Proper way and time(s) to genuflect, etc.?

[BettinaAnamaria]

I have just begun to attend Mass and RCIA classes at a Traditional Catholic parish. I am very excited, and full of joy about this development in my life; I feel I have finally come home. However, I often feel clumsy and awkward during Mass because I don’t know the proper method(s) for and occasion(s) upon which certain behaviors, such as bowing, genuflecting, and signing the Cross, should be performed. It is relatively easy to tell when to sit, stand, kneel, etc. - one must merely watch what the rest of the congregation is doing and follow along. However, mimicking something such as genuflection is trickier, and feels like more of a bad thing to accidentally get wrong.

Can somebody please give me the broad strokes version of when and how to perform the sacred ritual behaviors involved in Mass, such as genuflection? And when I ask to be told how to do these things, I mean, tell me like I’m a two-year-old who knows nothing about these topics … because that’s pretty much what you’re dealing with here I have a strong desire to participate, and to do so in the proper fashion, but a very weak knowledge base.

Thank you in advance to anyone with the patience to answer my question

 

[GangGreen]

If praying in private, sign of the cross typically starts and ends your prayers.

During Mass, whenever the priest says “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” you do the sign of the cross. Typically only twice per Mass (beginning and end).

You do a small sign of the cross on your forehead, lips, and heart during the acclimation of the Gospel.

“For the word which Christ brought and which is set down in this book we are willing to stand up with a mind that is open; we are ready to confess it with our mouth; and above all we are determined to safeguard it faithfully in our hearts.”

You bow your head during the Nicene Creed at the part that says “He came down from Heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.”

Other than that,

You typically bow before the altar as a sign of respect for where the sacrifice takes place and genuflect before the Eucharist (being Jesus) as a sign of adoration. Since the Eucharist is typically keep in the tabernacle, you kneel as you pass by it or as you enter/leave the pew. If the tabernacle is behind the altar, then just genuflect. If you pass by the altar on the way to receiving communion then you can bow before the altar and genuflect (or kneel) before the Eucharist.

That’s about it.

I do see some people who do the sign of the cross when the priest says “May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.” That’s not required and not even part of the rubrics. I think some people do that because in the EF there is a sign of the cross where the priest says “Indulgéntiam, absolutionem et remissiónem peccatórum nostrórum tríbuat nobis omnípotens et miséricors Dóminus./May the almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon, absolution, and remission of our sins”

 

[YoungTradCath]

My advice is simply to sit near the back and do what everyone else does.

 

[Celtic_Maiden]

It was the same for me being a Convert, but as advised sit near the back and follow, after you have done it a few times, you will be swimming in the same direction as everyone else, don’t worry, just relax, the Lord understands your on a learning curve.

 

[ccmcmg]

For the record, some of us still sit towards the back, at least when attending a parish that is not our own. You don’t want everyone waiting for you to be the first to go up to communion, and not realize that it’s your turn!

 

[Brandon_Cal]

I have just begun to attend Mass and RCIA classes at a Traditional Catholic parish. I am very excited, and full of joy about this development in my life; I feel I have finally come home.

“Traditional” Catholic parish (and your location says Oakland, CA)? I suspect you’re going through RCIA at St. Margaret Mary’s, am I right? I attended my very first Mass at St. Margaret Mary’s, and went through RCIA for the first time there, so that parish certainly holds a profound place in my heart. I think you’re in very good hands.

However, I often feel clumsy and awkward during Mass because I don’t know the proper method(s) for and occasion(s) upon which certain behaviors, such as bowing, genuflecting, and signing the Cross, should be performed. It is relatively easy to tell when to sit, stand, kneel, etc. - one must merely watch what the rest of the congregation is doing and follow along. However, mimicking something such as genuflection is trickier, and feels like more of a bad thing to accidentally get wrong.

In the context of the liturgy, the rule of thumb (as it was explained to me) is that you should:

• Cross yourself when any prayer is begun “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”
• Bow your head when the minor doxology is said (“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost”).
• Kneel any time the Incarnation is mentioned (e.g. “who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.”)
• Bow your head at the mentioning of the names of “Jesus” and “Mary” (also the name of the Saint for whom the Mass is celebrated).
• Genuflect whenever you’re in the presence of the Eucharist. This obviously includes the Eucharist reserved in the tabernacle. If the red candle is lit, then the Eucharist is in the tabernacle, and you should genuflect at your pew. If you’re inside a Catholic church at a time when the Eucharist is not present in the tabernacle, and so the candle is not lit, simply bow your head at the altar.

Don’t worry about making mistakes. The folks at St. MM are very kind, and usually are too busy communing with our Lord to be paying attention to any of your blunders. It took me a number of months to get it down reasonably. You’ll also need to take into account local acts of piety that may be normative for that particular parish but aren’t necessarily so for the universal Church. In such cases no one would expect you to follow suit.

 

[Florin]

If your question refers to the Traditional Latin Mass, you might find this helpful: fisheaters.com/TLMinstructions.html.
Welcome home!