Do you cross yourself when you genuflect?

[Dave]

Sometimes I do; sometimes I don't.

[MilesChristi]

Unless I happen to be holding something, I cross myself.

[Keharitomeni Theotokos]

Do you genuflect when you enter a chapel with no tabernacle?
I see people do it all the time and I'm a bit confused???

[Scofizzle]

A lot of people think that you are supposed to genuflect to the Altar....but I always make sure to turn towrds the Tabernacle when I genuflect in Church

[Fidei Defensor]

Sometimes i have no idea where the tabernacle is (which is really sad), so i dont at all. But otherwise, i always genuflect and cross myself towards the tabernacle.

[Dudette]

[quote]A lot of people think that you are supposed to genuflect to the Altar....but I always make sure to turn towrds the Tabernacle when I genuflect in Church[/quote]

same here.

When I genuflect, I sometimes stay longer on my knee...like 5 seconds longer(out of reverance). I use to cross myself, but I don't anymore.

[philothea]

I consider crossing myself and genuflecting separate actions, so no, I don't do them at the same time. (Just the way I was taught.)

I always make sure to locate the tabernacle and genuflect toward that, while mentally acknowledging the presence of Our Lord. I think I'm the only person in my parish who doesn't genuflect on Good Friday. I don't know if anyone there is thinking about what they're doing.

What gets awkward for me is when you walk back and forth across the Church. I guess you're supposed to genuflect every time you pass the tabernacle.. but that gets to be kind of a workout if you're moving around a lot!

Edited June 13, 2005 by philothea

[dUSt]

If the tabernacle is not present we should bow towards the altar. Of course, where the tabernacle is present we should genuflect (bending down to one knee).

Personally, I make it a point to try and set an example for those around me when I genuflect, slowly making the sign of the cross and remaining on my knee while I silently say to myself, "My Lord and my God". I only do this because I myself was affected by watching a stranger do this years ago.

[Dudette]

[quote name='dUSt' date='Jun 13 2005, 04:19 PM']Personally, I make it a point to try and set an example for those around me when I genuflect, slowly making the sign of the cross and remaining on my knee while I silently say to myself, "My Lord and my God". I only do this because I myself was affected by watching a stranger do this years ago.
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Ditto, except, I say "Jesus, I love you." I learned to do it at a Regnum Christi boarding school last year.

[Guest Eremite]

I don't sign, but like others, I try to stay down for about 3 seconds, moreso to remind myself that I'm not just doing a rote action, but I'm kneeling to the King of Kings.

[sweetpea316]

[quote name='dUSt' date='Jun 13 2005, 02:19 PM']If the tabernacle is not present we should bow towards the altar. Of course, where the tabernacle is present we should genuflect (bending down to one knee).

Personally, I make it a point to try and set an example for those around me when I genuflect, slowly making the sign of the cross and remaining on my knee while I silently say to myself, "My Lord and my God". I only do this because I myself was affected by watching a stranger do this years ago.
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I love that... :wub:

I love how yall just...respect and honor and appreciate our Lord's body and blood so much more than I've seen in any other denomination or whatever. It makes me want to become Catholic more and more every day.... God bless.

[Paphnutius]

When I genuflect I place both hands on my left knee and bend on the right with a simple head bow towards the sacrament. I also make it a point to reverence the altar with a profound bow...that is because the reserved sacrament is not behind the altar.

It is to my understanding though, someone please correct me if I am wrong, that if the belssed sacrament is behind the altar one genuflexion is appropriate. If the reserved sacrament is not behind the altar (eg: blessed sacrament chapel, set off to the side) that genuflecting to the blessed sacrament then reverencing the altar with a profound bow is appropriate.

Edited June 13, 2005 by Paphnutius

[jezic]

When i genuflect i repeat the words of Saint Faustina,

Jezu Ufam Tobie (i think that is the exact line)

It means Jesus i trust in you. If for some reason i can't remember the polish, english works well.

I didn't know anyone crossed themself while doing it until i went to Steubenville the first time. Since then, i sometimes do.

[Good Friday]

[quote]Do you genuflect when you enter a chapel with no tabernacle?
I see people do it all the time and I'm a bit confused???[/quote]
They do it out of habit; they're used to genuflecting to the tabernacle every time they enter a Catholic church or chapel. No, you're not supposed to genuflect in the absence of the tabernacle, or in the event that the Blessed Sacrament is not in the tabernacle (such as on Good Friday, or when a church is used for a secular, ecumenical, or interreligious activity); if the Blessed Sacrament is not present, then you bow to the altar.

If the Blessed Sacrament is exposed on the altar, then obviously you genuflect toward the altar, not the tabernacle. It's about where the Blessed Sacrament is, not where the tabernacle is.

[quote]A lot of people think that you are supposed to genuflect to the Altar....but I always make sure to turn towrds the Tabernacle when I genuflect in Church[/quote]
The reason they think this is because the tabernacle used to be on the altar, not moved to the side or to a separate chapel. Either they do it out of habit, or no one has ever told them that the reason they genuflected toward the altar in the first place was because they were genuflecting to Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, not the altar itself.

This is yet another good reason to restore the tabernacle to its proper place in the sanctuary. Then again, it's also a good reason to catechize people so that they know what they're genuflecting toward and why they're genuflecting toward it. It is an abomination when Catholics just genuflect, without knowing that they're genuflecting to Christ in the Blessed Sacrament; it makes us look like what so many Protestant Christians believe we are: people who follow pointless rules with no meaning. On the contrary, genuflecting toward the tabernacle is meant as an act of adoration toward Christ -- but you wouldn't know that from watching the majority of Catholics do it.

[Fides_et_Ratio]

when in the day chapel (where the tabernacle is) I cross myself once my knee touches the ground.

in the sanctuary, since there's no tabernacle (unfortunately), I reverence the altar with a profound bow.

[Fidei Defensor]

This is why I am glad that our tabernacle is directly behind the altar, on the high altar. Not confusing that way.

[jezic]

on Good Friday i was told by a *very* orthodox priest that people can genuflect out of reverence to the cross. (or as a sign of prayer)

[Paphnutius]

yes that is what I was told...

[Cam42]

Yep....

[Good Friday]

[quote name='jezic']on Good Friday i was told by a *very* orthodox priest that people can genuflect out of reverence to the cross. (or as a sign of prayer)[/quote]
This doesn't seem to be entirely accurate if I'm understanding you right. If I'm understanding you right, you're saying that you were told on Good Friday that one can genuflect toward any cross at any time. According to the General Instruction on the Roman Missal, "a genuflection, made by bending the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and therefore it is reserved for the Most Blessed Sacrament, as well as for the Holy Cross from the solemn adoration during the liturgical celebration on Good Friday until the beginning of the Easter Vigil" (GIRM, #274).

According to the GIRM, then, genuflection is reserved to the Blessed Sacrament -- except for after the Adoration of the Cross during the liturgical celebration on Good Friday until the Easter Vigil. But that does not mean that any cross, or any crucifix, should be honored with genuflection -- this is prescribed only for the Holy Cross on Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

Of course, your priest may know something I don't know, and it's certainly not my intention to question his orthodoxy. Even if he is wrong, I'm sure that this is an unintentional error. My goal here is to answer the question, not to question anyone's orthodoxy.

I may also be misunderstanding what you said; perhaps you were referring only to Good Friday, and not to any cross or crucifix at any time.