Scared genuflection will lead to trampling

[beckycmarie]

Whatever happened to genuflecting? Maybe 10% of my parish does it upon entering, and virtually none do it upon leaving. I myself have been afraid to genuflect at the end of Mass for fear of being trampled by the exiting stampede, or starting a domino-like human train wreck if someone trips over me. I’m thinking of maybe staying after Mass every time to let everyone go so I can genuflect in peace.

Anyone else feel this way?

 

[jmcrae]

Whatever happened to genuflecting? Maybe 10% of my parish does it upon entering, and virtually none do it upon leaving. I myself have been afraid to genuflect at the end of Mass for fear of being trampled by the exiting stampede, or starting a domino-like human train wreck if someone trips over me. I’m thinking of maybe staying after Mass every time to let everyone go so I can genuflect in peace.

Anyone else feel this way?

Yes!! Not much to add, but yeah, I know exactly what you mean.

 

[JRKH]

Whatever happened to genuflecting? Maybe 10% of my parish does it upon entering, and virtually none do it upon leaving. I myself have been afraid to genuflect at the end of Mass for fear of being trampled by the exiting stampede, or starting a domino-like human train wreck if someone trips over me. I’m thinking of maybe staying after Mass every time to let everyone go so I can genuflect in peace.

Anyone else feel this way?

Well we attend a TLM on Sunday’s and nearly everyone genuflects.
However I do know what you mean.
We always stay after mass to pray thankgiving prayers. This lets things calm down.

Peace
James

 

[lak611]

Whatever happened to genuflecting? Maybe 10% of my parish does it upon entering, and virtually none do it upon leaving. I myself have been afraid to genuflect at the end of Mass for fear of being trampled by the exiting stampede, or starting a domino-like human train wreck if someone trips over me. I’m thinking of maybe staying after Mass every time to let everyone go so I can genuflect in peace.

Anyone else feel this way?

I just stay a few minutes after Mass. Then I can genuflect when I leave without getting trampled by the stampede. Also, by then the parking lot is clear, so I don’t get stuck in a line of cars leaving either.

 

[MrS]

Here is an idea:

As you are exiting the pew… stop at the end, and genuflect at the end of, in, the pew instead of in the aisle. If you are being followed by family, and you get trampled by them… well now that would be sad

I do this often, because the aisles are so narrow.

And it does not matter if the kneeler is up or down.

.

 

[LilyM]

Here is an idea:

As you are exiting the pew… stop at the end, and genuflect at the end of, in, the pew instead of in the aisle. If you are being followed by family, and you get trampled by them… well now that would be sad

I do this often, because the aisles are so narrow.

And it does not matter if the kneeler is up or down.

.

This is what I do too, if there looks to be any risk of a trampling.

Having said that, I tend to make a point of genuflecting just before Communion, and have only ever once had the person behind me bump into me, so people will almost always accommodate you should you choose to genuflect.

 

[drafdog]

If you have received Eucharist, why do you need to genuflect at all? Is not Christ within you?
As the Eucharist is reserved in a chapel outside the main body of the church in my parish, one simply bows toward the altar both upon entering and upon leaving.

Matthew

 

[Harpazo]

At the Maronite parish I’ve been going to, almost everyone genuflects, and it’s not an Eastern Tradition whatsoever.

I was taught to bow and cross myself by the Maronite priest, and only a few others do this. Even bowing when entering/exiting the pew is problematic, I’ve had to dodge people as they were rushing to get out after the Liturgy.

So it isn’t only a Latin-Rite problem.

Pace e Bene
Andrew

 

[LilyM]

If you have received Eucharist, why do you need to genuflect at all? Is not Christ within you?
As the Eucharist is reserved in a chapel outside the main body of the church in my parish, one simply bows toward the altar both upon entering and upon leaving.

Matthew

Because Christ is BOTH within you AND in the Tabernacle :getholy:

Besides which, the alternative is to genuflect to every person who’s just received Communion, which is most impractial …

 

[mdgspencer]

I never heard of this problem. Perhaps you can sit in the front of the church? I don’t know though why people would trample someone when leaving their pew unless they aren’t looking for some reason, but perhaps your parish is different in some way.

 

[JRKH]

If you have received Eucharist, why do you need to genuflect at all? Is not Christ within you?
As the Eucharist is reserved in a chapel outside the main body of the church in my parish, one simply bows toward the altar both upon entering and upon leaving.

Matthew

Yes Christ is within you after Eucharist, but then if we follow him correctly He is always with and within us.
Genuflecting is the way many people a) were brought up and b)need to show our reverence.

I like the idea of sitting near the front and actually we do this.
However the easiest, least stressful solution is still to just wait and pray a while before leaving church.
We usually say a prayer of thanksgiving and the prayer before the cross. If things are still busy we’ll just sit quietly in reflection.

James

 

[valient_Lucy]

Whatever happened to genuflecting? Maybe 10% of my parish does it upon entering, and virtually none do it upon leaving. I myself have been afraid to genuflect at the end of Mass for fear of being trampled by the exiting stampede, or starting a domino-like human train wreck if someone trips over me. I’m thinking of maybe staying after Mass every time to let everyone go so I can genuflect in peace.

Anyone else feel this way?

Yes!!! Genuflecting after Mass is like genuflecting during the Running of the Bulls.

 

[EmergencyOps]

I myself have been afraid to genuflect at the end of Mass for fear of being trampled by the exiting stampede, or starting a domino-like human train wreck if someone trips over me.

Anyone else feel this way?

My girlfriend feels the exact same way. A woman bumped into her the last time she genuflected when exiting her pew. I stick around for a few minutes myself, just to let the “runners” get a good start.

-Mark

 

[tcraig]

Whatever happened to genuflecting? Maybe 10% of my parish does it upon entering, and virtually none do it upon leaving. I myself have been afraid to genuflect at the end of Mass for fear of being trampled by the exiting stampede, or starting a domino-like human train wreck if someone trips over me. I’m thinking of maybe staying after Mass every time to let everyone go so I can genuflect in peace.

Well, I’ve never attended a parish where such a small majority genuflect, but “trampling” is a problem in the TLM’s I’ve attended also. I think it’s just a logistical problem when people are in movement going one direction and you’re stopping facing in the opposite direction.

You’ve gotten good advice, and I’ve done everything mentioned to avoid the problem. It doesn’t always work, though.

 

[Brenda_V]

If you have received Eucharist, why do you need to genuflect at all? Is not Christ within you?
As the Eucharist is reserved in a chapel outside the main body of the church in my parish, one simply bows toward the altar both upon entering and upon leaving.

Matthew

Matthew - I think your question here has mostly been answered but the person who was saying they genuflect at Communion were probably referring to the fact that they do it before they receive. I used to do this and then I injured my knee and genuflecting is just not done and now it has arthritis in it so I just make a profound bow.

To answer the OP, no, I don’t feel like I will be trampled if I genuflect when leaving after Mass - actually most of us in my little Mission Parish wait until we are right in front of the tabernacle before we genuflect/make a profound bow as we are coming or leaving Church. We expect those in front of us will be doing it and those behind us expect it will be happening.

Brenda V.

 

[catholic79]

Whatever happened to genuflecting? Maybe 10% of my parish does it upon entering, and virtually none do it upon leaving. I myself have been afraid to genuflect at the end of Mass for fear of being trampled by the exiting stampede, or starting a domino-like human train wreck if someone trips over me. I’m thinking of maybe staying after Mass every time to let everyone go so I can genuflect in peace.

Anyone else feel this way?

Yes, At our former parish after the closing hymn everyone (well about 50%) knelt and said the Leonine Prayers together that gave the runners a good head start.

 

[Sr_Sally]

We have a much higher percentage of genuflectors and rather wide aisles. so usually it isn’t an issue. We do sing to the end of the recessional and then kneel in our pew to say a prayer of Thanksgiving. So far I’ve only been run over by my own children who forgot to genuflect then turned back to do it!

 

[beckycmarie]

Yes!!! Genuflecting after Mass is like genuflecting during the Running of the Bulls.

LOL - that is exactly what I’m talking about! Thanks for all the advice here. I never thought to just genuflect in the pew! If that doesn’t work out then I’ll just hang around after Mass and wait for the crowd to go first.

 

[amystephan]

I joined the Church Easter 1999 and I am still learing ALOT. Another group I belong to online mentioned that the prayer of St. Michael used to be recited after mass and that they’d love to see it come back. I just started last weekend with my girls. It definately helped with the stampede (and I sit very close to the front) and my daughters seemed to be more at peace rather rather making a mad dash to light their candle (which there’s always a line - I like it when we get their early). I think it’s a nice prayer to end Mass with especially since after hearing the word we are to go out and live it. How better than with the protection of St. Michael?

 

[KarenElissa]

Most people genuflect at my parish although there are an awful lot of the half genuflection things though.

My solution to not getting run over is to just stay until after we FINISH singing the recessional hymn. By then about half of the congregation is out the door so there is more room.