Posted on 01/09/2005 3:06:33 PM PST by sionnsar
Church is a place where God is king. The life of a congregation is found in Christ's saving love and not in ourselves. ... Rarely do we ask, "Does God like this hymn?" or "What does this hymn say about God under whom we are gathered?"
Interesting information. Thanks.
"Really?" She was incredulous. "I've been an Episcopalian since I was eighteen and I've never seen anything like it. How fascinating!"
Our Maronite pastor has purchased a Methodist-Episcopal Church, that is 150 years old. It was boarded up in the 70s, I suppose at the time the two separated and went their own ways. Over the years, various commercial enterprises approached the owners of the property who refused to sell it to them. They wanted the church to continue as a church.
The first thing we noticed was the absence of a center aisle. The pipe organ occupied center stage, with the organ's console facing it, back to the preacher.
In renovating the original worship space, our Maronite pastor plans to retain the pipe organ in its place while resituating the organ's console to the side. Though modifications will be required to render the worship space in conformity with Catholic doctrine, the pastor has shown great respect for the original design of the church.
That leaves the altar facing West, even though the church itself faces East. For centuries, all catholic churches were constructed with the altar facing East. Obviously, in times of church restoration, there is no way to physically turn the church around.
"When the altar is facing the east, then the whole church is worshiping together as opposed to a performance where the actors are on stage, facing an audience who is not participating."
This makes no sense to me. Does the author think that if the celebrant faces the congregation during the service, the congregation does not participate? Not in our parish. The congregation sings the hymns, the psalm, the Sanctus, the Sursum Corda responses, the Agnus Dei, and the Memorial Acclamation. Laity read the Old and New Testament lessons and the Prayers for the People intercessions. Plus the various prayers. This hardly seems like "an audience who is not participating", and I don't see how the altar facing us instead of away from us makes it so.
As for facing the East, the Orthodox continue to do it because it is a symbolic direction of God, Who is Light (uncreated of course), and Life, without Whom we are in the spiritual darkness and death.
That anyone would take offense at the priest leading his flock symbolically facing the Light of God that illuminates us unto Him, only shows the degree of decay that is prevelant in the West. For it is not for us that we go to church, but (hopefully) to worship God.
Tell that to the people who have created Christmas that is all about Santa Claus and profit-mnaking and not about the One Whose Birthday we celebrate. The distortion of Christmas in the West is reflective of the spiritual decay of the West, while it basks in perishable and passing wealth.
It is indeed sad when the people prefer that the priest turn his back on God so that they can be entertained.
Bingo! This change I find to me absolutely the most inexplicable and unjustifiable break from tradition. Is there any evidence that ANY ancient liturgy was offered versus populum? I know of none.
My bride is RCC, and I am a Lutheran. The altar in the church I grew up in is set up so the pastor faces the cross during the consecration, and not the people.
That continues to annoy my bride every time we visit my parents. The opposite continues to annoy me whenever I see it.
It is immaterial. The manner of worship is not in itself sacred, but it is supposed to be symbolic. For the life of me I don't know what symbolic meaning there is by turning one's back to God and facing the congregation! I am pinging Deacon Augustine in hope he can provide an insight.
It is is supposed to be the re-enactment of the Mystery Supper, then we should all sit at one giant table with the priest in the middle! One should not be offended by anyone facing the Cross, and turning his or her back on the person behind them, or else we should stand in single rows in circles facing each other as we pray. Sound pretty ridiculous, doesn't it?
The whole point is that a shepherd leading his flock should not do that walking backwards, by facing the flock. But for some it seems being "recognized" has higher priority that immersing oneself in contemplation and worship.
I am glad to hear that Lutheran and some Anglican churches remain traditional in knowing what comes first.
The irony is rich that your Lutheran chapels liturgy is more traditional than 99% of Roman Catholic parishes.
"For the life of me I don't know what symbolic meaning there is by turning one's back to God and facing the congregation! I am pinging Deacon Augustine in hope he can provide an insight."
You expect me to have an insight on the "benefits" of one of the biggest liturgical mistakes that Rome has ever authorised? ;)
Celebrating Mass versus populum was one of the most facile and juvenile innovations to come out of Vatican II (although the Council itself never authorised this). IMHO this was a greater crime than abolishing the use of Latin in the Mass. Unfortunately the "liturgical experts" were effectively given carte blanche to introduce whatever novelties that were required to make the Mass more acceptable to Protestants (of the liberal don't believe anything much variety).
Personally I hate to pray facing the people, I should be facing God. However, while the current madness reigns in the Vatican, I don't expect it to be corrected any time soon.
In Hindu homes the altar is supposed to be in the neast to north east so the worshipper is facing east, as he faces the altar.
I didn't expect you to defend the custom, just to give us an insight, which is what the above quote does. Thank you Father Deacon, as always, for you prompt and spot-on responses.
The Protestants at the Vatican II were more concerned with sola scriptura than with the Mass. The problem with versus populum is that inadvertently the participants focus on the priest and not on God. I see EWTN Mass and realize that, unlike in the Orthodox Church, I end up watching the "show".
Interesting.
LOL. Not so much the benefits, just the justification, twisted as it is.
You're right of course that it's the symbolism that is precisely the problem. I'm a writer, I pay attention to these things. :)
Let me guess, you're in the Davenport diocese?
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