“Ad Orientem” Explained
This year, the priest at my parish will be offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass ad orientem on Fridays during Lent. I wrote the following “explainer” to help my parishioners understand what’s going on and why.
“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)