But first let me tell you that I am no liturgist: rather, a person just interested in the proper regulation of the liturgy because when the Mass is reverent and sublime, it really offers that great deal of leading us to God instead to the priest or to your fellow parishioner.
Talking about the Novus Ordo Missae, I would like to give the rubrics from the General Instruction no. 299:
The altar should be built separate from the wall, in such a way that it is possible to walk around it easily and that Mass can be celebrated at it facing the people, which is desirable wherever possible.
See the "can be celebrated" and "desirable wherever possible"? AND, taking note, whenever I read the rubrics in the Mass itself, I see the six rubrics that definitely raises the true notion that the Council really intended to say the New Order of the Mass in ad orientem, as much as possible. Here are the six rubrics inscribed in the General Instruction as well as on the New Order of the Mass:
- When giving the opening greeting (GIRM 124);
- When giving the invitation to pray, "Orate, fratres" (GIRM 146);
- When giving the greeting of peace, "Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum" (GIRM 154);
- When displaying the consecrated Host (or Host and Chalice) before Communion and saying: "Ecce Agnus Dei" (GIRM 157);
- When inviting to pray ("Oremus") before the postcommunion prayer (GIRM 165);
- When giving the final blessing (Ordo Missae 141).
1. When giving the opening greeting:
GIRM no. 124: "Once all this has been done, the Priest goes to the chair. When the Entrance Chant is concluded, with everybody standing, the Priest and faithful sign themselves with the Sign of the Cross. The Priest says: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The people reply, Amen. Then, facing the people and extending his hands, the Priest greets the people, using one of the formulas indicated. The Priest himself or some other minister may also very briefly introduce the faithful to the Mass of the day."
GIRM no. 124: "Once all this has been done, the Priest goes to the chair. When the Entrance Chant is concluded, with everybody standing, the Priest and faithful sign themselves with the Sign of the Cross. The Priest says: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The people reply, Amen. Then, facing the people and extending his hands, the Priest greets the people, using one of the formulas indicated. The Priest himself or some other minister may also very briefly introduce the faithful to the Mass of the day."
Rubric no. 1(c): "When the Entrance Chant is concluded, the Priest and the faithful, standing, sign themselves with the Sign of the Cross, while the Priest, facing the people, says..."
2. When giving the invitation to pray, "Orate, fratres" or "Pray, brethren"
GIRM no. 146: "Returning to the middle of the altar, and standing facing the people, the Priest extends and then joins his hands, and calls upon the people to pray, saying, Orate, fratres (Pray, brethren). The people rise and make the response May the Lord accept the sacrifice, etc. Then the Priest, with hands extended, says the Prayer over the Offerings. At the end the people acclaim, Amen."
2. When giving the invitation to pray, "Orate, fratres" or "Pray, brethren"
GIRM no. 146: "Returning to the middle of the altar, and standing facing the people, the Priest extends and then joins his hands, and calls upon the people to pray, saying, Orate, fratres (Pray, brethren). The people rise and make the response May the Lord accept the sacrifice, etc. Then the Priest, with hands extended, says the Prayer over the Offerings. At the end the people acclaim, Amen."
Rubric no. 29. "Standing at the middle of the altar, facing the people, extending and then joining his hands, he says..."
3. When giving the greeting of peace
GIRM no. 154. "Then the Priest, with hands extended, says aloud the prayer Domine Iesu Christe, qui dixisti (Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles) and when it is concluded, extending and then joining his hands, he announces the greeting of peace, facing the people and saying, The peace of the Lord be with you always. The people reply, And with your spirit. After this, if appropriate, the Priest adds, Let us offer each other the sign of peace."
Rubric no. 127: "The Priest, turned towards the people, extending and then joining his hands, adds..."
4. Invitation to Communion
GIRM no. 157: "When the prayer is concluded, the Priest genuflects, takes a host consecrated at the same Mass, and, holding it slightly raised above the paten or above the chalice, facing the people, says, Ecce Agnus Dei (Behold the Lamb of God) and together with the people he adds, Lord, I am not worthy."
Rubric no. 132: "The Priest genuflects, takes the host and, holding it slightly raised above the paten or above the chalice, while facing the people, says aloud..."
5. When Giving the Final Blessing and Dismissal
GIRM no. 167(a): "Then the Priest, extending his hands, greets the people, saying, The Lord be with you. They reply, And with your spirit. The Priest, joining his hands again and then immediately placing his left hand on his breast, raises his right hand and adds, May almighty God bless you and, as he makes the Sign of the Cross over the people, he continues, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All reply, Amen."
Rubric no. 141: "Then the dismissal takes place. The Priest, facing the people and extending his hands, says..."
Rubric no. 144: "Then the Deacon, or the Priest himself, with hands joined and facing the people, says..."
Then, therefore, I am no more than convinced of the rubrics instilled in the current Mass, of there is an utmost possibility (and not only a possibility BUT A MUST HAVE) of celebrating the Mass away from the people and direct to God. The reform of the reform is finding its way ultimately here, I would say. In these times, we need to renew our minds about the Mass and its Liturgy and all shall follow. Without realization of the Mass and the Liturgy, we would not expect greater fruits, because it is the "source and summit of Christian life" in which Christ is present and we are dependent on it.
GIRM no. 154. "Then the Priest, with hands extended, says aloud the prayer Domine Iesu Christe, qui dixisti (Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles) and when it is concluded, extending and then joining his hands, he announces the greeting of peace, facing the people and saying, The peace of the Lord be with you always. The people reply, And with your spirit. After this, if appropriate, the Priest adds, Let us offer each other the sign of peace."
Rubric no. 127: "The Priest, turned towards the people, extending and then joining his hands, adds..."
4. Invitation to Communion
GIRM no. 157: "When the prayer is concluded, the Priest genuflects, takes a host consecrated at the same Mass, and, holding it slightly raised above the paten or above the chalice, facing the people, says, Ecce Agnus Dei (Behold the Lamb of God) and together with the people he adds, Lord, I am not worthy."
Rubric no. 132: "The Priest genuflects, takes the host and, holding it slightly raised above the paten or above the chalice, while facing the people, says aloud..."
5. When Giving the Final Blessing and Dismissal
GIRM no. 167(a): "Then the Priest, extending his hands, greets the people, saying, The Lord be with you. They reply, And with your spirit. The Priest, joining his hands again and then immediately placing his left hand on his breast, raises his right hand and adds, May almighty God bless you and, as he makes the Sign of the Cross over the people, he continues, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All reply, Amen."
Rubric no. 141: "Then the dismissal takes place. The Priest, facing the people and extending his hands, says..."
Rubric no. 144: "Then the Deacon, or the Priest himself, with hands joined and facing the people, says..."
Then, therefore, I am no more than convinced of the rubrics instilled in the current Mass, of there is an utmost possibility (and not only a possibility BUT A MUST HAVE) of celebrating the Mass away from the people and direct to God. The reform of the reform is finding its way ultimately here, I would say. In these times, we need to renew our minds about the Mass and its Liturgy and all shall follow. Without realization of the Mass and the Liturgy, we would not expect greater fruits, because it is the "source and summit of Christian life" in which Christ is present and we are dependent on it.
