Ad orientem worship

This is not a Traditional Latin Mass.

This is the Ordinary Form of the Mass, done ad orientem.

It can be done and it is LEGAL!

Why am I for this orientation of the Mass?  Is it because I go to a Traditional Latin Mass?  Probably or should I say, definitely so!

You know dear friends, I came to appreciate the supernatural character of the Mass when I saw the ad orientem orientation of the TLM.  I asked myself why this kind of thing is not done in the Mass of Paul VI?  Why can't we not face the same direction to worship just like when the priest leads us during Holy Hour?  Why not?

Someone asks me, "Is it better?"

Oh sure it does!

If supporters of the versus populum orientation think that th

That is why I beg to VEHEMENTLY disagree with the statements posted on Facebook by Fr. Abe Arganiosa who said that the Novus Ordo is:

"THE PAULINE MASS IS EVEN MORE ANTI-PROTESTANT THAN THE TLM."

How will it be more anti-Protestant than the Traditional Latin Mass which was codified by the Council of Trent as a RESPONSE to the Protestant / Lutheran attacks on the sacrificial nature of the Mass.  Remember that the Protestants pounced on the notion that the Mass is a mere meal and not a sacrifice, thus they turned the priest to face the congregation and changed the altar, sans the retable, relics, flowers and candles on it, and called it from Altar to........drum roll............Table of the Lord.  Sounds familiar?

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass right after Vatican II was popularly called.....drum roll...

Feast of His Love
Banquet of the Lord
Breaking of Bread
and my all time favorite punching bag of a quote...
MEAL OF LOVE.

Is there something wrong with it?  Not completely.  St. Paul refers to the Mass as Breaking of Bread.  But what happened to more than a thousand year of romance of the Lord and His Bride, the Church?  Hasn't the Church Militant reflected and meditated upon this great meal of love and found the way to call this meal the Sacrifice of Calvary if did not realize that this is the same sacrifice, made present again and again in every Catholic altar around the world to fulfill the prophecy made by the prophet Malachi and beautifully included in the Third Eucharistic Prayer, "For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts"

Understandably, I personally believe and Cardinal Ratzinger wrote about this too, that the sacrificial nature of the Mass, has been watered down, if not, lost when the priest was made to face the congregation.  There upon the temptation to be narcissistic cast its ugly shadow unto the priest.  So what have you now?

Fr. Archie Guiriba
Fr. Mario Sobrejuanite
Fr. Glenn Paul Gomez
Fr. Anton Pascual

and the list goes on and on and on...

And what follows?

Tons of liturgical innovations and abuses.

Liturgical dance, drama, flag waving and all sort of stuff called "Creativity" which does not actually create but destroys.

Personally, if the Mass of Paul VI would have the ad orientem orientation, then we could all teach Catholics everywhere the sacrificial nature of the Mass and priests would be reminded of their role as priests, and not as program hosts or animators.

And that the Mass is the same sacrifice on Calvary, and not just a mere re-enactment of the Last Supper.

I sure hope and pray that whatever Cardinal Ratzinger was writing before, and what Pope Benedict XVI is doing today, he implements throughout the Catholic world.

Isn't this what mutual enrichment of the Old and New Mass was all about when he wrote about this in Summorum Pontificum?

Pray, hope and don't worry.