Friday, June 3, 2011

The Single Greatest Obstacle to the Reform



Yesterday, some students from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila interviewed me for an article on Universae Ecclesiae. When the conversation tackled the issue of Ad Orientem, I asked the students: To whom does the priest offer the Sacred Liturgy, to God or to the people? Without carefully thinking, the students unanimously answered: "The people!" They were surprised when, using the Ordo Missae, I pointed out to them how the prayers were addressed to the Lord and not to the people. No matter how much the Holy See insists on the fact that the Liturgy is always directed Ad Deum, it seems that such is not immediately picked up by the average Catholic. The reason for this? It is the celebration of the Mass versus populum. I agree with Dom Mark Kirby of Vultus Christi when he said that "Mass facing the people is the single greatest obstacle to the Reform" of the Liturgy.






You can read his article by following the link: New English Translation Be Enough?

3 comments:

  1. Whoa! Father, I presume they are from The Varsitarian....

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  2. The Varsitarian??? Hhmmm are they the one with the Article "A Benedictine criticized Benedictine reform"???

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  3. I agree with your observation Father. The unanimous response of the students is a confirmation that the change in direction of liturgical prayer resulted in a paradigm shift.

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