Bishop D’Arcy: the tabernacle is...to be prominently located in the sanctuary...along the central axis

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My parish church was remodeled about 10 years ago, and one of the changes was to relocate the tabernacle from the side to directly behind the main altar. It looks much better.
 
I agree that the tabernacle shoud be in the sanctuary and in a prominent place but I don’t agree that it should necessarily be behind the main altar. In my parish church there is an enormous crucifix hanging on the far wall of the apse directly behind the altar. That wall, unlike the rest of the 100 year old church is totally plain except for the crucifix. When the old main altar was removed early in the 1980’s the idea was to make the crucifix the focal point for the parishoners during Mass so that we would have a better understanding of the sacrifice that was being offered on the altar.
The tabernacle was moved to the small altar on the right side of the sanctuary. What used to be called “Mary’s Altar”. It is beautiful. The altar itself is made of the same white marble as the main altar, There is a highly polished copper baldachin over it. The tabernacle itself is made of marble with a bronze door. The door is always covered with a tabernacle veil that corresponds to the liturgical colours of the season as is the linen altar cloth. The sanctuary light that hangs from the ceiling is also made of copper. There are always fresh flowers on the gradine behind the mensa. In front of the altar is a prie-dieu and a leather upholstered chair. To the side are seven rows of votive candles. The holders are always in the liturgical colours too.
Our Tabernacle is completely visible from anywhere in the church. Whenever I stop in during the day, there is always someone either kneeling or sitting in front of it. As far as kneeling towards the tabernacle goes, I don’t usually pay much attention to what other people do but it seems to me that when I have paid attention, most will kneel toward the tabernacle not the altar.
I’ve been in many old churches where the original main altars were kept in place and the Tabernacle was never moved. That’s the way I knew it growing up but now I admit to finding it somewhat distracting . Personally I much prefer it the way it is in my current parish.
 
Kudos to His Excellency. I think it should be required that our Lord is displayed prominently in the Tabernacle behind the Altar.
 
I don’t think it likely that parishes all over are going to suddenly start renovating though. Our tabernacle is to the right of that altar (as you face it) and is very visible throughout the church. I don’t know that parishes like mine or Frosty’s would really benefit from spending the money to move the tabernacle.

I have been to other church though where the tabernacle is in a separate chapel, not the main church. Or kind of tucked away in a corner. In churches like that I do see the value in ensuring that the faithful always know where the tabernacle is by moving it to a more prominent spot.
 
Every parish that I have belonged to has always had the tabernacle in the center of the sanctuary just behind the main altar. On the occassions where I visited a Catholic church and the tabernacle was in a side chapel, it was a little awkward at first going into that church and like I have been acustomed to genuflect toward the tabernacle, but I had to search for it. I will say that when discovered, this little chapel was quite an intimate space for those adoring. When I walked into a church where the tabernacle was at a side altar up front and in plain view, it was not as awkward entering the church but it was still as if Our Lord was not in a prominate place. This is just my impression. I’m sure that those like Frosty and SrSally have come to appreciate and love their adoration chapel or space and taken great care of that space, but I also appreciate Archbishop D’Arcy’s ruling on this for his Archdiocese.
 
catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=34101 My respect for Bishop D’Arcy is growing by the minute.

*** …word from his diocese demonstrates that this successor of the Apostles “gets it.” Some misguided folks think that those of us who want the tabernacle given a place of prominence in order to promote adoration, prayer and real spiritual warfare are trying to somehow “turn the clock back.” No, we just understand the words of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians about the real struggle we face and we know that Prayer is the key! (See, Eph. 6: 12)!***
 
I often go to mass at a church that has the tabernacle behind the altar and the people don’t act differently than at my church where the tabernacle is slightly to one side. Things will only change if the priests would just ask (and keep on asking!) for a respectful silence in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament and would give teachings at mass on the real presence. It doesn’t require changing the placement of the tabernacle to promote adoration, prayer and real spiritual warfare. But it does require reaching those busy Catholics who don’t go to other devotions at the parish but do go to mass. This is where they have to be reached. A priest who believes and really cares about this can make a big difference in a parish.
 
stbruno said:
catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=34101 My respect for Bishop D’Arcy is growing by the minute.

*** …word from his diocese demonstrates that this successor of the Apostles “gets it.” Some misguided folks think that those of us who want the tabernacle given a place of prominence in order to promote adoration, prayer and real spiritual warfare are trying to somehow “turn the clock back.” No, we just understand the words of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians about the real struggle we face and we know that Prayer is the key! (See, Eph. 6: 12)!***
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Perhaps the most amazing thing about all of this (tabernacle placement where it is visible and prominent) is that it is unusual and newsworthy.
 
Lepanto said:
Bishop D’Arcy: the tabernacle is normally to be prominently located in the sanctuary of the church, along the central axis behind the main altar

diocesefwsb.org/WORSHIP/tabernacles.htm

Your thoughts?
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Our parish has the Tabernacle located on a side Altar. When EMHC enter the Sanctuary to distribute Holy Communion we are told to genuflect to the Tabernacle. Personally, I think this is incorrect however; I am not going to argue with Father. If our Tabernacle were central, we would not be confusing the faithful…, which I know we are. Why would we be genuflecting to the Tabernacle when the Sacrifice is presently taking place on the Altar? And the Tabernacle is empty when we return to our seats after Holy Communion and Jesus is still present on the Altar ~ so we genuflect to an empty Tabernacle…very confusing.

The Tabernacle in the center unifies the Sacrifice on the Cross, Jesus in the Tabernacle, and the Sacrifice on of the Altar during the Holy Sacrifice of Mass. It also clearly identifies the priest as in persona Chirsti between the Cross and Tabernacle and the Altar. I see so many connections and teachable moments when the Tabernacle in the center.

I think the most appropriate place of the Tabernacle in the Church is center behind the Altar.
 
I am so thrilled to read this news! I have recently joined a new parish in part because the lack of reverance towards the Blessed Sacrament in my old parish was saddening to say the least. The tabernacle in this church was located in a shallow alcove off to the side of the sanctuary but still conspicuous and prominent. I always remind my elementary aged school children that when you enter a church you look for the tabernacle and then genuflect towards it to adore Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. I was very upset, to say the least, when my oldest daughter came home from school in September last year and said that they are being taught NOT to adore the Blessed Sacrament when entering church but, rather, bow to the altar.

After talking to her teacher, the principle and the deacon I finally met with the pastor from whom I learned this directive came. He was apparently not happy that I question his authority, stating that he has several theological degrees and who do I think I am to suggest his teachings are not correct. He believes that the church teaches when enters a church for the purpose of attending mass, their focus should be on the altar as that is “where it is happening”. Furthermore, according to him, after mass since we just recieved the Eucharist we are all “living tabernacles” and therefore we do not need to show any special attention to the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the “real” tabernacle. He also said that Jesus never said “come adore me in the tabernacle” and people never genuflected to Jesus while he was here on earth, so why bother? I couldn’t believe it, it was beyond sad.

I agree completely with the poster who stated it will take more than just moving the tabernacle to foster devotion and the due reverance/adoration to the Blessed Sacrament…it will take strong, true catechesis. I worry that with some of the more “unorthodox” priests out there this might not happen. We can never, never stop praying for our priests.
 
Hello,

I wish I had Bishop D’Arcy in my parish, he knows how the inside of our churches used to look and thinks that they should be looking that way again. I totally agree with him. So many Catholic church’s look like Protestant churches in the inside, to me it’s scary. My family have found several Catholic church’s that still have the tabernacle front and center, we are now trying to decide which church to start going to on a regular basis.

eiram
 
Bishop Murphy had our tabernacle moved out of a chapel and placed to the center of the reredros(decorative carved wall thingy) in order to remind our parish of reverence in mass and the importance of the Eucharist. We still have a bit of talking before and after Mass in the church but not as much as there used to be.
 
Bishop D’Arcy is my bishop and I applaud him on this. Nothing is more sad to me than going to a different parish and playing “tabernacle hunt.” The Eucharist is the heart of our spiritual and sacramental life…the tabernacle should be front and center!
 
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