Question About A New Gesture In Mass

[Lil Red]

okay, in the upcoming weekend bulletin, our parish priest (i'm on staff) has included an insert about the new changes in Mass. The part I have a question about is about the gesture before Communion. This is what he says in the bulletin insert:

"The ONE NEW GESTURE ASKED OF YOU is that when you approach the communion minister to receive the Eucharist you make a small, reverent bow before you receive the host or cup. The General Instructions requests that this be the only gesture used to show reverence to the consecrated bread and wine; genuflections, making the sign of the cross and other gestures that have crept into the ritual over the years are inappropriate and should be discontinued. A slight bow is all that is necessary."

My question is this, so does this mean we are not allowed to make the sign of the cross anymore at communion and we cannot kneel before we make communion? I'm slightly confused. I thought kneeling before communion was still permissible.

Thanks in advance for your response.

[BLAZEr]

This is the statement from the GIRM.

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.

The emphasis is mine.

I am not sure what the "catechesis" would be for the reasons for not kneeling. I'm pretty sure there is no theological reason to stand. I think its probably a practical thing, so as not to create a situation where it Communion takes an inordinate amount of time.

Although the Bishops decided that a bow of the head would be an appropriate gesture of reverence, I do not see that it is forbidden or even pastorally suggested to forbid a different act of reverence. As you can see from the GIRM, your pastor is incorrect to say that the GIRM asks that a bow be the only gesture performed before receiving communion. In fact, the GIRM is silent on this. He is correct to say that a bow of the head is all that is necessary. There is a difference.

I of course, defer to Fr. Pontifex to clarify if another sign of reverence would be forbidden.

I'm not sure what you mean by "kneeling" before communion. If you mean that we are to kneel from the Lamb of God through the distribution of Communion, then yes, the GIRM retains kneeling during this time.