From Southern Orders
By Fr Allan J. McDonald
You can only imagine what pre-Vatican II Catholics in this parish must have felt like in the mid 1960’s when their magnificent high altar and sanctuary were abandoned for Mass on a faux altar outside the sanctuary, floor level where most could not even see the altar, just the abandoned and now useless work of art altar created for so great a Mystery. In fact, the old high altar appears closer to the congregation than the one floor level. The floor level altar distances the congregation from the altar wheras the high one, completely visible standing, sitting or kneeling brought the Mass closer to the people.
This idiocy was repeated in almost every Catholic Church throughout the world and in so many cases the works of art altars, inspired by orthodox Catholic Faith in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, were ripped out and destroyed as though Taliban iconoclasts had invaded and destroyed that which did not fit their ideology.
Is it any wonder that only 12% of Catholics attend Mass today? New altars, as in this church and the manner in which Mass is celebrated, does not inspire Catholics to be enthralled with the Mass as were the Catholic Faithful who provided the now obsolete high altar behind the new blah.
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