December 17, 2007 marked the second anniversary of my standing at the altar ad orientem for the Liturgy of the Eucharist at the Monastery of the Glorious Cross, where I serve as chaplain. I prepared the change in Advent 2005 with an appropriate pastoral and mystagogical catechesis.
After two years of offering Holy Mass in this way, I can say that I never want to have to return to the versus populum position. I was obliged to celebrate versus populum in France and Italy recently, and it left me with a feeling of extreme inappropriateness. I suffered from what I can only describe as a lack of sacred pudeur, or modesty in the face of the Holy Mysteries. I felt viscerally, as it were, that there is something very wrong — theologically, spiritually, and anthropologically — with offering the Holy Sacrifice versus populum.
What are the advantages of standing at the altar ad orientem, as I have experienced them over the past two years? I can think of ten straight off:
1. Holy Mass is experienced as having a theocentric direction and focus.
2. The faithful are spared the tiresome clerocentrism that has so overtaken the celebration of Holy Mass in the past forty years.
3. It has once again become evident that the Eucharistic Prayer is addressed to the Father, by the priest, in the name of all.
4. The sacrificial character of the Mass is wonderfully expressed and affirmed.
5. Almost imperceptibly one discovers the rightness of praying silently at certain moments, of reciting certain parts of the Eucharistic Prayer softly, and of cantillating others.
6. It affords the priest celebrant the boon of a holy modesty.
7. I find myself more and more identified with Christ, Eternal High Priest and Hostia perpetua, in the liturgy of the heavenly sanctuary, beyond the veil, before the Face of the Father.
8. During the Eucharistic Prayer I am graced with a profound recollection.
9. The people have become more reverent in their demeanour.
10. The entire celebration of Holy Mass has gained in reverence, attention, and devotion.
Comments (7)
Dear Father,
I so agree with you. When I was teaching Catechism classes I was struck by how difficult it was to help the students accept and understand transubstantiation and the sacredness of the Eucharist when most of the Priests that they observed seemed to be unmoved themselves by the sacrifice. Just doing it by "rote" and in many cases with an almost complete lack of reverence.
As a "true believer" I am so often hurt by this lack of awe as I watch a Priest "perform". Modesty, humility, reverence, awe? How can we teach it when we so rarely see it expressed fully in the sacrament of the Mass?
Thank you for your devotion.
Nadine
Posted by Nadine | December 21, 2007 4:15 PM
Posted on December 21, 2007 16:15
I'm sending this to some priests I know. Thank you for your insights and sharing your experience.
Posted by Jeron | December 21, 2007 8:06 PM
Posted on December 21, 2007 20:06
Fr. Mark,
I am the chaplain at a state university here in Argentina. I re-arranged the benches this year so that I am neither facing the congregation nor do I have my back to them. like this:
_________ ___________
_________ ___________
Altar _________ ___________
_________ ___________
While it is a compromise it still works to break up the theater seating arrangement. I hope some day to get us all looking in the same direction.
On cold days celebrate Mass in a small side chapel of the parish church. While conserving body heat is the material motive the formal motive is to pray ad orientem. Based on these experiences I share your opinion on the benefits of ad orientem.
Posted by Vicente | December 21, 2007 10:55 PM
Posted on December 21, 2007 22:55
The diagram did not turn out right. The positions are:
Altar With the benches on either side of the Altar and ambo facing the liturgical action.
Posted by Vicente | December 21, 2007 11:02 PM
Posted on December 21, 2007 23:02
Dear Vicente,
That is, in effect, the arrangement in the chapel where I celebrate Mass each day. The ambo is on the same axis as the altar. The stalls of the nuns are to the right nd left of the altar. The guests face the altar. I will see if I can find some photos. Thank you for writing.
Posted by Don Marco, O.Cist. | December 21, 2007 11:30 PM
Posted on December 21, 2007 23:30
Lucky you! I only get to do this when celebrating the extraordinary form. It would be a step too far to bring about this change in the parish. I agree with everything you say. Please remember me at the altar.
Posted by Fr John Boyle | December 22, 2007 6:47 PM
Posted on December 22, 2007 18:47
padre mark:
lloro de dolor al leer el comentario de fr john boyle.
este es el grito silencioso de miles y miles de sacerdotes que entienden esta verdad, esta necesidad de comenzar a hacer las cosas como dios merece que sean...
yo, imploro a dios por valentia, por un alto, por que esa voz silenciosa no guarde mas silencio..
para que juntos luchemos por esta hermosa fe,
esta iglesia que nesecita a cristo en el centro en el altar....
esta iglesia que nesecita regresar de nuevo a su primer amor...
de frente a dios.
Two Years of "Ad Orientem"
ad oriens.. asi como usted lo explica...
solo asi lograremos tener vocaciones y salvar muchas almas que se estan perdiendo..
que esta navidad el ninito jesus no regale mas valentia para hacernos violencia santa y no permaneser dormidos a tanta necesidad. comensando en nuestro propio hogar, en nuestra propia casa,en la liturgia.
que dios bendiga a todos ustedes sacerdotes...
los amo en el nombre de nuestro senor jesuscristo y les pido que escuchen el latir , el lento latir del corazon amoroso de la madre que es la que mas sufre... esta injusticia..
de ver a su hijo tan ignorado.
su iglesia tan mutilada y tan nesecitada..
que dios nos guarde y nos bendiga a todos y tenga compacion de nosotros en este tiempo de tanta necesidad, asi sea...
mary
Posted by mary | December 23, 2007 4:54 PM
Posted on December 23, 2007 16:54