kiss the Bishop’s ring I think you are to genuflect with the left knee down. (I know there is a correct protocol, just can’t remember).
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I’ll ask Father Saguto! The first time I kissed the Archbishop’s ring in Los Angeles (1968) I was on a kneeler on both knees. The second time (still in L.A.) was 1970, and I genuflected with my right knee.

These days with these knees, I could get down, but it would take a miracle for me to get up without help!:eek:
 
Peggy_in_Burien said:
I was taught to genuflect and kiss the bishop’s ring, and have had the privilege of doing so in my younger life.
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I did this with my own Archbishop and he was thoroughly embarrassed. It will never stop me from doing so with other Bishops - never will again with my own however. I’ve greeted other Bishops in this manner and they have never had an issue with it.

~Liza
 
My former parish Pastor recently became a Bishop and if I were to see him now and kiss his ring, he would probably blush or crack a joke. LOL.
 
People don’t do this for the same reason that they no longer stand when a priest enters the room (people should definitely do this, IMO): a false sense of egalitarianism, casualness, etc. I can’t genuflect (old, fat, and bad knees), but I bend and kiss my bishop’s ring, and stand when my priest enters the room. One is a successor to the Apostles and both are Alter Christi. Of course, it would be good if they all accepted it the way Archbishop Chaput is described as doing (may he soon be clothed in the scarlet).
 
JKirkLVNV said:
People don’t do this for the same reason that they no longer stand when a priest enters the room (people should definitely do this, IMO): a false sense of egalitarianism, casualness, etc. I can’t genuflect (old, fat, and bad knees), but I bend and kiss my bishop’s ring, and stand when my priest enters the room. One is a successor to the Apostles and both are Alter Christi. Of course, it would be good if they all accepted it the way Archbishop Chaput is described as doing (may he soon be clothed in the scarlet).
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I think its all part of this American attitude of defying authority, which really started in the war for Independence when the King of England was defied. To this day, authority figures are given less and less respect. One of my biggest adjustments coming over from Asia to Canada was in the workplace, calling your boss by his first name only. In the Philippines, your immediate superior is always “Sir <name” or "Ma’am " and the executives are either the same or “Mr. or Ms.” (we always use Miss so as not to presume the lady is married).
 
Beati_Pacifici said:
My former parish Pastor recently became a Bishop and if I were to see him now and kiss his ring, he would probably blush or crack a joke. LOL.
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I bet he’s our new bishop…and everyone loves him already!!!
 
One kisses the ring as a sign of respect for the office, not the officeholder!
 
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