Not bowing during certain part of Mass

[Maxirad]

When one is attending Mass, is it particularly bad not to bow when a certain part of the Nicene Creed is read?

 

[april32010]

ain’t good , :twocents:

 

[jesus4ever]

I noticed this as well and I’m from Australia Melbourne. No one does it not even the priest. All i do is I just bow my head. I read the creed of this laminated sheet of paper that the churched provided ever since they changed the wording for masses. and were it say BOW then I bow but no one else does it.

 

[hodgewyfe]

I guess it depends on why a person isn’t bowing.

A person might not bow because of a physical disability, and there would be nothing wrong in omitting to bow in this sort of case.

 

[aemcpa]

“Back when people used to love Jesus” (my uncle’s phrase for “back in my day”), the whole congregation knelt at “et incarnatus est”. In the cathedrals, they would stop the Creed at that point and crank up the solemnity so that the “et incarnatus est” was as long as the rest of the Creed put together. It is the moment of the Creed where we proclaim the most scandalous and glorious truth of our Faith - that the one true God of the universe became a single-celled organism to save us from our sins. So I think bowing is the least we can do.

 

[aspirant]

I guess it depends on why a person isn’t bowing.

A person might not bow because of a physical disability, and there would be nothing wrong in omitting to bow in this sort of case.

Very true.

I think a lot of people are also simply ignorant regarding the rubrics. I say this because I remember that before the new translation, I would often be one of very few people bowing. When the new translation came out, I noticed more people bowing than before. Why? Before the change, most people around me were not using missals or missalettes because they already knew the words. After the change, more people were looking at missalettes, cards, and bulletins to help them with the new words-- and that meant seeing the rubrics at the same time.

 

[R_C]

One should bow at the name of Jesus (and, possibly, of Mary) every time it is mentioned according to the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, as well as when the Divine Persons are mentioned together, and during the final blessing

I believe one should also bow (or genuflect, in EF) when the Credo reads “et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto, ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est”.

 

[Honour]

When one is attending Mass, is it particularly bad not to bow when a certain part of the Nicene Creed is read?

I often forget! How horrible, its printed right there on the card which I still reference.,(pretty bad that I haven’t committed that to memory yet). As a Protestant when I first started attending mass I didn’t bow because I thought that would be like Mary worship, and I couldn’t have that! As I began to understand the truth of the church it was the last gesture for me to adopt…and sadly still not ingrained in me. I also notice people around me don’t always bow, some barely nod their heads…so there’s not visual cue like other gestures.

 

[Gorgias]

One should bow at the name of Jesus (and, possibly, of Mary) every time it is mentioned according to the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, as well as when the Divine Persons are mentioned together, and during the final blessing

I believe one should also bow (or genuflect, in EF) when the Credo reads “et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto, ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est”.

As memory serves, the first instance (the name of Jesus, or of Mary, or of the Trinity) should be the catalyst for a simple bow (that is, a bow of the head). The latter instance (in the Creed) should be responded to by a profound bow (of the body). On special occasions (e.g., the Annunciation), we kneel rather than bow.

 

[YoungTradCath]

I’m pretty sure the reason people don’t down bow at the et incarnatus est is because bowing is a very subjective movement. There are huge degrees of bowing. I’ve even been in situations in which I thought I was doing a pretty deep bow, only to do it in the mirror at home and realize that I was barely hunching my back. People bend their heads down all the time.

On the other hand, kneeling or genuflecting are both much more profound movements, both visually and physically, in that you either do it or you don’t, and in that they are both whole-body, total movements. People very seldom get on their knees except in very particular circumstances, so there is probably also a psychological component to it as well.

There is also a social factor to bowing, genuflecting and kneeling. Everyone is subconsciously looking at those around them; if others don’t do it, then a given individual is much less likely to do it, even if he really wants to.

This is a rubric which I feel does not work particularly well, practically speaking. I understand the rationale: to have bowing on most Credo days, with kneeling (instead of genuflecting) reserved for Christmas and… that other day that I forgot.

Let me offer some more observations to help illustrate my point about the physical degree of movement and the social aspects of liturgical postures.

When you go to Mass, notice that everyone kneels for the EP.* And in most dioceses of the USA, also for the latter part of the Agnus Dei and the Ecce Agnus Dei. And also in many (most) places, many (most) people kneel once they return to their pew. Kneeling is a very objective movement/action/posture. It also has a strong social element to it.

But when you barely see anyone around you slightly bob their head down, and when Father isn’t used to doing it either, such as in my parish, you end up with few bowing.

Physically, socially, I think genuflecting or kneeling for the et incarnatus est is easier and produces more consistent results overall.**

*Disclaimer: I consider only parishes that celebrate Masses in which the people actually kneel when they are supposed to. I don’t consider the “We don’t do that here” parishes. I also do not here consider those hypotheticals like disability/old age/pregnancy, because the vast majority of people at any given time are not in one of these categories.

**Disclaimer 2: Please no one say that the Church doesn’t want to rigidly regulate postures, etc., because the Church does want to regulate postures for this specific item, as it’s in the Missal, clear cut.

 

[aemcpa]

I understand the rationale: to have bowing on most Credo days, with kneeling (instead of genuflecting) reserved for Christmas and… that other day that I forgot.

Hint: “Et INCARNATUS est…”

 

[johnmann]

Bow of the head at the name of “Jesus,” “Mary,” the Trinity, and the name of the day’s saint. Also before receiving Communion and at the final blessing.

Profound bow (at the hip) during the Creed. Also, if you are standing during the consecration, profound bow when the priest genuflects. Also, if the Roman Canon is used, at “In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God.”

Genuflect during the Creed on the Annunciation and Christmas.

Not in the GIRM but customary: Profound bow before and after being incensed.

[edited]

 

[EvangelCatholic]

Like many traditions, bowing at the name of Jesus as well as during the creed at the Incarnation, when receiving holy communion, reverencing the altar, etc are all wonderful expressions of our belief that Christ is presence in our midst. Parishes that regularly practice and encourage outward gestures maintain this important adoration.

 

[BernadetteM]

In the Anglican Use Mass, all kneel during the Incarnation durng the Creed. We also bow our heads at the name of Jesus and during the Glory Be (which is often). We also bow or at some parishes kneel when the processional/recessional cross goes by and give a slight bow when the priest passes by.

Also during the Last Gospel and during the Incarnation during the Angelus which is said after the Mass is ended.

At my Latin Rite parish we all bow at the Incarnation in the Creed and many when the name of Jesus is mentioned.

It seems that every Latin Rite parish is differerent.

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette

 

[ajecphotos]

I never used to bow in the creed but do so now. Lots in the parish bow now.

 

[Georgia]

It is quite unusual at my parish to see others bow during the creed. My family does, but we are pretty much alone. More people seem to at the parish bordering ours.

 

[Phemie]

I’ve noticed that bowing at that point is rare in my parish. I tried to model it last week when I was leading the Sunday Celebration of the Word but I’m not sure anyone realized what I was doing since I was partially hidden behind a music stand (which also made it difficult to do a deep bow and still keep reciting the Creed which I’ve yet to commit to memory).

 

[CradleJourney]

Very true.

I think a lot of people are also simply ignorant regarding the rubrics. I say this because I remember that before the new translation, I would often be one of very few people bowing. When the new translation came out, I noticed more people bowing than before. Why? Before the change, most people around me were not using missals or missalettes because they already knew the words. After the change, more people were looking at missalettes, cards, and bulletins to help them with the new words-- and that meant seeing the rubrics at the same time.

This is me

Grew up attending a Catholic grade school (complete with some nuns) but somehow never learned to do this. I don’t remember hearing anything about it from my teachers or my parents. But then when the new translation came out, there it was - clear as day, so now I bow (or try to). (After reading some of the other posts here, I’m not sure I’m doing it yet in a way that looks like a bow…I’ll check in front of a mirror later.)

 

[DS59]

I started bowing during the Creed a few years ago. I don’t know if others bow because I am reading the words and not looking around, but I suspect most do not.

 

[aspirant]

Grew up attending a Catholic grade school (complete with some nuns) but somehow never learned to do this. I don’t remember hearing anything about it from my teachers or my parents. But then when the new translation came out, there it was - clear as day, so now I bow (or try to).

Yes, I suspect that many people are in the same boat!