Bishop to celebrate Advent Masses ad orientem

Bishop Adams said he has a “personal commitment to ‘widening the tent’, as Pope Francis spoke about, particularly in the area of Catholic liturgy”.

“In my view, we have tended to widen the tent on what we might call the progressive side of the Church. I am happy for that. But a tent needs support on both sides if it is to stand, and there is a legitimate diversity within the Church that we should recognise and strengthen.

“With that in mind, during Advent I intend to celebrate my Masses at the cathedral ad orientem: with priest and people facing the same direction. I have taken this opportunity for some years, first as a priest and now as a bishop. I am not asking other priests to do this necessarily. Rather, I want to give our lay faithful the opportunity to experience what I consider a legitimate diversity in the celebration of Holy Mass.

Bishop Adams emphasised that the change in orientation “is not a different Mass. The words remain the same. What changes is our direction: priest and people face together towards liturgical east, offering ourselves to God the Father”.

“This ancient tradition of worship expresses something important about the Mass. We are looking together towards the Lord, from whom our salvation comes.

“I am not seeking to dismiss the beauty of the priest celebrating Mass facing the people,” Bishop Adams stated. “There is a beautiful nuptial relationship expressed there. However, I do think we need to reflect on how easily our attention can become centred on the priest’s personality. We can almost develop a ‘game-show host’ culture: if the priest is lively and engaging, we think the parish is doing well; if he is quieter or less outgoing, we think the parish is doing poorly.

“But the Mass is not about the priest. It never should be. Making his personality the centre of our worship is a form of clericalism. In my view, one remedy is for priest and people to face the same way, reminding us that we are together in offering our worship to God.”

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From Bishop John’s Desk | Facing the Lord together this Advent (Tūmanako/Catholic Diocese of Palmerston North)