Bishops staffer defends process, rejects
rumor on turning altars
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
NCR Staff
Though some experts have complained of inadequate consultation,
the chief of staff for the U.S. bishops committee on liturgy says a new
document on church design reflects a more comprehensive effort to solicit input
than any previous statement on liturgy.
Fr. James Moroney also told NCR that despite rumors
circulated on the Internet, the new document, tentatively titled Domus
Dei (House of God) will not advocate a return to the ad
orientam style of celebrating Mass in which the altar is turned toward the
East and the priests back is toward the people.
Prior to discussion of the new document at the November 1999
meeting of the U.S. bishops, a group of liturgists called for it to be set
aside in favor of a two-year nationwide consultation on the state of liturgical
art and architecture. Among other criticisms, the liturgists noted that the
document makes no mention of the only indigenous form of church architecture in
the United States, the Spanish-style missions of the Southwest.
During floor discussion in November, some bishops echoed the call
for wider consultation. Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles suggested a series
of three or four hearings across the country, bringing together more of
our art and architecture consultants -- priests, religious and laity.
In response, the liturgy committee held a series of Internet
sessions in chat rooms on America Online. Moroney said they involved more than
100 people. The committee also received more than 800 written comments, he
said.
Several liturgists complained that the on-line sessions were
insufficient. Some interested parties were not notified until after the fact,
they said, and a series of technical problems made accessing the chat rooms
cumbersome. Moreover, the nature of the process froze out anyone who was not an
America Online user.
Asking if theres been enough consultation is like
asking if youve got enough money, said Moroney, executive secretary
of the liturgy committee. I have no idea whats enough. But I can
tell you theres been a greater effort to consult with architects,
artists, liturgical consultants, pastors and liturgists than on any previous
undertaking.
Moroney told NCR that plans call for the document to go
before the bishops for a vote at their November meeting. He said the name of
the document might change before that time.
Moroney said that while the 1978 document was poetic and
inspirational, the new text is intended as a commentary on the universal
law of the church with regard to liturgical space. Whereas
Environment and Art had 107 paragraphs, Domus Dei has 640;
the former had 33 footnotes, the latter has 269, Moroney said.
The question of turning altars and priests toward the East came up
in the wake of a February talk Moroney gave at Mount. St. Marys Seminary
in Emmitsburg, Md. Afterward a report of his remarks circulated widely on the
Internet. It quoted Moroney as saying there is a definite push to facing
East again in the Mass, and that the issue would be addressed in Domus
Dei.
Moroney told NCR the report reflects the active
imagination of a first-year seminarian. He said Domus Dei would
not address the orientation of the altar.
On the hot-button issue of the placement of the tabernacle,
Moroney said Domus Dei will take its cue from the new General
Instruction on the Roman Missal, an introduction to be issued by the
Vatican for the book of prayers for the Mass. Observers said the new Latin
version of that text is expected on Holy Thursday.
National Catholic Reporter, April 14,
2000
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