Sign of reverence before receiving

[Jabronie]

I grew up with the habit of make a sign of the cross before receiving the Eucharist. It seems like most people bow and some genuflect. So it is correct to do any one of those three things or should we all bow instead?

 

[Madia]

From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal:

1. The priest then takes the paten or ciborium and goes to the communicants, who, as a rule, approach in a procession.

The faithful are not permitted to take the consecrated bread or the sacred chalice by themselves and, still less, to hand them from one to another. The norm for reception of Holy Communion in the dioceses of the United States is standing. Communicants should not be denied Holy Communion because they kneel. Rather, such instances should be addressed pastorally, by providing the faithful with proper catechesis on the reasons for this norm.

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.

usccb.org/liturgy/current/revmissalisromanien.shtml

 

[Vatican_II]

Jabronie:

I grew up with the habit of make a sign of the cross before receiving the Eucharist. It seems like most people bow and some genuflect. So it is correct to do any one of those three things or should we all bow instead?

The GIRM as quoted by Madia is the is the position of the Catholic Church of the Latin Rite.

Communicants should not be denied Holy Communion because they kneel. Rather, such instances should be addressed pastorally, by providing the faithful with proper catechesis on the reasons for this norm.

This latest GIRM was promulgated in response to denial by individual priests of communion to those who retained the older form of reception of the Holy Eucharist. Those of us 50 or older remember the communion rail before the sanctuary.

The important point is to show proper respect for the actual body and blood, soul and divinity of Christ in the Eucharist. I envy you, I am an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and for the most part parishioners today do not sign themselves, bow, genuflect or kneel to show the respect to God’s presence.