Originally published at National Catholic Register
‘When we come into church, we look for the tabernacle, where the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is reposed, and we genuflect,’ the archbishop of New York explained.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, explained one of the expressions of reverence Catholics make in church — genuflection — and why they make this sign.
In a video posted on X, the cardinal commented that this past St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, a woman who stopped to talk to him after Mass told him that, although she is not Catholic, she loves the Church and enjoys attending Mass but doesn’t understand the various postures people take. The cardinal then decided to explain them to his viewers, beginning with genuflection.
“Here’s the first posture that we Catholics always do. When we come into church, we look for the tabernacle, where the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is reposed, and we genuflect,” the archbishop of New York explained.
“We go down on one knee. We genuflect. Why? That’s the ancient sign of adoration, the ancient sign of esteem, the ancient sign of worship,” he continued.
On St. Patrick’s Day, I had a
