A question about the tabernacle

  • Thread starter Thread starter jonkknox
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jonkknox

Guest
Hello all,

Hoping some of you can help me with a question.

I’m praying and praying that at my church we can have a Traditional Latin Mass. It would take a miracle, but anything is possible. If we were to have the old Mass here, there might be a few problems that I don’t know how to address. (I’m studying how to serve at the altar, and I want to be able to know what needs to be done for when the time comes.)

The biggest question is the tabernacle. There is no high altar at our church- unfortunately it was ripped from the wall years ago and replaced with tacky wood paneling. The tabernacle is on a little movable stand off to the Epistle side of the church, against the wall. So the altar is about 30 feet from the wall in the center. Would the tabernacle have to be moved towards the center, or are there options for the tabernacle being off to the side? My books are from the 1930s - 1950s, so they all have the nice pictures of a high altar with tabernacle on the altar, and all the instructions assume this layout.

Thanks to any that can help!

In Jesus and Mary,
Jon
 
There is no requirement that the tabernacle be on the altar (St. Peter’s high altar doesn’t have one, for example). While it was “traditional,” it is not required.

Deacon Ed
 
Right, I remember seeing that at St. Peter’s, as well as at St. Patrick’s. It seems that the major basilicas and the cathedrals that I’ve been to usually have a chapel for the Blessed Sacrament.

I was wondering how this would affect the gestures of the priest and the servers. The tabernacle is still present in the sanctuary, but those involved would not be “crossing the plane” so to speak.
 
The tabernacle should be in the sanctuary behind the altar in either form of the mass.
 
sancte joseph:
The tabernacle should be in the sanctuary behind the altar in either form of the mass.
Click to expand...
My tendency would be to agree, but why then is this NOT the case at St. Peter’s and other major basilicas?
 
The rules aren’t so hard and fast, especially when it comes to places where there is a lot of traffic. A side chapel is necessary for it to be conducive to prayer. Aside from those major places, in parish churches the traditional and recommended place is in the sanctuary, dead center.
 
twf said:
sancte joseph:

My tendency would be to agree, but why then is this NOT the case at St. Peter’s and other major basilicas?
Click to expand...
jonkknox said:
The rules aren’t so hard and fast, especially when it comes to places where there is a lot of traffic. A side chapel is necessary for it to be conducive to prayer. Aside from those major places, in parish churches the traditional and recommended place is in the sanctuary, dead center.
Click to expand...
yea what he said 😃
 
jonkknox said:
Hello all,

Hoping some of you can help me with a question.

I’m praying and praying that at my church we can have a Traditional Latin Mass. It would take a miracle, but anything is possible. If we were to have the old Mass here, there might be a few problems that I don’t know how to address. (I’m studying how to serve at the altar, and I want to be able to know what needs to be done for when the time comes.)

The biggest question is the tabernacle. There is no high altar at our church- unfortunately it was ripped from the wall years ago and replaced with tacky wood paneling. The tabernacle is on a little movable stand off to the Epistle side of the church, against the wall. So the altar is about 30 feet from the wall in the center. Would the tabernacle have to be moved towards the center, or are there options for the tabernacle being off to the side? My books are from the 1930s - 1950s, so they all have the nice pictures of a high altar with tabernacle on the altar, and all the instructions assume this layout.

Thanks to any that can help!

In Jesus and Mary,
Jon
Click to expand...
It is not necessary that the tabernacle be behind the altar for you to have a Traditional Mass.

However, depending on how far the tabernacle is from the side, there might be a few logistical issues…regarding for example, genuflections when passing in front of it or placing of seats for the sacred ministers at a High Mass.
 
Hello jonkknox,

This may help you:

What follows is from the Apostolic Exortation Sacramentum Caritatis (Pope Benedict XVI, Feb. 22, 2007)

The location of the tabernacle
  1. In considering the importance of eucharistic reservation and adoration, and reverence for the sacrament of Christ’s sacrifice, the Synod of Bishops also discussed the question of the proper placement of the tabernacle in our churches. The correct positioning of the tabernacle contributes to the recognition of Christ’s real presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Therefore, the place where the eucharistic species are reserved, marked by a sanctuary lamp, should be readily visible to everyone entering the church. It is therefore necessary to take into account the building’s architecture: in churches which do not have a Blessed Sacrament chapel, and where the high altar with its tabernacle is still in place, it is appropriate to continue to use this structure for the reservation and adoration of the Eucharist, taking care not to place the celebrant’s chair in front of it. In new churches, it is good to position the Blessed Sacrament chapel close to the sanctuary; where this is not possible, it is preferable to locate the tabernacle in the sanctuary, in a sufficiently elevated place, at the centre of the apse area, or in another place where it will be equally conspicuous. Attention to these considerations will lend dignity to the tabernacle, which must always be cared for, also from an artistic standpoint. Obviously it is necessary to follow the provisions of the *General Instruction of the Roman Missal *in this regard. In any event, final judgment on these matters belongs to the Diocesan Bishop. (SC 69, italics and emphasis added)
 
AJV said:
It is not necessary that the tabernacle be behind the altar for you to have a Traditional Mass.

However, depending on how far the tabernacle is from the side, there might be a few logistical issues…regarding for example, genuflections when passing in front of it or placing of seats for the sacred ministers at a High Mass.
Click to expand...
Thanks, AJV. So would I assume that any time the server(s) moves from one side of the altar to another, that one wouldn’t genuflect at the center, but what instead?
 
In the history of the Church this question has been dealt with a number of different ways. Currently the EF Mass has the altar servers bow if there is no tabernacle on the altar. When I was growing up and serving what was then the OF I had the opportunity to serve in a cathedral that didn’t have a tabernacle on the altar – and we still genuflected when moving the books or when crossing the center. I don’t remember if this was out of habit (I don’t think so) or if we were told to genuflect anyway.

Deacon Ed
 
jonkknox said:
Thanks, AJV. So would I assume that any time the server(s) moves from one side of the altar to another, that one wouldn’t genuflect at the center, but what instead?
Click to expand...
No, you would genuflect at the centre to the altar cross. Only the priest would bow unless the Sacrament is on the altar.

Actually, in the USA, there was a well-founded custom that even received sanction and was included in early ceremonial works. It was that when there was no Tabernacle and the Sacrament was not on the altar, the altar boys and sacred ministers could also bow instead of genuflecting . Currently, I do not think any Traditional Masses in the USA observe this. It may be because lack of Traditional Masses for many years led to the destruction of various local customs, and a lot of Traditional priests are trained in Europe.

In any case, I think it would probably be better to follow the prevalent practice and genuflect to the altar cross
 
Hmm, okay. Well, I suppose the saying “When in doubt, genuflect” will hold here?

Thanks, AJV!
 
jonkknox said:
Hmm, okay. Well, I suppose the saying “When in doubt, genuflect” will hold here?

Thanks, AJV!
Click to expand...
I would have expressed it as “Always genuflect when passing the center” but yours sounds catchier. 😉 😛
 
jonkknox said:
The rules aren’t so hard and fast, especially when it comes to places where there is a lot of traffic. A side chapel is necessary for it to be conducive to prayer. Aside from those major places, in parish churches the traditional and recommended place is in the sanctuary, dead center.
Click to expand...
I’ll take a tabernacle wherever they want it. I just want the pastor/deacon to tell the parents of small children to stop running around it after the First Communion, Baptism, etc.
 
I don’t remember where I read this but I believe that traditionally, the Sacrament is reserved in a tabernacle at a side altar in Cathedrals, but in normal parishes, it is reserved in a tabernacle at the high altar.
 
KennethD said:
I don’t remember where I read this but I believe that traditionally, the Sacrament is reserved in a tabernacle at a side altar in Cathedrals, but in normal parishes, it is reserved in a tabernacle at the high altar.
Click to expand...
That is correct; the reason for this is that Cathedrals, being the capitol building of the diocese, are used for many more functions than just mass. During these functions, such as the liturgy of the hours and other types of formal prayers or ceremonies, it would undesireable to have the tabernacle dead center: stopping to genuflect, incence, and doing all of the things it is proper to do before the tabernacle would not fit with the correct celebration of these other functions. So in Cathedrals, it was customary to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in a side-chapel where it could be always adored – this way, people adoring the eucharist would not be interrupted by the other ceremonies, and people participating in the other ceremonies would be able to do them correctly.
 
well…i have a question…

my city has a co-cathedral that they just built but the tabernacle isn’t in the middle or in a side chapel it just on the side…

if the priest was at the altar he would only take maybe 5-10 steps…you just have to step of the elevated are and there it is on the left…

Is This Right?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top