Do I Have to Go? : 101 Questions About the Mass, the Eucharist, and Your Spiritual Life by Matthew Pinto & Chris Stefanick

Author:Matthew Pinto & Chris Stefanick [Pinto, Matthew]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Ascension Press
Published: 2010-12-02T05:00:00+00:00

52. I once went to a "teen" Mass in which everyone gathered around the altar. Now I've heard that this is no longer permitted. Is this true?

Yes. According to the most recent edition of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), issued in 2003, the practice of members of the congregation gathering around the altar is not allowed. While some may argue that such a practice has some benefit, at the end of the day, we must defer to the wisdom and the authority of the Church on all matters pertaining to the Mass. As Vatican II states, "the regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, which rests specifically with the Apostolic See and, according to the norms of law, with the bishop" (see Sacrosanctum Concilium, no. 22).

Despite the initial enthusiasm teens may experience, the practice of gathering around the altar at Mass might actually hurt their faith. In a self-centered culture that has generally lost a sense of reverence for what is sacred, we need reminders that some aspects of our faith, including the liturgy, are “set apart." In the Old Testament, for example, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, the most sacred part of the temple. This is also why older Catholic churches used to have an altar rail that separated the congregation from the sanctuary.

As former youth ministers, the authors understand that gathering around the altar during Mass could have some positive effect on teens and young Catholics. But gathering young people around the altar, not as appropriately-vested Mass servers but as members of a youth group, emphasizes fellowship—a secondary element of Catholic worship—at the expense of reverence for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

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