Priest not genuflecting after consecration

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fbl9 said:
…Critcism of Priests…Our Lord’s revalations to Mutter Vogel…One should never atack a priest,even if he is in error.Rather one should pray and do penance that I’ll grant him My grace again.He alone represents Me even when he doesn’t live after my example.(page 29 Mutter Vogel"s worldwide love,St. Grignion piblishin house,south Germany June 29 1929)…"if you see a priest who celebrates the Holy Mass unworthily,then say nothing about him;rather tell it to Me alone! I stand beside him on the altar.Oh pray much for My priests;that they will love purity above all;that they will celebrate the Holy sacrifice of the Mass with pure hands and heart. Certainly the Holy Sacrifice is one and the same even when it’s celebrated by an unworthy priest,but the grace called down upon the people is not the same (feb 28 1938,Mutter Vogel)…Neer accept an out of the way word about apriest,and speak no unkind word(about them) EVEN IF IT WERE TRUE. Every priest is My vicar and My heart will be sickened and insulted because of it.If you hear a judgement(against a priest) pray a Hail Mary(June 28 1939 Mutter Vogel)
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I’m not going to attack or confront the priest in question, I will ask him respectfully and charitably when an appropriate moment arises.🙂
 
I’m not sure I understand why anyone would be uncomfortable just asking the priest himself. If he’s that new, he may really have forgotten or even be nervous. Assume the best about him until you have real reason to do otherwise and ask him in a non-accusatory way: “Father, I’ve got a question. I thought the celebrant had to genuflect after the Consecration - am I mistaken?” then depending on his response, you may need to talk to the pastor about it.
 
As I said, I do have a similar situation in my Parish, and I am still praying to be shown what would be the best way to go about this.

At first I thought I would like to just let it go, but it is still very distracting to me.
Assume the best about him until you have real reason to do otherwise and ask him in a non-accusatory way: “Father, I’ve got a question. I thought the celebrant had to genuflect after the Consecration - am I mistaken?” then depending on his response, you may need to talk to the pastor about it.
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I would use different phrasing, since I do know the priest is instructed to genuflect. I will try to think of a very non-aggressive maner of asking why he does not, especially since he genuflects at the beginning and end of Mass.

Lux
 
I am a newly ordained deacon. I just completed four years of classes and instruction. At my first mass as a deacon (three weeks ago), I forgot to say “The Lord be with you” before proclaiming the gospel. Every mass since then, I’ve made mistakes. I am lucky to have a understanding priest. After every mass, we find a few minutes to discuss what happened (both good and bad). I try my very best to correct the errors that I have made and to not repeat them.

Remember, the priest (or deacon) does not have the rubrics on the altar with him. I can certainly see how someone could fall into a bad habit if his mistake goes unchecked.

Please point out his error in a non-confrontational way. I can’t believe that a priest would deliberately ignore the rubrics of his office.
 
darryld said:
Remember, the priest (or deacon) does not have the rubrics on the altar with him. I can certainly see how someone could fall into a bad habit if his mistake goes unchecked.
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Oh, but he does have the rubrics with him on the altar – they are in the Sacramentary, written quite clearly in red “He shows the consecrated host/chalice to the people, places it on the paten/corporal, and genuflects in adoration.”

That’s why the rule is “Say the black, do the red.”
 
Hi eelpis
I’m not going to attack or confront the priest in question, I will ask him respectfully and charitably when an appropriate moment arises.
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I think you’re doing the right thing and I sincerely hope the matter is resolved to your satisfaction.

Please let us know the result if you think it appropriate.

regards

tim
 
On the few occasions I’ve approached something sensitive like this with a priest, I automatically put on my “dumb wig” and ask it in such a way that the priest really thinks I’m asking an innocent question.
I don’t mind looking like I don’t know the answer. There’s no sense in creating an uncomfortable situation for him or yourself that could create problems later. Priests are as human as everybody else and no one likes being corrected, especially by someone who is not at their level. Rubrics are important but less important than mercy. There are people in every parish who think it’s their personal responsibility to monitor the liturgy and other things and it annoys the heck out of priests.
 
I personally do not believe there are white lies. It is better to say nothing than to mislead.

You know what should be done, and you are acting responsibly in questioning him.

To say you may be mistaken leaves open to door to a very non-productive conversation. How will you respond if he says you are mistaken?

Lux
 
If he says you’re mistaken, then he should be corrected, but not by you. Go to the pastor, or if he is the pastor, call the diocese. The “productivity” of the conversation is unimportant as long as the issue, whatever it is, is corrected.

Priests are under an incredible amount of pressure as it is, and all of them are still walking on eggshells
because of the sex scandals. It will affect how they express their priestly vocations for the rest of their lives. They have to watch everything they do and say, all the time. They can’t even go out in public in their collars without risking harrassment. Some parishes are being closed, some are being run as outposts with no resident priests. For heaven’s sake, give them a break and let correction come from those above them and not from the people they’re shepherding. They need validation as much from parishioners as parishioners need it from them.
 
FickleFreckled said:
If he says you’re mistaken, then he should be corrected, but not by you. Go to the pastor, or if he is the pastor, call the diocese. The “productivity” of the conversation is unimportant as long as the issue, whatever it is, is corrected. .
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Hi again,

My main point is that you may not need to take it any further, if you just ask why he celebrates differently than the other priests, rather than pretending you do not know what you know.

After God, truth is the greatest good. White lies make the present more comfortable (warm & fuzzy), but have no lasting benefit.

Lux
 
PS You wouldn’t rather have a one-on-one conversation with a parishioner than a correction from a superior?
 
FickleFreckled said:
If he says you’re mistaken, then he should be corrected, but not by you. Go to the pastor, or if he is the pastor, call the diocese. The “productivity” of the conversation is unimportant as long as the issue, whatever it is, is corrected.
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It is MUCH KINDER to point out his mistake than to report him to superiors.

God Bless
 
Lux,
I don’t agree that approaching it indirectly is a “white lie;” it simply makes the priest more comfortable about your question. I also like the way you phrased it. However, once you’ve determined where the priest is coming from, if there is a problem I think it should be directed to the pastor rather than correcting it yourself. He might say “Oh crud - I’ve been forgetting to do that again!” If he really has just forgotten something, your question will be enough to keep it from happening in the future. What if, worst case scenario, the priest really is deliberately in disobedience about something or has an axe to grind? That’s an issue for his superior or spiritual director and not for a lay person. If you’re good friends and he trusts you, that’s a different story, but for most of us regular people in the “flock”, I think it should be handled indirectly. I have seen one priest (not a young one) go ballistic when questioned about his not following the rubrics and his inappropriate behavior at the altar.

I can’t answer your question about what I’d prefer in that situation, since I’ll never have a “job” that’s as important as a priest; it’s not comparable to any job in the regular working world.
 
japhy said:
What, that big ol’ book sitting, unopened, under the credence -]clearwater revival/-] table? 😉 😃
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♪ I see a bad moon rising, I see trouble on the way… ♪

Oh, even with it open on the altar there is still no genuflection in my parish.
 
Hi again,
I don’t agree that approaching it indirectly is a “white lie;” it simply makes the priest more comfortable about your question.
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Approaching diffeently is different than a misleading statement, which is exactly what is a white lie—a misleading statement spoken to make a person feel better. It is only for the moment, and more harmful in the long run.

Lux
 
You are so splitting hairs, Lux. I give up. You’re after all free to use whatever phraseology you like, up to and including making a new priest feel small or inadequate.
 
Look, I think we’re all in agreement here that we want the priest to do the right thing, at the same time we do not want to bash him over the head.

I think FickleFreckled (love that name!) has the right idea when she says about “acting dumb,” but I don’t think that’s a good idea in this situation.

As I said before, play a little dumb by ignoring the times he does genuflect, and approach him with care and concern: *“Father, I notice you don’t genuflect at the consecration. If you’re having back or knee problems, I’ll certainly pray for you” * or something like that.

He’ll know people are watching and want proper respect shown to the Lord, but he’ll also know that people care about *him * too.

I don’t think he can possibly get upset with you if you ask him with true concern for his well-being. I’ll bet that no matter what his answer is, that you’ll see more genuflecting in the future.
 
FickleFreckled said:
You are so splitting hairs, Lux. I give up. You’re after all free to use whatever phraseology you like, up to and including making a new priest feel small or inadequate.
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If you “give up”, do not make accusations that speaking the truth is akin to making someone feel small or inadiquate.

It is never good to feel that a small intention to deceive is OK because it makes someone “feel good”. And it is worse yet to condition yourself to deceive. More and greater deceptions will begin to seem OK.

Also, if the person learns of tthe deception, it is far more humiliating that would have been the truth.

Lux
 
“That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth:” Philippians 2:10
 
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