Should I Genuflect If There Is No Tabernacle?

[Chesapeake]

Well, I finally made it to college!

Anyways, the priest from my local Newman Center uses my school’s non-denominational chapel for Mass. Obviously, since the venue is not Catholic, there is no tabernacle. It is my understanding the the point of genuflection is to reverence the Eucharist in the tabernacle. So… if there isn’t one, then genuflecting to nothing in particular seems (to me, at least) incorrect.

So, should I genuflect or not?

 

[Joannm]

Well, I finally made it to college!

Anyways, the priest from my local Newman Center uses my school’s non-denominational chapel for Mass. Obviously, since the venue is not Catholic, there is no tabernacle. It is my understanding the the point of genuflection is to reverence the Eucharist in the tabernacle. So… if there isn’t one, then genuflecting to nothing in particular seems (to me, at least) incorrect.

So, should I genuflect or not?

If the Blessed Sacrament is not there you do not genuflect. You should however bow to the altar as a sing of reverence for what is to take place there.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Well, I finally made it to college!

Anyways, the priest from my local Newman Center uses my school’s non-denominational chapel for Mass. Obviously, since the venue is not Catholic, there is no tabernacle. It is my understanding the the point of genuflection is to reverence the Eucharist in the tabernacle. So… if there isn’t one, then genuflecting to nothing in particular seems (to me, at least) incorrect.

So, should I genuflect or not?

You are correct. No tabernacle, no genuflection.