![[Unam Sanctam]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YC87epvokPc/RiIrCqMbS1I/AAAAAAAAChM/N1FQIkmr1PE/s1600/headerdivinemercy.jpg)
Note the heretical antependium. It's a tree with all sort of religious symbols growing out of it. Mark tells me is symbolizes the various religions of the student body. But frankly, I find it heretical to drape the Altar of Sacrifice, the Symbol of Christ the Rock, in such a thing. Note also the off-centre crucifix and the lack of an ambo.to this:
Note the Benedictine altar arrangement. Why is the chalice veil of a different colour? I don't know. Perhaps it's the only colour they have. St. Peter's it's not, but note the difference when compared to the photo above.Again, from this:
to this
Don't mind the makeshift ambo (which happens to be on the Epistle side rather than the Gospel side because that is occupied by the presider's chair. Why did Mark not move it? I don't know. Mark? It was later draped with a covering as well.Check out Mark's account on how this took place here. This took place during Advent.
This just goes to show that all of us can make a difference, no matter where we are. What have YOU done to re-orient and re-sacralize the celebration of the liturgy?
3 comments:
A "Benedictine altar arrangement" does not simply have the crucifix at the middle of the altar. The crucifix must be specifically tall enough to be the real center of attention, instead of being so small and tiny that it is easy to look past it. The candelabra must be tall enough to so as to form a "screen" before the priest. Indeed, this is the point of the Benedictine altar arrangement: the priest must be removed, as far as possible, from being the center of attention. Where an ad orientem stance cannot be used, then the crucifix and candles must partially conceal the priest.
What have I done to reorient and resacralize the liturgy? Well, lets see. I managed to talk to one of our local bishops about Mass in the Extraordinary Form. He will consent to it if its celebrated using an official English translation of the Missal for the Ex-Rite.
Hi Anonymous. Thanks for commenting. In my understanding, from the writings of Pope Benedict, the purpose of this altar arrangement is an outwards expression of the re-orientation of the liturgy towards the Crucifix. As he expressed in in his Spirit of the Liturgy "Where a direct common turning toward the East is not possible, the cross can serve as 'the interior "East" of faith. It should stand in the middle of the altar and be the common point of focus for both priest and praying community." The altar arrangement put together by Mark meets this requirement to merit the term Benedictine.
The importance of this is the turning towards the Lord, here symbolized by the crucifix. The blocking of the priest' is not the main concern here. Although in an ideal case, I fully support you. But Mark had to work with what was available. And the point of this post is in doing what we can do, in the here and now, to re-reorient the liturgy towards the Lord and re-sacralizing the Mass.
Again, thanks for commenting.
Collin, sad to say that that is not an option. The 1962 Missal must be said in Latin. Although I agree that the English translation of the 1962 Missal is far superior to the NO. If they had left it at that, as in the 1965 ad-hoc Missal, everything would not have degenerated into what it is today.
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