©2025 Victor R. Claveau, MJ
There is a concept of love and reverence that is essential to adoration. More specifically, there are sacred signs and gestures intrinsic to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
What is the first thing we do after entering the Church? We proceed to our pews, and if the Blessed Sacrament is reserved on the altar, we genuflect. Inaestimable Donum no. 26 speaks on this subject:
“The venerable practice of genuflecting before the Blessed Sacrament, whether enclosed in the tabernacle or publicly exposed, as a sign of adoration, is to be maintained. This act requires that it be performed in a recollected way. In order that the heart may bow before God in profound reverence, the genuflection must be neither hurried nor careless.”
Caeremoniale Episcoporum (Ceremony of Bishops)
First, the Ceremonial states:
“69. A genuflection, made by bending only the right knee to the ground signifies adoration, and is therefore reserved for the Blessed Sacrament whether exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, and for the holy Cross from the time of the solemn adoration in the liturgical celebration of Good Friday until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.
“70. Neither a genuflection nor a deep bow is made by those carrying articles used in a celebration, for example, the cross, candlesticks, the book of the Gospels.
“71. No one who enters a church should fail to adore the Blessed Sacrament, either by visiting the Blessed Sacrament chapel or at least by genuflecting.
“Similarly, those who pass before the Blessed Sacrament genuflect, except when they are walking in procession.” (No. 69-71, pp. 36-37).
Genuflections should not be made to relics, excepting only a relic of the True Cross, or other relics of the Passion, when publicly exposed.
Sometimes when people go into their pew, you see them perform a little bob that vaguely resembles a curtsy. This is not a genuflection. Put that knee all the way down to the floor and let it rest there for a moment. Keep your back straight, and for balance, you may place both hands on your other knee. The Sign of the Cross is not made at this time. If a genuflection is a physical impossibility because of age or infirmity, the profound bow is required. If the profound bow is impossible, a bow of the head is in order. A bow of the head is made with the chin touching the chest. A bow of the head is also required during the Mass when we hear the name of the Blessed Mother and/or when the Saint of the day is named.
When the priest says, “Let us pray” the proper posture is standing, with head bowed, hands together at the chest, palm to palm, with the right thumb over the left.
Kneeling for the Eucharistic Prayer
After the Gospel and the homily, if there is one that day, after the Preparation of the Gifts, the Great Prayer, called “the canon” or “the Eucharistic Prayer” begins. During this time, we kneel. The norms for kneeling in the United States are the following, as found in the approved adaptation of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, No. 43.
“In the dioceses of the United States of America, they should kneel beginning after the singing or recitation of the Sanctus until after the Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer, except when prevented on occasion by reasons of health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some other good reason. Those who do not kneel ought to make a profound bow when the priest genuflects after the consecration. (Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, no. 40).
If the bishop is in the sanctuary but not celebrating or concelebrating, it is proper for a bishop to kneel during the Consecration, it is proper for all to kneel during the Consecration.
Kneeling does not mean a partial kneel with the buttocks on the pew. If it is impossible to kneel because of age or infirmity, sitting is proper.
As it is proper for priests to genuflect to the Blessed Sacrament prior to receiving Communion from the bishop, who also genuflects, it should also be proper for the laity to come up and genuflect to the Blessed Sacrament prior to receiving Communion from the priest or Eucharistic minister.
If you receive while standing and cannot genuflect, the profound bow is required. If the profound bow is impossible because of age or infirmity, a bow of the head is in order. A bow of the head is made with the chin touching the chest.
The Profound or Full body Bow:
The profound bow is made by bending the entire body at the waist, touching the knees with the palms of the hand.
The profound bow is also made when we recite the words of the profession of faith which refer to the Incarnation: “by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary and became man.” All kneel at these words on the solemnities of Christmas and Annunciation.
After receiving Holy Communion, posture is optional. Stand, sit or kneel, whatever is conducive to your thanksgiving’
Orans position
The Orans Posture in the Tradition of the Church. The orans position—standing with arms outstretched. Hands not above the shoulders.
The priest alone may use the liturgical orans posture as he acts in the person of Christ, the Head, in praying to God on behalf of the people in liturgy. On the other hand, the people of God can certainly use the domestic orans posture for praying at home, but not during the liturgy.
Act of thanksgiving.
A period of thanksgiving is in order after receiving communion. Inaestimabile Donum, no. 17 states:
“The faithful are to be recommended not to omit to make a proper thanksgiving after Communion. They may do this during the celebration with a period of silence, with a hymn, psalm or other song of praise, or also after the celebration, if possible, by staying behind to pray for a suitable time.”
The Catholic is bound to make an act of thanksgiving after receiving Holy Communion whether public or private. The thanksgiving is done silently on our knees or sitting in the pew after Communion. The Blessed Sacrament is physically within us until it is digested and spiritually until we received Him again, as long as we remain in a state of grace. This is a time of reflection; we will never be closer to Our Lord than at these moments. We can thank Him for his many blessings; we can offer prayers of petition. Leave the nave of the church is silence. Those who remain in prayer should not be disturbed. The church is not a meeting hall; it is a sanctuary where Jesus dwells; proper decorum is required at all times.