Proper time for genuflecting?

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Hello All! I am a new user here after many years just perusing through the website to learn more about the different parts of our Catholic faith.

I have a question about doing genuflection at specific time at Mass as I am now curious about.

My question is after the elevation of the Sacred Host and the Chalice, is it proper for the laity to do a small genuflection, such as a bowing of the head, when the priest genuflects?

I want to say about a decade ago, when I was altar serving for a Confirmation Mass, I noticed that all those confirmed from my parish’s Korean community, when the bishop returned the Host back to the paten and knelt behind the altar, all those teenagers simply gave a bow of their heads despite that they kneeling (as was everyone else). It was the same for after the bishop elevated the chalice, when he placed it back on the altar and genuflected a second time, the teens did again, bowing their heads.

At first I thought it was just a cultural thing, but then after awhile, I thought it was appropriate to do so I began to do likewise. Only recently in the past few months, I stopped doing this type of genuflecting as I began to question if this was proper for me, a non-ordained layman, can simply bow his head when the priest genuflects or if I was engaging–albeit obliviously–in a minor liturgical abuse.

To clarify a bit, this is NOT a question about genuflecting at the time during the Communion Rite, that just before receiving Communion when standing in line, we are to bow our head before extending our hands or opening our mouths. That I have no confusion about. I am only asking about during the Liturgy of the Eucharist when the priest genuflects, are the people to do so as well?

Thank you! I look forward to all your answers.
 
If you’re already kneeling, there’s nothing more you’re required to do, but there’s also nothing wrong with a bow of the head. There are other pious customs that those in the pew may engage in that are not required but also not problematic. For instance, I was taught to hold my right hand over my heart during the words of institution; that’s never been anything I’ve read anywhere, but I do it anyway because (1) it’s how I was taught, and (2) I like offering my heart to Jesus in that moment.

If you happen to be standing for whatever reason, a profound bow (at the waist) or genuflection would be in order at the consecration; a genuflection is specifically going down on one knee — can’t do that if you’re already down on both!
 
Just a clarification about the terms used here. To genuflect is to kneel briefly on the right knee only. It’s a Latin word that means, literally, “to knee-bend.” Any bow, or any other gesture or bodily movement of any kind, is not covered by the term “genuflection.”
 
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Thank you for you answer.
I did had an idea already about standing at the time of consecration that after the elevation of Host and Chalice we are to bow profoundly
 
Thank you Bartholomew for your corrections! I always thought that genuflecting while mostly was the bending on one knee and was done before entering a pew and other times, but I also thought that genuflecting meant every gesture: kneeling and bowing.

As a cradle Catholic, I guess there are a lot more things for me to learn! haha!
 
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The general principle is based on Philippians 2:10 “at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow”. Therefore we genuflect when coming into the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

After taking communion, the Sacrament is still inside you so it is unnecessary to genuflect which is why (to the surprise of visitors) traditionalists usually don’t.

When the blessed sacrament is exposed it is customary to genuflect by kneeling first with one knee and bring the other knee down too.
 
Servite said:
My question is after the elevation of the Sacred Host and the Chalice, is it proper for the laity to do a small genuflection, such as a bowing of the head, when the priest genuflects?
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I always do this (bow the head) and so do many others at my parish.
 
Catholics, especially prior to Vatican II, traditionally would do this:
  1. When the priest elevates the consecrated host, look at it, strike their breasts, and say to themselves, “My Lord and My God”.
  2. When the priest puts down the consecrated host and genuflects, bow their heads (as they are already kneeling).
  3. When the priest elevates the chalice of Precious Blood, look at it, strike their breasts, and say to themselves, “My Jesus, Mercy” or " Be mindful, O Lord, of Thy creature, whom Thou hast redeemed by Thy Precious Blood".
  4. When the priest puts down the chalice and genuflects, bow their heads.
After Vatican II, this practice faded in some cultures (like in USA) but continued pretty strongly in others. Also in USA now a lot of more traditionally-minded Catholics do it.

It’s a nice practice and helps to focus one’s mind on Jesus in the Eucharist.

It’s most definitely NOT 'liturgical abuse". It’s a really old practice.
 
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Maximian said:
The general principle is based on Philippians 2:10 “at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow”. Therefore we genuflect when coming into the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

After taking communion, the Sacrament is still inside you so it is unnecessary to genuflect which is why (to the surprise of visitors) traditionalists usually don’t.

When the blessed sacrament is exposed it is customary to genuflect by kneeling first with one knee and bring the other knee down too.
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Just wanted to ask you to clarify, do you mean that traditionalists usually don’t genuflect when they leave the pew? Or when? Thanks!

On a similar note, is it a traditional practice during the processional and recessional to bow or reverence the processional cross in some way? I think I have asked this before, so sorry, I forgot.

EDIT - I found this thread, so never mind that second question.
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Bowing to processional entrance cross Casual Discussion
I have done it a few times…but haven’t seen anyone else bow so I stopped doing it…wasn’t sure if I should or not…good to see some of you do bow…I don’t even know if all Anglo/Catholic churches do…but the one I watched the whole congregation did…it was very reverential…not sure if we should bow to the processional cross or the Gospel neither…it is a nice practice though…also…priests and deacons wear vestments…altar servers wear white robes…Eucharistic Ministers don’t wear anything that would iden…
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I remember my dad, an usher kneeling on one knee during consecration as well as others in the back.

Now in addition to that of course you genuflect before entering a pew and exiting one. You bow or genuflect when passing tabernacle to go to other side of church.

You bow to the priest when bringing gifts…you bow when processional cross passes you. You cross yourself when being blessed by water. You bless yourself after mass.
 
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If a lay person were standing, then they should make a profound bow (i.e bow of the body, not a bow of the head) when the Priest genuflects after the consecration.

From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), n. 43:

“They should kneel, on the other hand, at the Consecration, except when prevented on occasion by ill health, or for reasons of lack of space, of the large number of people present, or for another reasonable. However, those who do not kneel ought to make a profound bow when the Priest genuflects after the Consecration.”

GIRM 275 has “A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honour Mass is being celebrated.”

Maximiam wrote: “When the blessed sacrament is exposed it is customary to genuflect by kneeling first with one knee and bring the other knee down too.” But Ceremonial of Bishops has: “1103 Genuflection in the presence of the blessed sacrament exposed for public adoration is on one knee.” This sentence has footnote 394, referring to the liturgical book Holy Communion and the Worship of the Eucharist Outside of Mass, n. 84.

[Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. Except from the English translation of Ceremonial of Bishops © 1989, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.]
 
Katie777 said:
I remember my dad, an usher kneeling on one knee during consecration as well as others in the back.

Now in addition to that of course you genuflect before entering a pew and exiting one. You bow or genuflect when passing tabernacle to go to other side of church.

You bow to the priest when bringing gifts…you bow when processional cross passes you. You cross yourself when being blessed by water. You bless yourself after mass.
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Not necessarily. Genuflecting is how we reverence the Eucharist. If the tabernacle is located in the main church, then genuflecting when first entering and last entering the pew is indeed the appropriate gesture. However in churches where the tabernacle is located out of sight as in a Blessed Sacrament chapel, the proper gesture is to reverence the altar with a bow when entering and leaving.

In the past because tabernacles were located in the sanctuary in almost all churches, genuflecting was always done when entering and leaving and for some the habit remains.
 
Katie777 said:
Now in addition to that of course you genuflect before entering a pew and exiting one. You bow or genuflect when passing tabernacle to go to other side of church.

You bow to the priest when bringing gifts…you bow when processional cross passes you. You cross yourself when being blessed by water. You bless yourself after mass.
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To further clarify: Only genuflecting when crossing in front of the tabernacle is prescribed; the rest of what you list are customs, but never actually directed in any rubric. Bowing, of course, is the alternative for those who cannot kneel/genuflect. Just a clarification for anyone reading who may not know “the rules” vs. the preferences.

A couple of (what I consider interesting) notes:
  • we don’t genuflect as a general rule at any of these times during Mass (exceptions being possibly unforeseen movements in/out of the church, such as arriving late, trip to the restroom, etc.)
  • altar servers and the like who are carrying an object in procession do not genuflect or bow as a general norm
  • There’s a halfway compelling argument from a priest (and others) that we shouldn’t bless ourselves with holy water as we leave church, but only as we arrive. That one, imo, is not worth being nitpicky about - just an interesting take on it.
The bow missing from this thread thus far: it is a US prescription to bow the head (not the body) when you are about to receive either Eucharistic species in the communion procession.
 
Cor_ad_Cor said:
The bow missing from this thread thus far
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Another bow prescribed in the GIRM, but more often observed in the breach, is the bow of the head when the Names of Jesus, Mary, the Holy Trinity, or the Saint of the day are mentioned.
 
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@felsguy -Now understand I am old school and Our Lord was always front and center in the tabernacle.

I was taught by SSND sisters. We genuflect when entering the pew before mass or private prayer time.
We genuflect when we cross the tabernacle to go to other side of church.
We genuflect when leaving mass or private prayer time. We genuflect in front of Jesus in monstrance and stay on our knees.

This is when Jesus is present.

We also cross ourselves when passing a cemetary or another church or hear a siren.

This is what I do right or wrong.
 
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Here the Tabernacle contains consecrated Hosts. So we genuflect when crossing it.

Also off topic -you sit after communion after your prayer and tabernacle is closed. Not when priest sits.
 
Both my sons were altar servers and you are right. They bow and give reverence when crossing tabernacle. They do kneel during consecration.
 
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(name removed by moderator) wrote “Just a clarification. The guidelines for Adoration and Benediction promulgated in 1973 (ICEL 1976) changed the practice of going down on both knees before the monstrance, to a simple one-knee genuflection. A footnote makes clear though that those who still go to both knees are not to be corrected.

That is still the most current issue.”

I am confused about what book or document (name removed by moderator) is referring to here. I am disappointed to learn that there has been some sort of discouragement about teaching people to genuflect on one knee.

I think the change was made with the publication of Holy Communion and the Worship of the Eucharist Outside of Mass . This is an official liturgical book. It has a decree at the front dated 21 June 1973 which includes: “These rites, approved by Pope Paul VI, are now published in this edition,” and “Anything to the contrary notwithstanding.”

The book includes: “84. Genuflection in the presence of the blessed sacrament, whether reserved in the tabernacle or exposed for public adoration, is on one knee.”

Here I am quoting from the translation on page 697 of the book Documents on the Liturgy 1963-1979 , ISBN 0814612814. It has at the front “Original translations, compilation, arrangement of materials, and design of Documents on the Liturgy, 1963-1979: Conciliar, Papal, and Curial Texts © 1982, International Commission on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.”

There is NO footnote (as described by (name removed by moderator)) “that those who still go to both knees are not to be corrected.”
 
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