What are your wise thoughts on this?

[jesusmademe]

I went to a Mass some months ago. The Priest celebrated the OF ad orientem. I did not see this as I was behind people and a pillar. A friend told me about it aftetwards. It did not feel any different from versus populum.
Is the question whether we should have versus populum or ad orientem actually only about sight? It would probably be different for the Priest as he would turn around to the people at a mass celebrated ad orientem. But then we have the EF celebrated versus populum in some ancient churches.
What do you wise people say about this?

 

[Peeps]

I say that this entire issue of ad orientem and versus populum isn’t worth worrying about. To me, it’s about as important as “stuffing vs. potatoes for dinner tonight”.

I say the more important issue is how each of us can obey Christ’s Great Commission, and preach the gospel to all the world, baptize new believers, and teach them to observe all that Jesus taught us.

Equally important is the issue of how each of us can obey the Greatest Commandment, to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the Second Commandment–to love our neighbor as ourselves.

 

[theunworthyservant]

I definitely think you should check out Dr. Taylor Marshall’s YouTube channel, he provides great reasoning as to why ad orientem is preferred. What I remember him saying (don’t quote me on this) is that with versus populum the priest is more likely (but not always) to make the Mass centered around his personality, and consequently draws attention and reverence away from the Holy Eucharist. With ad orientem, the priest and the laity face east, in the direction of (preferably) the Tabernacle; all face towards God which expresses the focal point of our worship. It is also less likely that the priest would make a spectacle of himself, since he is facing the altar and can easily focus. Although just to clarify, there are some Novus Ordo priests who celebrate versus populum reverently (EWTN Daily Masses are good examples of these types of Masses). The problem regarding the attention garnered by the celebrant when celebrating versus populum can be solved, but it still is very tempting. Ad orientem seems to be more coherent with ancient tradition and Catholic teaching. Whether it is the OF or EF (since both Masses are valid), it is always a noble and reverent way to celebrate the Mass ad orientem.
Here is a quote from Cardinal Sarah, the Prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments:
“To convert is to turn towards God. I am profoundly convinced that our bodies must participate in this conversion. The best way is certainly to celebrate – priest and faithful – turned together in the same direction: toward the Lord who comes. It isn’t, as one hears sometimes, to celebrate with the back turned toward the faithful or facing them. That isn’t the problem. It’s to turn together toward the apse, which symbolizes the East, where the cross of the risen Lord is enthroned.”

 

[Tis_Bearself]

The Case for Ad Orientem - Ascension Press Media

 

[StudentMI]

I like the concept of ad orientem. I plan on attending a Latin Mass at a parish in Detroit once all this virus stuff is over.

Oddly enough we already celebrate ad orientem in my parish, but that means the priest faces us anyway!