Where the priest should look during Mass

In response to the post Facing the Crucifix, Gem of the Ocean said:
H'mmm...so the pope wants me to look at the cross on the altar, rather than the REAL PRESENCE in his own hands?
I think that it is worth explaining a little more about the question because obviously it would be wrong for the priest to look at the crucifix in preference to the consecrated host. This is a good example of how the rubrics of the old rite can help us to celebrate the new rite better.

In the old rite, the priest learns to look up at the crucifix and then down at the host during the offertory prayer for the bread (Suscipe sancte Pater). Thus his attention is drawn to God, to whom he offers the sacrifice, and to the host which is offered. At the same time, he is reminded to offer himself. Offering the chalice, (Offerimus tibi Domine) he looks only at the crucifix, asking God's clemency for our salvation and that of the whole world.

When "looking up to heaven" in the Canon in union with Christ (elevatis oculis in caelum), the crucifix serves as a focal point if it is suitably elevated. The altars in St Peter's are a good example of construction that is ideal for the Mass. Then he looks at the host intently as it is consecrated. At the elevation of the host and chalice, the priest can look both at the body and blood of Christ now truly present, and at the crucifix which reminds him of the sacrifice Christ offered of his own body and blood, the sacrifice that is made present here and now. Thereafter, he does not look up to the crucifix again until the blessing (when the elements have been consumed). Rather, he looks at the host when saying the Memento of the Dead, the Pater Noster, and the preparatory prayers for Communion.

Unless you take the "wearing your alb back to front" view of the rubrics of the Novus Ordo, there is no reason why a priest could not observe all of these traditional customs when saying the new Mass. The examples that I have given do not constitute an exhaustive list - priests could consult J B O'Connell's "The Celebration of Mass" for more details.

The crucifix needs to be a reasonably tall one and the corpus should face the priest. There is some debate about this on the grounds that it might "exclude" the people. (It would be a good idea to read Fr Z's post on this before commenting on this particular issue.) On following this debate, it becomes obvious, as Cardinal Ratzinger hinted in "The Spirit of the Liturgy" that the only sensible solution is for us all to face eastward together.

The authors of spiritual books for priests also used to emphasise the priest's custody of the eyes. He was not to look beyond the altar rails when saying the Orate Fratres, for example. This might sound odd to modern ears until you consider the effect of the constant "eye contact" that seems to be de rigeur in some celebrations of the new Mass. The priest's personality can dominate the whole celebration of the Mass with unfortunate consequences for the laity who are distracted from the action of God which takes place, and for the priest who can be tempted to pride.

Popular posts from this blog

1962 Missal pdf online

The Church Music Association of America and Jeffrey Tucker of the New Liturgical Movement have made available the 1962 Missal online in pdf format (72Mb). The file is hosted at Musica Sacra , the website of the CMAA, thanks to a generous gift from Fr Robert Skeris While you are at it, take a look at the articles clarifying the rules for music at Low Mass and music at High Mass .
Read more

Request for Novena to Blessed Pius IX

Image
A priest friend of mine is ill in hospital. He has a special devotion to Blessed Pius IX. Could I ask you, of your charity, to say a Novena for his speedy recovery. Novena In Honour of Blessed Pius IX Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, hear our prayers and glorify your servant Pius IX, who consecrated the Universal Church to you. (Our Father...) O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, hear our prayer and glorify your servant Pius IX who declared you Immaculate. (Hail Mary...) Saint Joseph, spouse of the most pure Virgin Mary, hear our prayer and glorify your servant Pius IX who declared you the Patron of the Universal Church. (Glory be...) Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Mary, our Hope, and Saint Joseph hear our prayers and glorify your servant Pius IX , granting to us through his merits and intercessions the graces which we ardently desire: that the glory of God be revealed through Father's illness. (Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory be...
Read more

Saint Gabriel

Image
The angels call for our veneration and awe as part of God’s creation. Part of the destructive modernism of the 1970s included advice to Catholic school teachers that they should not talk to children about angels. This wrought lasting damage which continues to need rectifying. We should include in our prayers a heartfelt recourse to our own Guardian Angels. The Archangel Gabriel “God is my strength” would be terrifying were he to appear to any of us. Our Lady was “troubled” at the word of Saint Gabriel and wondered at the manner of the salutation. Immediately, according to his mission, the awesome messenger explained himself. Modern retelling of the event is often reduced to the jejune “Mary said Yes to God”. In fact, she said “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word”. This conveys more accurately the flawless faith and trust of the Immaculata. In the infinitely wise providence of the Father, we now know the structure of the event in even more detai...
Read more

Downloadable booklets for Vespers

Image
Gregorian Chant Hymns is a most helpful website that I mentioned in a post just over a year ago. As I said then, the site "[...] promotes the learning of Gregorian Chant by making sheet music, recordings, translations, and instructions. There is a short guide to Gregorian Notation (those square notes) and to Latin pronunciation. Everything is available free of charge, in line with other great traditional music websites." Work has continued at the site and there is now a section which makes available pdf (or .docx format) booklets for Vespers for every Sunday of the Year and a few major feasts. There is the basic booklet for ordinary Sunday Vespers which is supplemented by separate files for the Sundays after Pentecost which contain the Magnificat and Collect. Then there are booklets, for example for Advent and Lent, where the office is different from the regular Sunday Vespers with its antiphons. All of the booklets have texts and notation for Benediction and the Maria...
Read more

Our Easter Faith: Not a Pious Crème Fraiche

Image
In public life, some basically well-meaning figures have the graciousness to wish us well at Easter and to recognise the importance of the Christian feast day. Perhaps they might assure us that their thoughts are with us at this time. That is kind of them and in Christian charity we should thank them for their kindness, but Easter should be a great deal more than that for us. We must believe that Our Lord Jesus Christ is risen from the grave, in the flesh, and lives for eternity. We cannot treat Easter as a jolly holiday that heralds spring, or the remembrance of a significant event from the past. It must change us today and every day, change who we are and what we do. The Christian faith cannot be a mild custard or blancmange of religiosity. (I am showing my age. Nowadays, I should say that it cannot be reduced to a pious crème fraiche .) We bow down and adore the King of Kings, risen from the tomb, who, “[…] continues for ever,...
Read more