Thursday, April 10, 2008

Go East


Fr Dwight Longenecker has an interesting post on ad orientem celebration, agree with all he says.


After celebrating Mass facing the Lord I can report these favorable effects from the priest's point of view:

  • I don't have to worry about where to look

  • I don't have to worry about what my face looks like
  • I can weep at the beauty and wonder of it all without concern
  • I can worship more freely and fully
  • I feel more at one with the people of God
  • I am on a journey to God with the people
  • I am not the focus of attention
  • The elevation of the host and the Ecce Agnus Dei have become more of a focus
  • I feel more part of the great tradition
  • I can't see who's not paying attention and feel I have to do something to get their attention back.>
  • Also on Pastor Valle Adurni there is this little piece:


    I bumped into Fr Uwe Michael Lang in St Peter's Basilica. I gather that he
    has been given a new job in the Congregation of Rites. I am sure he will do very
    well there.


    Fr Lang, a priest of the London Oratory in 2004 published Turning Towards the Lord, which contains a preface by a certain Joseph Ratzinger, it is about re-orientating the liturgy. It is very much a companion to the Pope's own Spirit of the Liturgy. Is this another piece of the Holy Father's project gently being put in place?

    7 comments:

    gemoftheocean said...

    Well, there are a few priests I'd LIKE to be able to force to celebrate Mass ad orientem.... chiefly my own pastor. I still prefer to see what's going on, but HIM? Yeah...in a heartbeat. I wish I had that power! I'd also like to be allowed to give him a small electrical "zitz" everytime he goes off script too....increasing the "juice" each time. [Hey, is that sizzling flesh I smell?]

    Anonymous said...

    I have that book...must read it!

    Anagnostis said...

    Dear Father

    I saw the title for this post on my live updates tab, and my heart leapt. Imagine my disappointment, etc.
    ;o))

    Prayers and best wishes

    PeterHWright said...

    As a layman, one cannot know what the priest feels, but it seems to me facing "ad Deum" gives the priest "more space", so to speak, to celebrate the Mass.

    Certainly, standing behind him, but facing the same way, one feels strongly, irresistibly, drawn into the celebration.

    In comparison, a celebration "facing the people" is to me a distraction.

    Let us turn towards the Lord !

    Adrienne said...

    Great book. I picked it a few months ago.

    Physiocrat said...

    When the priest is facing the same way as the congregation the entire liturgy becomes a procession.

    Time to start preparing parishes for the change? How about Whit Sunday as a one-off? But the servers will have to be rehearsed so that everyone knows what they are doing, as everything is the other way round.

    Anonymous said...

    I have often thought when a musician is utterly involved in the music that I have to look away. He is too naked and we shouldn't see that nakedness. I feel the same way about the priest celebrating Mass and much prefer him to face East. I know that he is facing God and leading us to God.

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