SCCR Parish Blog

  For this Advent season only this year (Masses of November 28th through December 23rd), Fr. Reutter will be offering all of his parish Masses in the traditional posture of the Church, with the priest and people together symbolically facing the Father.  (This liturgical orientation is sometimes called by its Latin names, ad orientem or ad Deum  which mean "facing the East" or "facing God [the Father]" This way of celebrating the Mass has centuries-long and ancient roots.  In fact, it was mandatory for much of the Church's history.  After the Second Vatican Council, two options were introduced: the traditional posture or Mass facing the people ( versus populum , to use the Latin phrase).  This resource page has some information on the symbolism behind this option and how it helps to reveal what is happening in the mystery of the Mass. * Fr. Mike Schmitz video, " Pray the Mass like never before ."  This is a general video on the mystery of the Mass, with...

  In light of the Beacons of Light initiative to reorganize parishes due to declining Mass attendance and fewer priests, we are all painfully aware that many of our fellow Catholics are walking away from the greatest gift Christ gave us, the holy Mass.   I am convinced that the main reason for this is that people do not understand what is happening at the Mass.  I think this video from popular youth eveangelist Fr. Mike Schmitz will help change that.  We are showing this to our youth, but it is informative and of interest to Catholics of all ages. 

  I have had a few questions regarding Mass in the traditional posture facing East (facing the Lord, or ad orientem.)  So here are some Q and A based on questions or complaints I've had so far.  As always, please feel free to talk to me if you have questions.  It is unfortunate that this point has become somewhat controversial.  But the renewal of the holy Mass is ongoing, so we can expect to say minor changes in the way Mass is celebrated so that we remain faithful to our liturgical tradition. Q: When will Fr. Reutter be doing this?  A: Only for weekday Masses during Advent season.  (Not for funerals or Sunday Masses or for Christmas Masses or Christmas season).  It takes time for people to get used to change.  Many of the more newly ordained priests are beginning to celebrate this way on occasion in various parishes across the Archdiocese. Q:     Why do this? A:     Because the Church has been doing this for mo...

 R Robert Cardinal Sarah celebrating holy Mass facing East There is a popular folk Advent Christmas carol written in the early 20th century by a British lady named Eleanor Farjeon.  It's entitled, People, Look East !   That's because of the ancient tradition in Christianity and Judaism before it that the Savior of the world would come from the East, as well as the association with Jesus the Son of God with the rising sun, since God is the source of all life. This belief has long been associated with the celebration of the holy sacrifice of the Mass, as throughout most of our Roman Catholic tradition and other Christian traditions, the priest and people together faced eastward.  This is often referred to by its Latin name,  The  Wikipedia article  on the topic delves deep into this history if you are interested in that. It is only in very recent times (since the 1960s) that the option for the priest to face the people has been introduced in the Roman ri...