tabernacles

[daugher-of-Mary]

I was venting -_- today to a DRE from our area about how the students at our school are having a rather difficult time trying to coax the faculty into putting a tabernacle in the chapel which will be ready this coming fall. The woman said that the difficulty may be that the priest in charge of liturgy for our diocese (I didn't know he existed) has decreed that all churches or "worship spaces" built or renovated from now on shall have the tabernacle off to the side so that nothing distracts the congregation from the altar at Mass. Now, this is purely hear-say, but my question for you folks is can a priest or even the Bishop make such a decree and enforce it? Secondly, I KNOW I read something or other from the Vatican saying that the Tabernacle should be in a central location. Anybody know what that was?

[phatcatholic]

The Place for the Reservation of the Most Holy Eucharist

314. In accordance with the structure of each church and legitimate local customs, the Most Blessed Sacrament should be reserved in a tabernacle in a part of the church that is truly noble, prominent, readily visible, beautifully decorated, and suitable for prayer.125

The one tabernacle should be immovable, be made of solid and inviolable material that is not transparent, and be locked in such a way that the danger of profanation is prevented to the greatest extent possible.126 Moreover, it is appropriate that, before it is put into liturgical use, it be blessed according to the rite described in the Roman Ritual.127

315. It is more in keeping with the meaning of the sign that the tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved not be on an altar on which Mass is celebrated.128

Consequently, it is preferable that the tabernacle be located, according to the judgment of the Diocesan Bishop,[list]a. Either in the sanctuary, apart from the altar of celebration, in a form and place more appropriate, not excluding on an old altar no longer used for celebration (cf. above, no. 303);

b. Or even in some chapel suitable for the faithful's private adoration and prayer129 and which is organically connected to the church and readily visible to the Christian faithful.
[/list]316. In accordance with traditional custom, near the tabernacle a special lamp, fueled by oil or wax, should be kept alight to indicate and honor the presence of Christ.130

317. In no way should all the other things prescribed by law concerning the reservation of the Most Holy Eucharist be forgotten.131

Edited July 14, 2005 by phatcatholic

[phatcatholic]

btw, that was from the GIRM

[cappie]

This is from "Redemptionis Sacramentum"

[130.] “According to the structure of each church building and in accordance with legitimate local customs, the Most Holy Sacrament is to be reserved in a tabernacle in a part of the church that is noble, prominent, readily visible, and adorned in a dignified manner” and furthermore “suitable for prayer” by reason of the quietness of the location, the space available in front of the tabernacle, and also the supply of benches or seats and kneelers.[

Edited July 14, 2005 by cappie

[phatcatholic]

oh, to answer your question, he has the right to put it in a prominent location. unfortunately, not everyone defines "prominent" the same way..........

[Apotheoun]

The priest in your diocese has a theologically erroneous understanding of the nature of the relationship that exists between the altar of sacrifice and the tabernacle. The altar and the tabernacle are inseparable expressions of one and the same mystery.

I posted the information below in another thread, but it fits here as well:

[quote name='Apotheoun' date='Jun 29 2005, 03:09 AM']Sadly the tabernacle in many Roman Rite Churches is often in a small out of the way closet, which is nearly impossible to see or even find. In Byzantine Churches the tabernacle is always in the sanctuary on the altar.

The tabernacle and the altar are intrinsically bound together as one sacred mystery, and so to separate them is imprudent and theologically problematic. Pope Pius XII pointed this out in an allocution he delivered before the International Congress on Pastoral Liturgy in September 1956; in that address he noted that there was a ". . . lessening of esteem for the presence and action of Christ in the tabernacle," and he went on to say that, "The sacrifice of the altar is held sufficient, and the importance of Him who accomplishes it is reduced. Yet the person of our Lord must hold the central place in worship, for it is His person that unifies the relations of the altar and the tabernacle and gives them their meaning. It is through the sacrifice of the altar, first of all, that the Lord becomes present in the Eucharist, and He is in the tabernacle only as the [i]memoria sacrificii et passionis suae[/i]. To separate tabernacle from altar is to separate two things which by their origin and their nature should remain united." [Pope Pius XII, "Allocution to the International Congress on Pastoral Liturgy," from the book, [u]Papal Teachings: The Liturgy[/u] (Boston: Daughters of St. Paul, 1962), page 514]

Those who hold that the presence of the Tabernacle on the altar in the sanctuary somehow detracts from the Eucharistic sacrifice, have failed to grasp the fact that Christ's presence cannot be divided.[/quote]
[url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=35208&view=findpost&p=627158"][u]This question is long overdue, abuses in the liturgy?[/u][/url]

[daugher-of-Mary]

Thank you all! I will speak again with the faculty, and then petition the Bishop.