Kardinal Robert Sarah er prefekt for Liturgikongregasjonen i Vatikanet, og skrev i juni i år om alterets og prestens retning i kirkerommet. Vatikankonsilet sa ikke noe om at alteret skulle snus, og faktisk er bedre at presten ikke har en så dominerende rolle i messen at han står og sitter rett foran menigheten, og vender seg mot dem under hele messen. Slik omtales det han skriver:
… The topic drawing most attention in the article was the direction of liturgical prayer — specifically, how the priest and people should be facing the same way during many parts of the Mass.
While some see this as a return to a “pre-Vatican II” liturgy, Cardinal Sarah showed it is quite the opposite — that it is, in fact, consonant with conciliar teachings. …. The African cardinal explained that “it is in full conformity with the conciliar constitution — indeed, it is entirely fitting — for everyone, priest and congregation, to turn together to the east during the penitential rite, the singing of the Gloria, the orations and the Eucharistic Prayer, in order to express the desire to participate in the work of worship and redemption accomplished by Christ.”
Cardinal Sarah emphasized that the priest must become the “instrument that allows Christ to shine through.” In the pursuit of this goal, he references Pope Francis remarking that the celebrant is not the host of a show, nor should he be seeking affirmation from the congregation, as if the primary concern of worship were a dialogue between the priest and assembly.
On the contrary, Cardinal Sarah believes that in order to enter into the true conciliar spirit, self-effacement is necessary for the priest who leads public worship. This self-effacement is implicit in the rubrics of the Roman Missal, which presume the priest will not be facing the congregation through the entirety of the Mass.
Dette har jeg tatt fra samme artikkel som jeg nevnte i går.