Bowing at Communion
The G.I.R.M. doesn't seem to clearly specify whether a nod of the head or a profund bow is appropriate before receiving the Host at Communion. It seems to me that upon reception of the most blessed Body and Blood of Christ nothing less than genuflection, or at least a profund bow is called for. Not wanting to be called into the Parish office like an errant school boy, I no longer genuflect. However, our parish bulletin quotes someone idendified as Paul Turner (I presume he's a priest since he's pastor of St. Munchin Parish in Cameron, MO) as saying, "In the past, when approaching communion, some have made a profound bow, a head bow or a genuflection. Others have made the sign of the cross after communion. For the sake of uniformity, the custom in the United States is now a bow of the head before receiving Communion." Do you know where his authority for this guidance comes from? This priest apparently writes for 'Resource Publications' out of San Jose, California.
QUESTION from Mike on October 30, 2003
ANSWER by Mr. Jacob Slavek on November 5, 2003
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Dear Mike, In recent years the church has attached greater importance to unity in postures and gestures at Mass. The U.S. bishops have said that the bow of the head is the custom. Whether or not one may licitly genuflect or do some other gesture I suppose could be debated, but I seriously doubt that the original intention of Rome was to eliminate kneeling before the Lord present in the Sacrament. To be truly obedient, I would bow. However I really can't see a problem with taking this gesture further, with doing more and showing more reverence, especially in places where genuflection truly is the custom. It seems that in most parishes, NOTHING is the custom. Mr. Slavek |