The second Vatican Council (SC 65-66) gave prominence to the homily as a part of Mass, especially on Sundays and feast days. In many Churches in Europe, there is a magnificent pulpit which is obviously designed to bring the preacher closer to the people (they are usually somewhere down the nave, away from the sanctuary) and give a certain dignity to the homily as something more than a chat.
It was good to see the pulpit in the Church of the Immaculate Conception used by Fr Maciej Zachara. You can see the doors through which he accessed the pulpit, via some stairs inside the sacristy.
By contrast, the Cathedral in Lublin has a strange arrangement. As part of the recent renovations, the pulpit has been restored. Unfortunately there is no way of getting into it. Perhaps the priest could climb up a ladder discreetly before Mass and then abseil down after he has finished preaching?
I remember in England after Vatican II, pulpits in many Churches being demolished or converted into odd shaped lecterns, usually on the sanctuary. Along with the common custom of literally placing the priest on a pedestal (in the presidential chair), these developments do seem to have distanced the priest from the people. I can't see that they have really enhanced that respect, so much desired by Vatican II, which should be shown for preaching the word of God.
I'm not convinced by the claim that the homily is part of the Liturgy - it necessarily requires the preacher to compose something himself, rather than to follow a ritual that is prescribed by the Church - but preaching at Mass (or at other public services of worship) would surely benefit from a clearer sense that it is not just an opportunity for the priest to give a good speech, but a demand upon him to offer doctinal, moral and spiritual nourishment to the faithful in fidelity to the magisterium of the Church.
9 comments:
In order to uplift the people, it looks like the priest has to levitate into the pulpit.
"for our strength in this world is, to be the subjects of the reason, and our liberty, to be captives of the truth" -Loss and Gain
But Father! But Father!
Don't leave us up in the air!
Do you have some tips for actually using those high pulpits?
For example, would you post some good gestures? (Video, please.)
It is proper to grasp the sides of the pulpit? (Stills would suffice.)
How far out should you lean when you preach about the Four Last Things? (Again, some stills are okay.)
I think I know your position on the use of the biretta (as you know mine about the use of the Beretta) but may one use a fire extinguisher? And, if so, is it restricted to priests only? (As user rather than as a target in choro? - Definitely video for this.)
I have my own ideas, but I would like to hear yours.
Fraternally,
Fr. Z o{]:¬)
PS: I warmly concur with your dubitation about the sermon/homily being part of the liturgy. I am glad you added that part.
The elevated pulpit does indeed lend itself to pointing downward for hell and upward for heaven - I think we have pictures of saints to back that up. They are usually built robustly so banging them is not going to cause much damage when a point has to be made firmly.
Fire extinguishers are probably going too far in the direction of creative liturgy - at Blackfen we restrict them to the garden, though my altar servers are sufficiently trained to use them skilfully if there were ever a real fire.
Sadly, I have a floor-based ambo. I have often mused about the possibility of mounting it up a pillar in the nave and constructing some steps. We have the craftsmen for such a job.
Well, no, the homily is not part of the liturgy. That's why you lay aside your maniple when you preach. Uh, everyone uses a maniple, don't they?
The sermon as part of the liturgy? Not sure about this. In the EF the priest removes the maniple and places it on the missal, signifying that the Mass is interrupted at this point - on the Continent I have seen him remove the chasuble as well. I remember as an 8-year old 'boat boy' repairing with the thurifer to the sacristy after the Gospel, ostensibly to change the disc, but actually so that he could miss the sermon and enjoy a cigarette as well. There is something unbearably prissy about the Novus Ordo.
The same thing happened here (São Lourenço, Minas Gerais, Brazil).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/profcarlos/7258460908/in/set-72157627736422707
Perhaps both architects are related?
An elderly lady in my parish who reads the Tablet and is of liberal sympathies, once reproved me for taking off the maniple to preach at the Novus Ordo Mass. Frankly I was impressed by her understanding of liturgical matters ;-)
God bless the Padres that use this pulpit to keep all the dang women from preaching.
Post a Comment