Question about genuflection

[cothrige]

I was raised in the Episcopal Church, and when young was taught to always genuflect when entering the pew to sit, and whenever I walked across the center aisle of the Church, even if I wasn’t entering the sanctuary or entering a pew. So, if I walked in a side door near the vestibule or lobby only to leave another side door immediately on the other side, I would stop in the middle, in line with the tabernacle all the way at the far end of the church, and genuflect. I would then continue to the other door. I now find myself, many years later, a Catholic with questions about whether I should continue trying to observe this basic habit which was hammered into me and which is basically second nature at this point.

One element of my confusion is that the parish we find ourselves in happens to be rather oddly constructed. It is roughly a square with the sanctuary in a corner and the tabernacle on the right edge of it against the north wall. The center aisle runs from the door, in the south-east corner, to the altar, at the north-west corner. There are also two aisles meeting the center aisle just in front of the altar and these are parallel to the sides and perpendicular to the other walls. This results in three groups of pews at angles to one another, and separated by these aisles. The seats we most often use are on the south-west corner of the Church, and to get there you have to cross that one parallel aisle which just happens to have the tabernacle at its end.

What I am wondering is should we genuflect at all when crossing the Church as we did in the Episcopal Church? Because of my childhood I am always very aware of where the tabernacle is, so that I can genuflect when proper, but yet it gets harder and harder for me to know what to do. These round churches and others don’t have a center line with a tabernacle at the end, and so I just don’t know what is proper at all. I also don’t know whether it is even right to genuflect that way since I have never seen a single Catholic, lay or clerical, genuflect at any time other than when sitting down or entering the sanctuary, and rarely then.

My other problem is where one would do this if it is still considered proper. In our church the center of the church is not in front of the tabernacle as I understand it, since it is further off to the right behind a bunch of pews from where I usually walk. But, when going to my seat I pass directly in front of the tabernacle, though all the way across the church from it. However, it is only the “center” of the church if you see the church as rotated with the door and altar at odd angles to that line. Would the center of the church be the line between the tabernacle and the front door, passing through a big chunk of pews, or directly in front of the tabernacle as it is facing which would be down that side aisle ending roughly in front of the crying room?

What is the right way to behave in these circumstances, and what would be wrong?

 

[Mel_Stones]

When crossing the altar or entering/exiting the sanctuary (altar area) - profound bow.
When entering or exiting the same room as the Tabernacle (church) - genuflect (Immediately upon entering/exiting, when you cross the Tabernacle, or when you enter/exit the pew are all appropriate.)

Generally, I genuflect when I enter the church the first time and when I leave for the last time. Meaning I don’t genuflect every time I enter/leave to go to the bathroom or get something, just the first and last time. At times, I think of it as saying ‘hi’ and ‘bye’ to Jesus (yes I know He is with us always, I’m speaking of His direct physical presence here). You don’t say ‘hi’ and ‘bye’ every time you pass a friend during a get together, just the first and last time.

 

[Bookcat]

I was raised in the Episcopal Church, and when young was taught to always genuflect when entering the pew to sit, and whenever I walked across the center aisle of the Church, even if I wasn’t entering the sanctuary or entering a pew. So, if I walked in a side door near the vestibule or lobby only to leave another side door immediately on the other side, I would stop in the middle, in line with the tabernacle all the way at the far end of the church, and genuflect. I would then continue to the other door. I now find myself, many years later, a Catholic with questions about whether I should continue trying to observe this basic habit which was hammered into me and which is basically second nature at this point.

One element of my confusion is that the parish we find ourselves in happens to be rather oddly constructed. It is roughly a square with the sanctuary in a corner and the tabernacle on the right edge of it against the north wall. The center aisle runs from the door, in the south-east corner, to the altar, at the north-west corner. There are also two aisles meeting the center aisle just in front of the altar and these are parallel to the sides and perpendicular to the other walls. This results in three groups of pews at angles to one another, and separated by these aisles. The seats we most often use are on the south-west corner of the Church, and to get there you have to cross that one parallel aisle which just happens to have the tabernacle at its end.

What I am wondering is should we genuflect at all when crossing the Church as we did in the Episcopal Church? Because of my childhood I am always very aware of where the tabernacle is, so that I can genuflect when proper, but yet it gets harder and harder for me to know what to do. These round churches and others don’t have a center line with a tabernacle at the end, and so I just don’t know what is proper at all. I also don’t know whether it is even right to genuflect that way since I have never seen a single Catholic, lay or clerical, genuflect at any time other than when sitting down or entering the sanctuary, and rarely then.

My other problem is where one would do this if it is still considered proper. In our church the center of the church is not in front of the tabernacle as I understand it, since it is further off to the right behind a bunch of pews from where I usually walk. But, when going to my seat I pass directly in front of the tabernacle, though all the way across the church from it. However, it is only the “center” of the church if you see the church as rotated with the door and altar at odd angles to that line. Would the center of the church be the line between the tabernacle and the front door, passing through a big chunk of pews, or directly in front of the tabernacle as it is facing which would be down that side aisle ending roughly in front of the crying room?

What is the right way to behave in these circumstances, and what would be wrong?

This is from the GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal)

so it is the instructions from the Church (for Latin or Roman rite…not Eastern)

Genuflections and Bows

1. A genuflection, made by bending the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and therefore it is reserved for the Most Blessed Sacrament, as well as for the Holy Cross from the solemn adoration during the liturgical celebration on Good Friday until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.

During Mass, three genuflections are made by the priest celebrant: namely, after the showing of the host, after the showing of the chalice, and before Communion. Certain specific features to be observed in a concelebrated Mass are noted in their proper place (cf. above, nos. 210-251).

If, however, the tabernacle with the Most Blessed Sacrament is present in the sanctuary, the priest, the deacon, and the other ministers genuflect when they approach the altar and when they depart from it, but not during the celebration of Mass itself.

Otherwise all who pass before the Most Blessed Sacrament genuflect, unless they are moving in procession.

Ministers carrying the processional cross or candles bow their heads instead of genuflecting.

1. A bow signifies reverence and honor shown to the persons themselves or to the signs that represent them. There are two kinds of bows: a bow of the head and a bow of the body.
2. 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 honor Mass is being celebrated.
3. A bow of the body, that is to say a profound bow, is made to the altar; during the prayers Munda cor meum (Almighty God, cleanse my heart) and In spiritu humilitatis (Lord God, we ask you to receive); in the Creed at the words Et incarnatus est (by the power of the Holy Spirit . . . made man); in the Roman Canon at the words Supplices te rogamus (Almighty God, we pray that your angel). The same kind of bow is made by the deacon when he asks for a blessing before the proclamation of the Gospel. In addition, the priest bows slightly as he speaks the words of the Lord at the consecration.

usccb.org/liturgy/current/chapter4.shtml#sect4

So one genuflects (on the right knee is what I learned since it is adoration of God not honor of Kings etc which is the left) when ever you pass before the Blessed Sacrament.

When one passes in front of the alter and the Blessed Sacrament is not there behind the altar --one makes a profound bow. (some of the bows above are made by the ones the Priest we do so at the creed of course though…for we are saying it)

other than this it it is customary to one could say to genuflect when entering the pew in the US at least. but often one is in front of the Blessed Sacrament at this time too.

also maybe there is more infomation on it somewhere…more documents

 

[cothrige]

Unfortunately the GIRM is about the Mass, and I am thinking more universally. And because of this it focusses on the sanctuary and those going in and out of it, rather than really speaking of entering the church or just moving from one side to the other once inside. For that reason I haven’t really been able to glean much from it regarding genuflection when passing in front of the tabernacle but not near the altar, or what is considered “in front of” in regards to the tabernacle in a church which is not a simple single-aisled rectangular affair, and none of them really are these days. For instance, in a round church all points are technically in front of the tabernacle and so one would never stop genuflecting. Also, how far away from the tabernacle can one really be and still be considered to be in front of it? It all really does confuse me.

 

[OraLabora]

This morning at Mass an elderly gentleman walked up to the foot of the sanctuary, and facing the altar did a prolonged genuflection and sign of the cross.

Then he walked right past the tabernacle with nary a glance, to a crucifix at the side of the church, and did another prolonged genuflection and sign of the cross.

I’m thinking, since he looked so pious, invincible ignorance…

 

[DihydrogenOxide]

This morning at Mass an elderly gentleman walked up to the foot of the sanctuary, and facing the altar did a prolonged genuflection and sign of the cross.

Then he walked right past the tabernacle with nary a glance, to a crucifix at the side of the church, and did another prolonged genuflection and sign of the cross.

I’m thinking, since he looked so pious, invincible ignorance…

That makes me so sad when people do that!

The church I attend has a catholic k-8 school. The teachers of students above the age of receiving their first holy communion take turns taking their class to Mass in the morning. It severely frustrates me that the teachers do not teach the children to properly genuflect. Some just sort of lower themselves, or tilt to one side, making some wafting movement with their hands if any movement at all…This morning, upon leaving, most students genuflected to the door or the wall on their way out! Incredible!

Their parents are lead to believe that they are paying of a quality education, too! D: