USCCB and Simple Bow

[BennyBoy89]

Last night at RCIA, we were informed of the proper way to receive the Eucharist. We were told by the catechist that before you receive, you make a “simple bow” (head nod) and then have the option of receiving on the tongue or in the hand. This was confirmed by two priests in attendance, saying that not only is it our diocesan custom, but the official practice put forth by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

I proceeded to ask if I would be “breaking any rules” if I chose to genuflect before receiving. I was kindly yet adamantly told by one of the priests that those who genuflect before receiving are performing an action not mandated by the Church, and, therefore, are adding a practice out of sense of being “holier-than-thou.”

Although I took no offense to what I was told, a few others afterward on the RCIA team told me that there is nothing wrong with genuflecting. A woman that is sponsoring a girl about my age shared the view with me that the altar rail should have never have been removed, an action that has also not been mandated by the Church. Our parish priests also have us kneel during the penitential rite, yet they seemed to be opposed to genuflection…

I’m not here to complain, as overall I love my priests, and as far as the teachings of the Church they are orthodox, although slack on the Liturgy. Hey, no one’s perfect. When I receive at my home parish, I will make a simple bow because I believe the Communion line is no place for a protest.

My question is, is what I was told about the “simple bow” true?

 

[buffalo]

Yes - the simple bow is the norm.

 

[PaixGioiaAmor]

The norm calls for a gesture of reverence. Usually, in practice, that is a bow. However, just as there is nothing stopping you from assuming the Orans posture during the Lord’s prayer, there is nothing stopping you from genflecting either. The gesture of reverence is not rigidly defined in documents.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Make sure you leave enough room between you and the person in back of you in the Communion line if you plan to practice this beyond your First Communion. I was not warned once, and had a bit of a brush with a woman who did this. Father almost dropped the Blessed Sacrament because of confined space, and no warning the genuflection was about to happen, as I put on the brakes above her head.

 

[japhy]

We were told by the catechist that before you receive, you make a “simple bow” (head nod) and then have the option of receiving on the tongue or in the hand. This was confirmed by two priests in attendance, saying that not only is it our diocesan custom, but the official practice put forth by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Yes; here is what the US GIRM says:
160. 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.

I proceeded to ask if I would be “breaking any rules” if I chose to genuflect before receiving. I was kindly yet adamantly told by one of the priests that those who genuflect before receiving are performing an action not mandated by the Church, and, therefore, are adding a practice out of sense of being “holier-than-thou.”

You would be doing more than the Church requires, but by a matter of degree: that is, you are making a greater sign of reverence in place of a lesser sign. This is quite different from, for example, people who raise their hands (or hold hands with others) during the Our Father: this is also “an action not mandated by the Church” and a recent “addition” to the liturgy. There is, however, the problem of causing an accident in the Communion procession if the person behind you doesn’t expect you to genuflect.

Although I took no offense to what I was told, a few others afterward on the RCIA team told me that there is nothing wrong with genuflecting. A woman that is sponsoring a girl about my age shared the view with me that the altar rail should have never have been removed, an action that has also not been mandated by the Church. Our parish priests also have us kneel during the penitential rite, yet they seemed to be opposed to genuflection…

Kneeling during the Penitential Rite is also “an action not mandated by the Church”… we are to remain standing from the beginning of Mass until after the opening prayer (the Collect); so says GIRM #43. And yeah, the removal of altar rails was not mandated by Vatican II nor any later liturgical document. And without the altar rails, the practice of kneeling to receive Communion became less and less common, and so arose the necessity to re-introduce a sign of reverence (which was not expressly required until the 2000 GIRM came out – the 1975 mentions making “proper reverence”, but only in its description of Communion under both kinds!). When people received kneeling, there was no need for a prior sign of reverence: they were in essence double-genuflecting already. And then Communion plates went out the window too. It’s a real shame.

I’m not here to complain, as overall I love my priests, and as far as the teachings of the Church they are orthodox, although slack on the Liturgy. Hey, no one’s perfect. When I receive at my home parish, I will make a simple bow because I believe the Communion line is no place for a protest. My question is, is what I was told about the “simple bow” true?

Yes, it was true, but it’s sad that the liturgy is given the back seat (or pew) nowadays. And the orthodox Catholic faith is keeping it company. At least the back row has kneelers…

 

[John_Lilburne]

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“274. … Otherwise all who pass before the Most Blessed Sacrament genuflect, unless they are moving in procession.”
“86. While the priest is receiving the Sacrament, the Communion chant is begun. Its purpose is to express the communicants’ union in spirit by means of the unity of their voices, to show joy of heart, and to highlight more clearly the “communitarian” nature of the procession to receive Communion.”
“160. The priest then takes the paten or ciborium and goes to the communicants, who, as a rule, approach in a procession.”
My emphasis, the point being that when receiving Communion you are in a procession, and so should not genuflect.

 

[zagjames]

The norm of the Universal Roman Church is to recieve on the knees on the tounge. Genuflect if you want. I can’t see a good reason not to. After all you are about to recieve God, why not drop to a knee before Him?

 

[Tim_c]

I remember one occasion when the man in line in front of me was walking very awkwardly. I figured he had a limp but when it turns out he was making sure his left foot was in front of his right when it was time for him to receive. I almost tripped over him when he genuflected.

 

[BennyBoy89]

Thank-you all for your answers. You’ve been very helpful. I’ve been able to see valid points on both sides of the debate.

My thing on Wednesday night was, that there was a big to-do about the possibility of someone genuflecting because it’s “not mandated by the Church” and improper, yet at the same parish we kneel during the penitential rite for Lent and hold hands for the Our Father, among other things…

zagjames, I thank you for your encouragement, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing this after being essentially told not to at my home parish. I don’t want to turn the Communion line into a place of protest.

 

[Mintaka]

A bow of the head doesn’t have to be a mere nod. You can bow your whole head very gracefully and reverently. I have to say, I pretty much put my whole neck into it.

This does require stopping while there’s still a little space between you and the person giving you Communion, bowing the head, and only then moving forward to take Communion. I usually bow while giving back the chalice, also. (Be careful doing this, or bow only after the chalice is securely in the other person’s hands.)