Going 'ad Orientem' ... help needed.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    We would like to begin saying [singing] Mass facing East, and will be beginning with one of the daily Masses (Thurs. I think) each week, and then gradually spreading out if people respond positively.

    We are looking to put some inserts into the weekly bulletin to help prepare people for this move, and I have been tasked (informally) with finding them. I know there are some people who have done this in their parishes, and I was wondering if I could avail myself of their work so that I won't have to re-invent the wheel.

    A few weeks ago we put the pertinent bits from Cardinal Sarah's interview, and many people asked about the possibility of Mass ad Orientem.

    Thanks for your help.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,799
    Ad orientem usually refers to the priest's posture, so it wouldn't seem that 'people' are required to do any moving. If you mean the choir (we can take it you're not already in a West gallery then) it is of course not a good idea to turn your backs for the either the Gradual or the Responsorial Psalm! I cantor from the North edge of the sanctuary and sing in profile when joined by the congregation, who were neither prepared nor surprised when this started. The trickiest bit of choreography required is a half turn for the Gospel Sentence.
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 2,315
    Fr. Jay Finelli of Holy Ghost, Tiverton RI has some nice PDFs of columns he put in his bulletin.
    Thanked by 1Salieri
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    Richard, Of course the people don't have to do any moving - and my choir is in the West Gallery (and we sing West Gallery, too, btw). What we're looking for is material explaining what ad orientem is, that it is still allowed in the Novus Ordo (in fact, preferable to versus populum), etc. We want to get the people (parishioners and visitors - and other clergy) to understand it as more than simply the priest 'turning his back to the people'.

    I don't feel like buying a copy of Fr. Lang's thesis for everyone in the congregation...
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Thomas_Mary
    Posts: 73
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    Thanked by 3CHGiffen hilluminar Salieri
  • rich_enough
    Posts: 1,048
    Father Jay Scott Newman of St. Mary Church in Greenville, SC (who's currently looking for an organist, BTW) has this very good article on his parish's website. It's a compilation of articles he put into his parish bulletin in the weeks leading up to changing to ad orientem back in 2008. Fr. Z has a helpful commentary on the articles here.

    I found it particularly helpful because he makes it clear it's not just about the priest - it addresses the common question of "what about the people?" and explains how the priest turning towards the East actually enhances the participation of the people in the Holy Sacrifice.
    Thanked by 2Salieri CHGiffen
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