From Where I Stand…(pt. 2!)
There is an old question based partly on philosophy, partly on the science of sound:
In the world of print and broadcast media there is a similar axiom whereby a writer (or broadcaster) may wonder whether anybody will receive the message. On a much smaller scale, more than a few priests have wondered whether their small bulletin blurbs are read by the good people who pick up a bulletin on their way out of church. I will wonder no more, for I believe my bulletin column of April 10 has occasioned more response than anything else I have written since I came to St. Charles. In fact, I received many messages, emails, letters, and even a few brief personal encounters in response to my observations in that bulletin column. The vast majority of correspondence was thoughtful and kind as you shared your perspective about the position of the priest vis-a-vis the altar - most expressing a preference to retain the current (nearly standard) practice of the priest standing behind the altar and facing the congregation during the Eucharistic Prayer. Another concern that you expressed was that I may have inferred that you - the People of God - are a distraction to me when leading prayer and worship. This caused me to go back and re-read what I had written. Please accept my sincerest apology - In no way did I intend to suggest that the Faithful, gathered for Worship, are a distraction. I can now see how that came across and it was certainly not my intention.
You may wonder what my intention was at all. To put it simply, I merely wanted to broaden the perspective of those who refer to this as "the priest turning his back on the people", that is, to point out that there is far more to that ancient practice than most people allow for. This, of course, is the reason I also referred to my experience in attending Divine Worship at the Anglo-Catholic Parish. I believe that we are never "too old" to learn and we should never become so set in our ways that we cannot appreciate a different, if legitimate, perspective.
That said, the greatest concern expressed by the many messages I received was a fear that I was proposing a change for our practice here at St. Charles. I did write, "I think this is something that we should prayerfully consider." and I can now see how that could be interpreted as such a proposal. Again, I should have chosen my words more carefully. When I received my assignment as pastor of St. Charles Parish nearly 4 years ago, I resolved to lead and guide this community to the best of my ability, but also according to the needs of the people in this parish. I don't believe that shepherding a parish can be done by a "cookie cutter" approach or simply by imposing the will of the shepherd upon the flock. It truly is an art which involves a growth in respect and understanding which goes both ways and takes into account the history of the people, and the gifts of both shepherd and flock. I admit that I may have not yet found the perfect balance point in that, but I assure you that I am trying. If, prior to sharing my thoughts on this matter, I thought changing the direction of the priest would be something we might consider, I am now clearly convinced that we, as a parish, are not ready for that, and I am content to move on exploring ways in which we might more fully enter into the Mystery of the Lord’s Sacrifice in a way which is consistent with the legacy of St. Charles Borromeo Parish.
-Fr. Joseph Totton