The Orientation of Liturgical Prayer
Blogged by James Preece on 11th January 2010
Back in January 2008 I blogged about a chapter of the book Spirit of the Liturgy by Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI).
In that book he writes that...
a common turning to the east during the Eucharistic Prayer remains essential. This is not a case of something accidental, but of what is essential. Looking at the priest has no importance.
And he makes a suggestion...
Where a direct common turning toward the east is not possible, the cross can serve as an interior "east" of faith. It should stand in the middle of the altar and be the common point of focus for both priest and praying community.
You can read that full blog entry here but the main point I made is this: That the Pope didn't just suggest this when he was a cardinal, he is doing it now that he is the Pope... Should we not be doing what the Pope is doing?
Last week the Papal MC (the guy looking over the Pope's shoulder in the picture above) gave an address at a clergy conference in Rome. He spoke about a great many things but I've sliced it right down for the lazybones among you... (you should really read the whole thing - it's excellent)
...one conviction has always remained clear within the Christian community, almost down to the present day. I am referring to praying facing east, a tradition which goes back to the origins of Christianity.
...
...we would like to reaffirm that prayer facing east, more specifically, facing the Lord, is a characteristic expression of the authentic spirit of the liturgy.
...
Hence the reason for the proposal made by the then Cardinal Ratzinger, and presently reaffirmed during the course of his pontificate, to place the Crucifix on the center of the altar, in order that all, during the celebration of the liturgy, may concretely face and look upon Lord, in such a way as to orient also their prayer and hearts.
There are two highly significant things here. The first being that "prayer facing east, more specifically, facing the Lord, is a characteristic expression of the authentic spirit of the liturgy".
In other words, it's not an optional extra for a small minority of people who happen to like it. It's characteristic. You should be able to see it in most places and if this characteristic expression is missing, there's a good chance your parish priest is missing something in his interpretation of the liturgy.
But even more important is this, that the proposal to place the crucifix in the center of the altar is being presently reaffirmed during the course of his [Pope Benedict's] pontificate.
This leads us to the obvious question...
If the Pope suggested it, and the Pope does it, and the Pope's MC says that the Pope intends to reaffirm it, why don't we do it?
It is because we are deaf?
Reader Comments
+1
Anon said...
Why don't we do it?
Well we did until mid- September!
+
+2
Fr. Stephen Brown said...
My comment, coupled with the previous one, will leave a wholly unrealistic impression as to the state of affairs regarding ad orientem Masses. However, I have been celebrating east-facing Masses every weekday for 3 months. Now, I am a university chaplain, which is a very different set up from being in a parish. Nonetheless, I have found that this way of celebrating is a huge stimulus to my own priestly spirituality, which must be centred on the Mass. Once a month our Sunday Masses are also Ad. Or. The Students don't seem fussed either way really, though I hope that interiorly, they are being nourished by being more God-centred in their participation. A couple of people asked me about why we were doing this, and once the meaning and symbolism was explained and that it was not just my "fad" - they were quite happy. I also produced a short catechetical leaflet on the matter which has proved very popular. The same could be done in a parish - prepare the people, and then introduce an Ad. Or. Mass say once a month for 6 months to see how it goes. Some might object in a parish, but then some people object if the priest moves a candlestick. The point is, it isn't a fad - it has support at the highest level in the Church. I think priests should give it a try - what have they got to lose?
+
+1
Fr John Abberton said...
I placed a large crucifix in the centre of the altar as soon as I heard the Pope had done it in St. Peter's. I explained on the newsletter why I had done it. I have had no complaints, but a supply priest told my housekeeper that he was going to move it because he wanted "eye contact" with the people and because he thought there should be no barrier between the priest and the people.
On my return (from a retreat) she told me of this and all I could do was to shrug. Before I placed the crucifix there I tried it out. I walked around the church to see what the visibility was like. There was no "barrier". The only people who could have had any problem seeing the priest at the Consecration would be those either sitting in the aisle or those at the back at the end of the pews. Others without a good view don't have one anyway because they choose to sit behind pillars etc or out of the way.
It struck me that I had heard these comments before from another priest in the diocese, and coupled with this were the assumptions that I had done this without thinking properly and that the Pope was making a big mistake. The point was made by both these priests that the focus should be on the "elements" (one used the word "species" - which opens up another set of questions). It seemed to me that a new consensus was developing amongst those who oppose the Pope's actions in this matter, and it has the same logical premise (false) as those tiresome arguments about people being "distracted" at Mass because of the proximity of the tabernacle. I thought that we who follow the Pope ought to go on the attack now rather than waiting for the ridiculous to become embedded in some people's minds.
+