Dear Parishioners,

Fidelity starts from the top down. Thanks be to God we have had very faithful and holy popes since the Council. Blessed Paul VI and St. John Paul II who have given us good example. Our Bishop is nationally famous and a star on EWTN known for his faithfulness and love of the liturgy. I too, try to be very faithful to the rubrics and all of the norms the Church handed down to us concerning proper liturgy. We have seen how God was pushed out of this closed circle of presenter-audience, at least out of the spotlight, and relegated some sort of honorable mention. The real presence of Christ in the Eucharist was no longer the focal point, but the presence of the community that was emphasized with the Eucharist just becoming some sort of vague symbol that didn’t really matter much or at least garnered no special respect or devotion. It is no wonder that in the latest surveys nearly 68% of Catholics who do go to Mass on Sundays, don’t believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. LEX ORANDI — LEX CREDENDI.

Understanding all of this very well, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, back in 1997, wrote a book called “The Spirit of the Liturgy” in which he points out that Vatican II never asked for the re-orientation of the Mass, and the Priest to face the people in a closed dialogue pushing God away. He explains especially well in chapter 3 of his book, why the Priest and people should be facing the same way, and all of the theological, liturgical, and devotional benefits that this has. When our liturgy is legally sound, theologically deep, and rich in devotion; it motivates us to a more intense relationship with Jesus abounding in the graces we need for our perfection and fulfilment in this life, and our perfect happiness in the next one forever.

(to be continued)