Saturday, February 11, 2012

A Priest Need Not Celebrate "Versus Populum" or Facing the People


Vienese theology professor Feulner: according to accepted Liturgical order, every priest can celebrate Mass at the front side of the "people's altar" while "facing the Lord"


Wien/Vienna (kath.net) "In no document of the Second Vatican Council does it say, especially not in the Constitution on the Liturgy "Sancrosanctum Consilium"(1963), that the priest should or must celebrate the Eucharist "versus populum"." [To the people] This is what the Viennese theology professor Hans-Jürgen Feulner said in a recent interview in the newspaper "Der Sonntag".  Feulner explained then that the foundation for the alteration according to the second Vatican Council is the instruction "Inter Oecumeninici"(1964), in which it states, that the high altar must be separated from the back wall, so that one can easily go around to the back side and say Mass facing the people.

This is to begin with only precautionary clause, which had been quickly introduced, that almost in every Catholic Church so-called people's altars were to be erected, which Feulner describes as constituting "the most obvious achievement" of the Council, although there were before the Council in individual churches such "volks-altars". The designation was later addressed in the "General Introduction to the Roman Mass Book" (Nr. 262) and in the 3rd edition of the Mass book.

The theologian pointed out however on that, that at the same time the Congregation of Divine Rites is said to have clearly ordered, that Mass should not be celebrated to the people. "The rubrics themselves of the past Mass books report indirectly, that the rule for celebration "versus Dominum" ("Facing to the Lord, i.e., not facing the community) is, if it meant to say there, e.g.: "...e (except when he turns to face the people); "...facing the Community.../... turning to face the community" (at the kiss of peace and "Behold, the Lamb of God"); „turn toward the altar” (at the Communion of the priest).", observed the professor of the University of Vienna.

As to the question, why then do priests celebrate today the way they do, turned in most cases to the people, Feulner said that this was often derived from the "Meal character" of the Eucharist and calls by the General Council for "active participation", which required an awareness of what was going on at the altar. "Does this, however, overlook the fact that the meal excludes the sacrificial nature or is opposed irreconcileably to facing each other, rather the Eucharistic sacrifice is complete at least partly in the form of a meal," concluded the theologian and pointed also to the cosmic dimension of the Liturgy an the orientation of prayer "ad orientum". The East is a symbol of the Resurrection on Eastern Sunday, of the assumption into heaven and the coming of Christ at the end of all times (compare Mt 24,27; Offb 7,2).

When asked as to whether the priest may celebrate the Liturgy away from the participants of the liturgy, if there were an [editor: unsightly] people's altar in this church/chapel, Feulner then explained, that both ways of celebration are correct. "According the current valid Liturgical order every priest can thus celebrate at the Euchastic celebration self-evidently (except for the offertory) also stand during Mass at the front side of the altar "facing the Lord", that means, facing the same way as the Community, which corresponds to an ancient tradition of Christians.

6 comments:

  1. I am a Parish Priest who was reported to the Vicar General for once celebrating Mass "facing the Lord" and was told it is not the norm in this diocese and told never to do it again!

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    1. That is sad. I was berated for kneeling for Communion at the last N.O. parish I attended. How do we help defend our priests who want to do it correctly? People so want to be entertained, rather than adore the Lord of the Universe!!!

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    2. By appealing to our superiors' superiors for starters. We write down exactly what was said and appeal to the appropriate office in the chain of command.

      Father's Bishop has no right to tell him how he's going to say Mass in his parish, as it's licit to say Mass ad orientem.

      I might suggest saying the Mass of All Ages instead after getting everyone in the parish to request it.

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    3. Father,

      I whole-heartedly agree with Tancred: "I might suggest saying the Mass of All Ages instead after getting everyone in the parish to request it."

      I believe that staying with the N.O. is a no-win deal.

      I no longer attend the N.O. I can't stand it anymore, and I gave it the good fight. (I was denied Communion twice because I kneel, and I did write to Rome and was vindicated, but the persecution continued in other ways.)

      I wish there were a way for supportive laity to connect with priests like you. (You can find a "place" of support on my blog, Kankakee Latin Mass: http://kankakeelatinmass.wordpress.com/

      I will pray for you, Father.

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  2. I am celebrating "facing the Lord" during the winter. It is a necessity, rather than choice, because I celebrate in a small chapel because it's not so cold. But I love it! It helps me a lot to concentrate, to take care of every detail of the Mass. And people like it too. Granted, they are old people, and it reminds them of "old times gone".

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  3. The demographics of traditional communities are young and fertile. Most of your sentimental elderly are byproducts of the generation of 68, people like Pierre Trudeau, who regard Catholicism as a quaint relic and a social event. Pierre is one of the few Quebecois who actually got the Latin Schola and High Mass for his funeral.

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