Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: Where the Priest Should Begin Mass
ROME, JULY 7, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
In the wake of our June 23 piece on where Mass begins, a Zambian reader offered the following comment:
"Your response to the question of where the priest should begin Mass is really impressive and accurately delivered (making reference to the GIRM). I also observed the same problem, but can't the architectural design of the sanctuary or church affect where the priest should begin Mass? For example, there might be an immovable altar and ambo with fixed microphone stand for which a microphone has a very short cable, yet because of the size of the church a microphone will be of great necessity. Is such kind of a church-setup a liturgical blunder (or liturgically ignorant)?"
There are many churches around the world which present obstacles to an optimal unfolding of the liturgy. This can sometimes be due to the presence of ancient and rightly untouchable artistic treasures such as screens, canonical choirs and dividing walls. Likewise, some modern churches, including a few designed by world-renowned architects, seem to forget that celebrating Mass is their primary purpose.
Inevitably, such hindrances occasionally oblige priests to adopt practical pastoral solutions and to improvise while a definitive solution is pending.
In the case presented by our reader the definitive solution is not found in removing the fixed altar and ambo as these elements should be fixed in a church. Rather, it is in redesigning the sound system so as to allow for a variety of microphone locations and, if possible, the use of cordless mikes.
The possibility of installing multiple microphones should always be contemplated when designing new churches as there are many occasions, such as the Good Friday reading of the Passion or at weddings and funerals, where several will be needed.
In the wake of our June 23 piece on where Mass begins, a Zambian reader offered the following comment:
"Your response to the question of where the priest should begin Mass is really impressive and accurately delivered (making reference to the GIRM). I also observed the same problem, but can't the architectural design of the sanctuary or church affect where the priest should begin Mass? For example, there might be an immovable altar and ambo with fixed microphone stand for which a microphone has a very short cable, yet because of the size of the church a microphone will be of great necessity. Is such kind of a church-setup a liturgical blunder (or liturgically ignorant)?"
There are many churches around the world which present obstacles to an optimal unfolding of the liturgy. This can sometimes be due to the presence of ancient and rightly untouchable artistic treasures such as screens, canonical choirs and dividing walls. Likewise, some modern churches, including a few designed by world-renowned architects, seem to forget that celebrating Mass is their primary purpose.
Inevitably, such hindrances occasionally oblige priests to adopt practical pastoral solutions and to improvise while a definitive solution is pending.
In the case presented by our reader the definitive solution is not found in removing the fixed altar and ambo as these elements should be fixed in a church. Rather, it is in redesigning the sound system so as to allow for a variety of microphone locations and, if possible, the use of cordless mikes.
The possibility of installing multiple microphones should always be contemplated when designing new churches as there are many occasions, such as the Good Friday reading of the Passion or at weddings and funerals, where several will be needed.
posted by Chipi Buenafe at
12:10 PM
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