Should I genuflect before receiving Communion?

[dencharlie]

My parish priest has called me in to the rectory for a private meeting to discuss the fact that I genuflect (two seconds) prior to receiving Communion. He has told me that the Congress of Bishops outlined in 2003 that we are to bow, not genuflect before Communion. He asked me to refrain from genuflecting. Is this true? Did the General Instruction of the Roman Missal specifically prohibit genuflecting before receiving Communion?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Here is the instruction from the GIRM (2002):

When receiving holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the body of the Lord from the minister. The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant. When holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the precious blood (no. 160, source).

Your priest is correct. The proper gesture of reverence before reception of Communion is a bow and not a genuflection.