Pope Leads By Example
Posted by: tony on 01/16/2008 03:28 AM
Updated by: tony on 01/16/2008 03:28 AM
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Expires: 02/16/2008 12:00 AM
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 The Pope celebrated Mass in the Sistine Chapel ad orientem (facing east, toward God) as priests have for centuries (well, not counting the last 40 or so years after Vatican II).
Reuters reports on this in the usual way:
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict celebrated parts of Sunday's Mass with his back turned on the congregation, re-introducing an old ritual that had not been used in decades. [ed.- Emphasis, mine]
Two things.
- Pope Benedict was facing the Real Presence of his Lord in in communion with the rest of the Body of Christ assembled for worship.
- That particular "ritual" has been in use for years under indult in my particular town, and has been given wider permission by the Holy Father thanks to his motu proprio, Summorum Pontificum.
Even after Vatican II, and the promulgation of the Novus Ordo by Pope Paul VI, the ad orientem posture has been licit in the celebration of the Mass. For those not versed in "Catholic-speak", the priest has always had the option of "turning his back on the congregation".
I find it curious that the same "spirit" of Vatican II proponents who want everyone to hold hands during the Our Father to symbolize our oneness as a faith community, who downplay "clericalism" and keep trying to promote the priest as "just another worshiper" would object to the rich symbolism of both priest and laity facing God together.
I guess some mysteries aren't meant to be known.
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