Bring Back Reverence! How? Here are a few suggestions.

"Jesus gives us his living, beating heart in the Eucharist." Bring back the Communion rail.
                                                                                                                     Fr. Mark Goring



Since Vatican II all kinds of abuses have crept into our liturgies. I remember the clown Masses, the home Masses with no liturgical vestments, the guitar and mariachi Masses, the butterfly vestments, the crepe paper rainbow and cracked pot in the sanctuary, the sand in the holy water fonts during lent. My goodness, the list is endless!

Did Cardinal Sarah Get Taken to the Woodshed by the Pope?

Sure sounds like it!

Vatican Denies Change in Celebration of the Mass

Cardinal Sarah made his statements recommending ad orientem on July 5th. He was in a private audience with the pope on July 9th where, according to the Vatican Press Office:

Follow the Leader, i.e., the Shepherd

A few weeks ago my husband and I were in Colonial Beach and attended Sunday Mass at St. Elizabeth's. The priest, Fr. Vincent Bork, said Mass ad orientem. And, yes, that means he had his back to the people. It also means he was facing Jesus in the tabernacle and acting as a leader of the people. That makes complete sense to me.

We are called the Church Militant. What military leader goes into battle facing his troops? He doesn't. He leads. Was Moses in the desert walking backwards as he led the people toward the promised land? Of course not. If you hire a guide to lead you through a dangerous country do you want him to walk backwards?

Our priests are leaders, shepherds, and guides. There is something powerful in the image of the flock following the leader. I experienced that powerful image at St. Elizabeth's thanks to Fr. Bork. Here's the view of another priest making the case for ad orientem.