To genuflect or not?

[nana3]

My daughter goes to a Catholic School and I notice that her 2nd grade class is the only class that doesn’t genuflect when they enter the church. They bow instead. I brought this up to the teacher and she said that many of the students do not know how to genuflect and she wants to teach them in stages starting with the bow.

I saw the principal today and asked him about it and he said that is the new church rule that we do not need to genuflect unless we are directly in front of the Tabernacle. I didn’t bother to point out that she is the only class for all the other grades including Kindergarten, genuflect. He said it was G.E.R.M. and could not remember what it stood for but that we don’t need to genuflect if we are on the right side of the church for the Tabernacle is on the left. Is this true? It doesn’t sound right to me.

 

[Toni]

I do not proclaim to be an expert on the G.I.R.M. but I never saw anything in the girm in regards to genuflecting except when it came to communion. The people were instructed to bow before communion and not to genuflect.
All of our students genuflect.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

My daughter goes to a Catholic School and I notice that her 2nd grade class is the only class that doesn’t genuflect when they enter the church. They bow instead. I brought this up to the teacher and she said that many of the students do not know how to genuflect and she wants to teach them in stages starting with the bow.

I saw the principal today and asked him about it and he said that is the new church rule that we do not need to genuflect unless we are directly in front of the Tabernacle. I didn’t bother to point out that she is the only class for all the other grades including Kindergarten, genuflect. He said it was G.E.R.M. and could not remember what it stood for but that we don’t need to genuflect if we are on the right side of the church for the Tabernacle is on the left. Is this true? It doesn’t sound right to me.

We are required to genuflect towards the Tabernacle when entering or leaving a pew when the Tabernacle is in the same liturgical space. If the Tabernacle was located in an adjacent adoration room one would not genuflect. A person would then bow to the altar. It’s GIRM - General Instruction of the Roman Missal

 

[nana3]

We are required to genuflect towards the Tabernacle when entering or leaving a pew when the Tabernacle is in the same liturgical space. If the Tabernacle was located in an adjacent adoration room one would not genuflect. A person would then bow to the altar. It’s GIRM - General Instruction of the Roman Missal

Thank you, I think the principal must have misunderstood this than for our church is small and the Tabernacle is in the same liturgical space. I don’t agree with him that the right side of the church doesn’t have to genuflect because the Tabernacle is on the left side of the church. He did tell me that I should talk to the pastor of our Parish and that he would have the final say on what he wants his kids to do. What upsets me about this school is that don’t seem to know their Catholic Faith, so how can they tell the kids who are to learn from them?

I had to address to the Principal that during Eucharistic Adoration the 4th and 5th graders present left their pews with a genuflect. Our pastor has told the kids who come to the Friday daily Mass that when Jesus is in the monstrance that when they leave the pew that they need to kneel on both knees and bow. I mentioned this to the principal and he acted as if it was his first time hearing it and when I questioned why the 5th graders didn’t know this, he said it was taught in first grade and they probably forgot it. I think it should be taught in every grade until they leave the 8th. Repetition may help the kids remember it. The teachers didn’t know what to do either, which the pastor said they should have known better.

 

[Sacre_Coeur]

Wow. I would try to find a couple of other concerned parents – talk to us the way you talked to us, complete w/ shocked tone (it is shocking) – and bring this to the attention of the school board of directors.

It would be a wonderful if this were a mandate of the little catholic now, where this is taught from K through 8th, lest they “forget.”

And too bad if the principal gets embarrassed, or whatever. You might get hesitation from the board of directors, too, and if so, I have a feeling it’s all because they themselves don’t genuflect or know/understand the “rules.” Maybe they “forgot”?

Problems like this are why people like me (very Catholic) don’t send their kids to Catholic school. Where I’m at, teachers aren’t required to be Catholic and anyone of any faith can send their kids there.

If you get this changed, it might get the ball rolling…and your school might attract more Catholic parents.

God bless – you sound like a person with enough conviction to bring about change in your children’s school!

SC

P.S. Action is a good demonstration of your Faith in God!

 

[nana3]

I too want to get my child out of this school. I would love to homeschool, but my husband doesn’t want me to.

I did talk to the Pastor this morning and he said the Principal is wrong. Before talking to the Pastor today though after Mass, I saw the Principal before Mass. I told him what I found on the internet in GIRM and that the kids should be genuflecting. Even with me telling him that, he still said that he will only do what the Pastor will decide. I told him that I will be speaking to the Pastor as well as my husband and he said good. I found out also after Mass from another parishioner that the Principal approached her, for I threw her name in my conversation with him yesterday, and told her to talk to me and tell me that they are doing the best that they can and to not complain. I can’t believe that. I wasn’t really complaining, but more asking and then correcting and informing him of what GIRM really says. This woman told me not to worry and that I should continue to speak up if I see that things are not “Catholic.” Ironically enough, the pastors homily today was on the school and how “Catholic” the school was.

 

[InLight247]

To genuflect is not a “to be or not to be” question.

Always genuflect while entering the house of God, whether the tabernacle is in the center or on the side.

A child needs to be taught the correct way from the very beginning.

 

[Orionthehunter]

I too want to get my child out of this school. I would love to homeschool, but my husband doesn’t want me to.

I did talk to the Pastor this morning and he said the Principal is wrong. Before talking to the Pastor today though after Mass, I saw the Principal before Mass. I told him what I found on the internet in GIRM and that the kids should be genuflecting. Even with me telling him that, he still said that he will only do what the Pastor will decide. I told him that I will be speaking to the Pastor as well as my husband and he said good. I found out also after Mass from another parishioner that the Principal approached her, for I threw her name in my conversation with him yesterday, and told her to talk to me and tell me that they are doing the best that they can and to not complain. I can’t believe that. I wasn’t really complaining, but more asking and then correcting and informing him of what GIRM really says. This woman told me not to worry and that I should continue to speak up if I see that things are not “Catholic.” Ironically enough, the pastors homily today was on the school and how “Catholic” the school was.

I agree w/ the Principal to some degree. He may not have good information. You didn’t know if you had the facts before you posted which is why you did. There are always nuances that in the end we expect the Pastor to know. If the principal made protocol changes based on what parishioners told him, he’d be going crazy all the time and probably half the time would be wrong. The correct thing is for him to listen to you as it appears he did and wait for him to the talk to the Pastor. If you don’t see a change, talk to the Pastor. This should not become something confrontational.

 

[RCCDefender]

Why don’t you just teach your child the proper way to genuflect at home? Tell her it doesn’t matter what the other kids are doing or how the teacher tells her to do it that she needs to do it the proper way.

 

[hilde_the_dog]

InLight

Isn’t it genuflect only when Christ is present in the Tabernacle? and if you enter “the House of God” after a Mass has begun would it not be appropriate to bow to the alter since in a mass this is the center of attention.

 

[MariaG]

Why don’t you just teach your child the proper way to genuflect at home? Tell her it doesn’t matter what the other kids are doing or how the teacher tells her to do it that she needs to do it the proper way.

I would hesitate to take this approach unless all avenues have been exhausted.

An insidious message that could be sent is that one does not have to pay attention to those in authority over us if they are wrong and we are right. This could lead to some serious issues about the authority of the Church as they grow older if internalized the wrong way. Not every child would hear this, but I know at least one of mine would have at that age.

Others of course would hear the message that we need to do the right thing no matter what others do. This is what one of my other children would have “heard” with the same message.

:twocents: Just another opinion for what it worth.

God Bless,
Maria

 

[nana3]

To genuflect is not a “to be or not to be” question.

Always genuflect while entering the house of God, whether the tabernacle is in the center or on the side.

A child needs to be taught the correct way from the very beginning.

I agree. I just spoke to some mother’s while waiting for our daughter’s to get out of choir practice. They did not know you are to genuflect and in fact one of them said she will continue to bow for she feels good about it in her heart and that she is fine. But then later she told me she has to miss a lot of Sunday Masses for her daughter has to go to two birthday parties on Sundays. She sees nothing wrong with missing Mass and in fact said she argued this point with the First Grade teacher, who is a very good Catholic and very stern with her students and required Sunday Mass as a homework. She told me also she likes our 2nd Grade teacher for she doesn’t require them to go to Sunday Mass.

I tried to correct her, but she “feels good” about her decisions. This is what I deal with also with some other mothers.

We had a very good old woman who is a parishioner say that we first need to educate the parents, who are suppose to be teaching their children, before we can do the kids.

 

[nana3]

Why don’t you just teach your child the proper way to genuflect at home? Tell her it doesn’t matter what the other kids are doing or how the teacher tells her to do it that she needs to do it the proper way.

We do teach her the proper way, but when she went to genuflect the first school Mass, her teacher pulled her up and said do not do that, bow.

 

[nana3]

I would hesitate to take this approach unless all avenues have been exhausted.

An insidious message that could be sent is that one does not have to pay attention to those in authority over us if they are wrong and we are right. This could lead to some serious issues about the authority of the Church as they grow older if internalized the wrong way. Not every child would hear this, but I know at least one of mine would have at that age.

Others of course would hear the message that we need to do the right thing no matter what others do. This is what one of my other children would have “heard” with the same message.

:twocents: Just another opinion for what it worth.

God Bless,
Maria

Yes, I agree and that is why I have told my daughter to respect this teacher’s ways of bowing for now until I can talk to the pastor, which has been done. He said he will be addressing this in the next school Mass, which is tomorrow.

 

[Rye-Guy]

I was always taught (by my dad) that genuflecting was only necessary when a tabernacle is present. Though I find no wrong in genuflecting when the tabernacle is not present in the church (when it is in a side chapel), I find it sad that many do not understand the reason for genuflecting…I was at a Protestant funeral for a friend of mine when a fellow Catholic genuflected when entering the pew at that non-denominational church. I was flabergasted to say the least. Because (as I was taught anyway), there is absolutely no reason for genuflecting in a Protestant church (since they don’t believe in the institution of the Eucharist).

 

[nana3]

I was always taught (by my dad) that genuflecting was only necessary when a tabernacle is present. Though I find no wrong in genuflecting when the tabernacle is not present in the church (when it is in a side chapel), I find it sad that many do not understand the reason for genuflecting…I was at a Protestant funeral for a friend of mine when a fellow Catholic genuflected when entering the pew at that non-denominational church. I was flabergasted to say the least. Because (as I was taught anyway), there is absolutely no reason for genuflecting in a Protestant church (since they don’t believe in the institution of the Eucharist).

I think I need to clarify something. In my church, the Tabernacle is in the church itself and not in a separate chapel. The Tabernacle is on the left side of the church and Our Lady’s Statue is on the right side. We are making a new church and the Pastor is putting Jesus in the Center at this new church.

 

[RCCDefender]

We do teach her the proper way, but when she went to genuflect the first school Mass, her teacher pulled her up and said do not do that, bow.

:bigyikes: :bigyikes: :bigyikes: What, does the teacher go to all the other teachers and their kids and tell them they are doing it wrong, too???

 

[RCCDefender]

I was always taught (by my dad) that genuflecting was only necessary when a tabernacle is present. Though I find no wrong in genuflecting when the tabernacle is not present in the church (when it is in a side chapel), I find it sad that many do not understand the reason for genuflecting…

Agreed!!

I was at a Protestant funeral for a friend of mine when a fellow Catholic genuflected when entering the pew at that non-denominational church. I was flabergasted to say the least. Because (as I was taught anyway), there is absolutely no reason for genuflecting in a Protestant church (since they don’t believe in the institution of the Eucharist).

:bigyikes:

 

[RCCDefender]

I would hesitate to take this approach unless all avenues have been exhausted.

An insidious message that could be sent is that one does not have to pay attention to those in authority over us if they are wrong and we are right. This could lead to some serious issues about the authority of the Church as they grow older if internalized the wrong way. Not every child would hear this, but I know at least one of mine would have at that age.

Yes, maybe, but you have to be careful, otherwise you will get kids who will do whatever their authority tells them too even if it’s extremely wrong. For instance, the girl at the McDonalds a couple of years ago that was just doing what her boss told her to do…

Others of course would hear the message that we need to do the right thing no matter what others do. This is what one of my other children would have “heard” with the same message.

:twocents: Just another opinion for what it worth.

God Bless,
Maria

This is where I was trying to go…

 

[InLight247]

I agree. I just spoke to some mother’s while waiting . … She sees nothing wrong with missing Mass
I tried to correct her, but she “feels good” about her decisions. This is what I deal with also with some other mothers…

We had a very good old woman who is a parishioner say that we first need to educate the parents, who are suppose to be teaching their children, before we can do the kids.

That is the exact problem of our society today.
As long as a person “feels good” about the decision, it is the way to go, regardless of truth, moral, or Church teaching.

Many adult Catholics do need to be re-educated. Let’s keep on setting a good example by our words and our deeds. Also pray. People need to hear and see how good Catholics perform their faith, but only the Holy Spirit can change their hearts.