Beginning with fall 2011, all Masses at the College are now celebrated
ad orientem. As Fr. Roy explains, “In the case of liturgical orientation
or the celebration of Mass facing eastward, the rising sun (oriens)
serves as a natural icon of the risen Christ (Oriens) who is the Sun of
Justice (cf. Malachi 4:2). The earliest extant ‘house of the church’
(domus ecclesiae), discovered in the ruins of a Roman garrison town on
the fringes of the ancient Roman and Persian empires, features the altar
facing east. Jews turned toward Jerusalem; Christians turned toward the
east, in order to welcome the rising sun as the image of the Risen
Son.” Fr. Roy clarifies a common misconception about liturgical
orientation: “The claim, advanced in the last half century or so, that
the priest is turning his back on the congregation” when praying ad
orientem, misses the point that the priest is leading the pilgrim people
of God toward the new and eternal Jerusalem, of which the sanctuary is
the liturgical image. The priest who celebrates the sacred liturgy ad
orientem is no more turning his back on the congregation than are the
people in the first ten pews of the church or chapel turning their backs
on the rest of the congregation.”
Continuing on with our
“policy” of promoting Catholic academic
institutions which seek to foster Pope Benedict’s new liturgical
movement, we are pleased to present the following video which shows the
in Warner, New Hampshire, including many liturgical views from the college.
Some of you may recall our November 2011 story about this same college, where both forms of the Roman liturgy are offered, and all Masses are offered ad orientem.
