Slight bow just before receiving the Eucharist

[Bubble]

I’m from the Toledo, OH diocese. About 2-3 years ago I was subbing for a religious ed class and the school received a memo from the bishop’s office, which covered some rubrics and other guidelines concerning the Mass. One of them was that we are all supposed to slightly bow our heads and shoulders just before we receive the Body and the Blood.

I, as well as all the other religious ed teachers, taught our classes to do this. It was brought up to all the adults at Mass. I heard this done at two different parishes. But, a couple years down the road and very few people are actually doing this.

I know the practice isn’t totally new because I know that the religious in monastaries have being doing this bow for years and years.

I’m just wondering . . . is this something that people were supposed to be doing anyway . . . since, the kneelers were removed (which was before my day).

Or is this a new thing peculiar to my diocese? Hardly anyone seems to be following it though.

 

[jpjd]

My diocese is also in Ohio, and our bishop made those same changes in our diocese at the same point in time as in yours. The majority of people in my parish do the the head bow, and I think it has everything to do with the leadership of the pastor. To set an example, the head bow should be done by the servers, the lay leaders of the parish, and taught to the PSR classes. Eventually, the rest of the parish will slowly follow suit. The key is the servers and lay leaders must do it clearly and consistently.

 

[SMHW]

Most people in my parish bow their heads before receiving. (That was the instruction for my diocese.) Enough do so that anyone who somehow missed the instruction can see the example of the others.

 

[StatCrux]

I notice very few people at my parish as well and we are on the East Coast.

It is still in the GIRM:

1. … 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.

It *should *still be done. The priest should remind the congregation about the correct postures as these postures are a sign of unity and reverence. Maybe you could charitably suggest that the priest remind the congregation about these postures for the benefit of all the faithful?

Lex orandi, lex credendi.

 

[NMJenny]

Some years back, our bishop requested that all parishoners make the sign of the cross before receiving. Many of the communicants do this, and a large number of those who don’t, cross themselves immediately after receiving. That is the main sign of reverence that I see in my area…

 

[brigid12]

Along with a number of others at the parishes I’ve been to over the last number of years, I always prefer to (at least) bow prior to receiving and cross myself while looking at the big crucifix after. This is what we were taught in RCIA also.
Now, I’ve found a church with a truly reverent NO and most of the parishioners genuflect prior to receiving (on the tongue). I love it!

 

[puzzleannie]

at our former parish, in this diocese, we were instructed on this procedure about 5 years ago, and commenced doing the bow thing. at our next parish, same diocese, pastor corrected those who did this move from the pulpit and explained it is not to be done, that the kneeling during the fraction IS the only sign of reverence required before receiving, and told us definitely NOT to teach the children to bow before first communion. go figure.

 

[AMDG1]

I just genuflect after exiting the pew. That was the custom in my childhood parish and old habits die hard. People look at me weird but they’ll get over it.