I have always said that Pope Francis celebrates Mass facing the nave in an ad orientem sort of way. By that I mean, there is absolutely no hint of his personality that comes through when facing the congregation. He looks dour and sour.
All the more reason to face ad orientem because when we priests face the people, the people expect our personality to shine through with smiles, warmth, compassion and empathy. Doing what is normally expected in face to face communications, though, is the antipathy of what prayer and adoration are as it pertains to the Mass. So rather than being dour, listless, detached, unemphatic at Mass facing the people, simply face the wall. That solves a whole host of sins, no?
I have to hand it to Pope Francis, his elevations of the Host and Chalice are high and long! Must drive progressive liturgists wild!
The cathedral is stunningly beautiful as are the new post-Vatican II furnishings. The problem though is that the bishop's throne is directly behind the altar and much higher than the altar, much, much higher! This would tell someone unfamiliar with Catholic liturgics that the bishop's throne is the most important piece of liturgical furnishings.
In the pre-Vatican II arrangement, the altar would be where the throne is and the throne on the new altar's level and to the gospel side of the altar. That would tell us that the pre-Vatican II church design made sure that the bishop knew the altar was more important than his position! And it lets the laity know it too and helps curb post-Vatican II clericalism of bishops and priests.
All the more reason to face ad orientem because when we priests face the people, the people expect our personality to shine through with smiles, warmth, compassion and empathy. Doing what is normally expected in face to face communications, though, is the antipathy of what prayer and adoration are as it pertains to the Mass. So rather than being dour, listless, detached, unemphatic at Mass facing the people, simply face the wall. That solves a whole host of sins, no?
I have to hand it to Pope Francis, his elevations of the Host and Chalice are high and long! Must drive progressive liturgists wild!
The cathedral is stunningly beautiful as are the new post-Vatican II furnishings. The problem though is that the bishop's throne is directly behind the altar and much higher than the altar, much, much higher! This would tell someone unfamiliar with Catholic liturgics that the bishop's throne is the most important piece of liturgical furnishings.
In the pre-Vatican II arrangement, the altar would be where the throne is and the throne on the new altar's level and to the gospel side of the altar. That would tell us that the pre-Vatican II church design made sure that the bishop knew the altar was more important than his position! And it lets the laity know it too and helps curb post-Vatican II clericalism of bishops and priests.
1 comment:
Aren't the ancient Roman basilicas set up with free standing altar in front of a throne which is often higher than the altar? Most of them have baldachinos but not all. (Santa Sabina for example).
Post a Comment