Author: Remnant Disciple

Traditional Catholic; member of Jesus' Remnant Army; leader of a Jesus to Mankind Prayer group since 2010. Prayer group leader for about 25 years.

Evil intent: Amoris Laetitia Part 2

+AMDG+

“So we won’t speak plainly, … then I will draw out the conclusions.”

(See previous post Evil intent: Amoris Laetitia Part 1)

Some examples of the evil intent of this papacy:

1.Explosive language pertaining to homosexualiy was allowed to be presented at the synod. These suggest ideas which oppose Church teachings: CCC: #2357; Gen.19 13: Story of Lot and city of Sodom; (Ezek. 16:50); (Lev. 18:22, 20:13); (Rom. 1:26–28, 32); and (1 Cor.6:9–10). 

2. Admission by (pope) Francis: Deliberately NOT speaking plainly regarding Communion for divorced and remarried.(See Evil intent: Amoris Laetitia Part1) Jerusalem Bible: Matthew5:37 “All you need to say is ‘Yes’ if you mean yes or ‘No’ if you mean no; anything more than this  comes from the evil one.”

 

3. Despite the final Synodal Relatio affirming that marriage is for one man and one woman, it inserted paragraphs that support homosexual unions.

4. Pope videos – pagan images projected onto the Vatican on the feastday of the Immaculate Conception; the ‘I believe in love, (no mention of God) – all religions are equal video- contrary to the teachings of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

5. Washing the feet on Holy Thursday of women and Moslems, etc are a direct insult and put- down of the dignity and role of the priesthood. It denigrates the meaning and symbolism of the ceremony.

6. #Amoris Laetitia ¶3 Each country/region can seek solutions better suited to its culture/traditions/local needs  [aka protestant style federation of (40000+) churches, no central church magisteriurm, relativism] (TTcrusader                  

7. #AmorisLaetitia ¶301 “It can no longer simply be said that all those in any irregular situations are living in a state of mortal sin “ [ie adulterers (divorced/remarried), sodomites, fornicators are not in a state of mortal sin, sin does not exist, and the 6th commandment is washed away] (TTcrusader)

8. #AmorisLaetitia footnote #351 “In certain cases this can include the help of the sacraments” [ie adulterers (divorced/remarried), sodomites, fornicators may  receive holy communion] (TTcrusader)

9. #Amoris Laetitia uses half- quotes from Encyclicals to suit his own purposes. E.g. ‘ a statement from Familiaris Consortio of John Paul II which notes that that there can be situations “where, for serious reasons, such as the children’s upbringing, a man and woman cannot satisfy the obligation to separate.” The rest of the statement was deliberately omitted. “they ‘take on themselves the duty to live in complete continence, that is, by abstinence from the acts proper to married couples.” See : http://voiceofthefamily.com/key-doctrinal-errors-and-ambiguities-of-amoris-laetitia/ 

10. #Amoris Laetitia not only uses half-quotes but twists them by inserting footnotes: e.g. Amoris Laetitia has not only eliminated reference to “complete continence” from the quotation from John Paul II, but has actually inserted a footnote suggesting that “complete continence” might, in some cases, not in fact be possible or even desirable.See: http://voiceofthefamily.com/key-doctrinal-errors-and-ambiguities-of-amoris-laetitia/

11. Pope Francis uses words originally written about married couples and applying them to those living in adultery. E.g. Footnote, no. 329 originally from (Gaudium et Spes, No. 51). Instead of “But where the intimacy of married life is broken off, its faithfulness can sometimes be imperilled and its quality of fruitfulness ruined, for then the upbringing of the children and the courage to accept new ones are both endangered”(Gaudium et spes) he states “In such situations, many people, knowing and accepting the possibility of living ‘as brothers and sisters’ which the Church offers them, point out that if certain expressions of intimacy are lacking, ‘it often happens that faithfulness is endangered and the good of the children suffers’.”

See http://voiceofthefamily.com/key-doctrinal-errors-and-ambiguities-of-amoris-laetitia/

“…the Pope intentionally manipulated the synodal process — against the will of the Bishops –to get an outcome that he knew would not be otherwise acceptable.” 

See   http://www.onepeterfive.com/pope-speaking-plainly-communion-divorced-messy/

Reading for today from Book of Truth:I died for you. Because of this you must trust Me now

+AMDG+

This message was the third one  opened at JtM CPG meeting on Tuesday 3 May, 2016, after a Prayer to the Holy Spirit. (The first reading (from the Bible) was posted  yesterday) The prayer theme was: Discipleship.

  1. I died for you. Because of this you must trust Me now

19 December 2012

My dearly beloved daughter, I must warn you that criticism will mount against you and my word, given to you at this time. You must not allow distractions or doubts to stop you from imparting every single word I give you. Man must never doubt the prophecies handed down since the day of Moses. Not one prophecy contains untruths.

Now as I reveal to the world the secrets and my plans for humanity, kept from you, up to now, do not turn away. For I present to you now many things still to come, which you, my disciples, must be informed of, so that you do not fail to prepare for my glorious return. Let no one deny themselves the gift I bring of eternal life.

Those amongst you, fortunate to enter the new era when Heaven and Earth will become one, must follow the path of truth. Now is the time for your faith in me, your Saviour, to be truly challenged and tested. You will soon be bullied into rejecting my messages. Every effort will be made to force you to reject my word and to declare the truth to be heresy.

Turn your minds now to my birth.To the teachings I gave humanity so that they could learn how to prepare their souls. To the sacrifice made by My Death on the Cross to salvage souls. I died for you. Because of this you must trust me now.

I am the light, which shines down upon the path you must walk.

On either side of this path, evil spirits will pull at you, torment you, try to get you to walk back the same way you came and into the darkness.  They will do this through the taunts of others who will pull you apart because of your loyalty to these messages.

You must stay in silent meditation, read my word and feel my presence.

Allow my Holy Spirit to calm your heart and feel My Love envelop you.

As your pain intensifies, because of this mission, know that you are in full union with me, Your Jesus. Never give up. Do not reject My Hand of Mercy.

Allow me to embrace you in order to give you the courage needed to continue on this journey with me until the day I come to reward you.

Your beloved Jesus

 

Reading for today from the Book of Truth: Good Friday is the Day I desire, and this year, especially, to be remembered for what it really means

+AMDG+

This message was the second one  opened at JtM CPG meeting on Tuesday 3 May, 2016, after a Prayer to the Holy Spirit. (The first reading (from the Bible) was posted  yesterday) The prayer theme was: Discipleship.

2. Good Friday is the Day I desire, and this year, especially, to be remembered for what it really means

5 April 2012

Good Friday is the day I desire, and this year especially, to be remembered for what it really means.

My Father sent me into the world and offered me, as a ransom, to save the world from the fires of Hell. I came to serve you, children, not to condemn you.

My Death was a special grace, free of any obligation on your part, other than to accept the hand of mercy, given to you by my Eternal Father. T his gift was offered to allow mankind to receive the gift of reconciliation, so that they can be made fit to enter My Father’s Kingdom.

Before I was crucified I attended a very important Passover supper with my apostles the night before My Death on the Cross. This last supper provides another special gift. The gift of celebrating the Holy Eucharist, is a sacrament of love, to provide you with a unique gift where you can truly receive me in Holy Communion.

My true presence, contained in the Holy Eucharist in the world today, when celebrated during holy Mass, provides very special graces to those in a state of grace who love me, who receive me. My presence can be felt in a way, which will strengthen your faith, when you accept my true presence in the Holy Eucharist. If you reject my presence, in the Holy Eucharist, you reject one of the most significant gifts I left behind when I came to Earth to atone for your sins.

I died to save you and this is, in itself, a great gift. But, I left you a very special gift, where you can receive me in mind, body and spirit. Accept my presence and your soul will become closer in true union with me.

Accept me. Do not forsake me. Do not deny me.

Believe, without any doubts in your hearts, that it was because of the Love of God, the Father, that these gifts were bestowed upon you. Reflect now on the real truth of My Teachings Do not accept my Crucifixion, without accepting the gifts also offered to you at my last supper. If you do, you will be starving your soul of the food of life.

Your beloved Jesus

Redeemer of mankind

Reading for today from Bible

+AMDG+

This message was the first one  opened at JtM CPG meeting on Tuesday 3 May, 2016, after a Prayer to the Holy Spirit. (An overview of the JtM CPG meeting was posted  yesterday) The prayer theme was: Discipleship

Bible: (Douay Rheims) 1Cor.1:30 – 1Cor 2:1-16

[30] But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and justice, and sanctification, and redemption:

[31] That, as it is written: He that glorieth, may glory in the Lord.

[1] And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not in loftiness of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of Christ. [2] For I judged not myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified. [3] And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. [4] And my speech and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in shewing of the Spirit and power; [5] That your faith might not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

[6] Howbeit we speak wisdom among the perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, neither of the princes of this world that come to nought; [7] But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, a wisdom which is hidden, which God ordained before the world, unto our glory: [8] Which none of the princes of this world knew; for if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. [9] But, as it is written: That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him. [10] But to us God hath revealed them, by this Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

[11] For what man knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of a man that is in him? So the things also that are of God no man knoweth, but the Spirit of God. [12] Now we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit that is of God; that we may know the things that are given us from God. [13] Which things also we speak, not in the learned words of human wisdom; but in the doctrine of the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. [14] But the sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God; for it is foolishness to him, and he cannot understand, because it is spiritually examined. [15] But the spiritual man judgeth all things; and he himself is judged of no man.

[14] The sensual man: The sensual man is either he who is taken up with sensual pleasures, with carnal and worldly affections; or he who measureth divine mysteries by natural reason, sense, and human wisdom only. Now such a man has little or no notion of the things of God. Whereas the spiritual man is he who, in the mysteries of religion, takes not human sense for his guide: but submits his judgment to the decisions of the church, which he is commanded to hear and obey. For Christ hath promised to remain to the end of the world with his church, and to direct her in all things by the Spirit of truth.

[16] For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that we may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Evil intent: Amoris Laetitia Part 1

 +AMDG+

“If we speak explicitly about communion for the divorced and remarried,” said Archbishop Forte, reporting a joke of Pope Francis, “you do not know what a terrible mess we will make. So we won’t speak plainly, do it in a way that the premises are there, then I will draw out the conclusions.”

Background:

On May 3rd, Forte proclaimed on the Italian news website, Zonalocale.it, “Not a new doctrine, but the merciful application of that ‘old wine’ that, as is known, is always the best.”

 “Forte was the man personally chosen by Pope Francis as the Special Secretary for the synods on marriage and family, and he is widely believed responsible for the  insertion of the explosive language  pertaining to homosexuals in the 2014 Synod’s mid-term relatio.

Conclusion:

What is most important to note is …that the Pope intentionally manipulated the synodal process — against the will of the Bishops –to get an outcome that he knew would not be otherwise acceptable.

Above excerpts  from “Forte: Pope Did Not Want to Speak “Plainly” Of Communion for Remarried”.  See   http://www.onepeterfive.com/pope-speaking-plainly-communion-divorced-messy/

Comment

“Pope Francis made this statement as “a joke” as reported by his friend, Bruno!! What an awful “Joke” which was not a joke at all because he did it. It shows evil intent.” (Donna Liane)

He was laughing at his own cunning (can only come from one place) strategy and at us! Who else could twist the truth in such a manner? This strategy is diabolical because it puts man above God. We can already see the potential damage to the Sacraments of Marriage, Eucharist and Penance; the challenges against the 10 commandments (denial of existence of sin);the “no-one will be condemned forever” theory which means commit all the mortal sins you like.

Pretty soon, we will be told that we don’t need confession, that Jesus didn’t need to die on the Cross; and that one religion is as good as another (Wait! Didn’t he already say that?) – pope video

Talk about Vatican II and the ripple effect of all the changes that were not intended in the document — you haven’t seen anything yet!

Don’t forget the messages in the Book of Truth: Stock up on Bibles, Crosses and Crucifixes, Rosaries, Seals, scapulars and anything that is holy and of Christ – because they won’t be available. As people wake up to the truth, these things will be in demand.  (Remnant Survivor)

God bless

JtM Crusade Prayer Meeting, Tuesday, 10th May, 2016

+AMDG+

Our prayer theme today:  Discipleship

All the readings, chosen at random after a prayer to the Holy Spirit, are listed below. We will post each message in full, in a separate post each day. An overview of the readings will be posted below.

1. Bible: (Douay Rheims) 1Cor.1:30 – 1Cor 2:1-16

2. Good Friday is the Day I desire, and this year, especially, to be remembered for what it really means    (5 April 2012)

3. I died for you. Because of this you must trust Me now    (19 December 2012)

Prayer Group:  Overview of the Readings

The Bible reading from St Paul’s letter to the Corinthians talks of wisdom, which comes from God.It speaks of the Spirit which is in us (that comes from God)and that helps us to discern spiritual things. St Paul, as a disciple teaches us of what is important as a disciple and how we need the wisdom that comes from God, not an earthly, sensual wisdom. The Spirit of God helps us to “know the things that are given us from God”. He reminds us of our reward “That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him.” The reading  talks of St Paul teaching “Christ crucified”

The second reading (from the Book of Truth) is also about the Crucifixion. Jesus tells us that His death was a very special gift to us, as also at the last Supper, when He gave us another special and unique gift – that of being able to receive Him in Holy Communion.  He tells us that  receiving Holy Communion at Mass strengthens our Faith.

Jesus asks us to accept His gifts – to accept Him – to not deny Him or forsake Him. He asks us to reflect on the REAL truth of his teachings. This reading is very appropriate at this time when His teaching about the Eucharist is being twisted (Amoris Laetitia).  He tells us that we have to accept the Crucifixion (that He died for our sins) as well as the gift given to us at the Last Supper (i.e. the Eucharist). He gives us a warning – that  if we don’t we will starve our souls of the food of life.

The last reading again talks of the Crucifixion that He died for us and that we must trust Him. Jesus again asks us not to turn away from Him; that we must not doubt the prophecies and that we (as disciples) must impart every single word of them. Jesus warns us that we will be bullied to reject the messages and to reject the truth as heresy. (In other words, we must be very clear what is Truth and what is heresy.) Jesus tells us that evil spirits will torment us and pull at us.

Jesus tells us never to give up and that He will embrace us to give us the courage we need!

The theme for today was “discipleship”, and indeed, the readings chosen for us by the Holy Spirit today emphasized our role as disciples – what we must do and what we will face and how Jesus will support and strengthen us.

 

 

Reading for Today from the Book of Truth: “Heed not the roars of opposition for human opinion means nothing in My Kingdom “.

+AMDG+

This message was the last reading  opened at JtM CPG meeting on Thursday 5 May, 2016, after a Prayer to the Holy Spirit. The third reading was posted  yesterday. The prayer theme was: Faith, Church, Family, Priests, Nations

4. Heed not the roars of opposition for human opinion means nothing in My Kingdom

30 August 2014

My dearly beloved daughter, perseverance in suffering brings a soul closer to Me and I reward such trials because of it. Never underestimate how My Presence in a soul never goes unnoticed by the evil one, who is drawn quickly towards those souls where My Presence is strongest. Accept suffering in My Name and understand that the reason for it is because of Me. Were I not present the evil one would ignore you.

The Graces, which I lavish on those who love Me the most, and who have shelved every aspect of self-love and pride, includes the Gift of discernment. This is a very special Gift from Heaven and blessed are those who have the grace to discern the Truth for they are the ones who will never be swayed by falsities. Those of you who are given this Gift will bring Me souls. But for every soul you bring Me, and because of your prayers and suffering, the evil one will try to stop you. Know that the Glory of God which is present by your side will draw forth a terrible venom and you will be cursed in My Name by those weak souls, who are like fodder for Satan and every demon he has released to destroy souls on earth.

Be at peace and know that when you uphold the Truth – the Word of God – in the face of adversity, all Power of Mine is wielded to save souls. For each soul you bring Me I will lavish more Graces upon you and so it will continue. Heed not the roars of opposition for human opinion means nothing in My Kingdom. You must always see one another as if through My Eyes. Have I not told you this before? Don’t you understand the most basic lesson, which I taught during My Time on earth? Love one another as I love you. If you cannot love your enemies then you will find it more difficult to come closer to Me. If you place yourself before others, then you cannot say you love Me unconditionally for if you did you would say to Me

“Jesus I am not worthy to stand before You, but do with me what You will as I will do as You desire.”

Go all of you and remind yourselves as to Who I Am. Only when you live your lives according to My Teachings can you really say you are of Me. You cannot take one part of My Word and proclaim it loudly and then deny other parts. To those who declare their superiority over others, and who present their twisted versions of My Word, and when this results in the drawing of souls away from Me, I say this. The day when I withdraw My Presence in the world, will be when the mighty and the proud will cry tears of anger, and then despair, for they will know then how their deceit caused many souls to fall and the anger of God will make them tremble. There will be screaming and gnashing of teeth. But by then, they will have nowhere to turn. They will have no one to answer to for they will never see My Face.

Your Jesus

Reading for Today from the Book of Truth: “Ecclesiastical masonry has now reached the greatest level of power within My Most Holy Church on Earth”.

+AMDG+

This message was the third reading  opened at JtM CPG meeting on Thursday 5 May, 2016, after a Prayer to the Holy Spirit. The second reading (which was from the Book of Truth) was posted  yesterday. The prayer theme was: Faith, Church, Family, Priests, Nations

  1. Ecclesiastical masonry has now reached the greatest level of power within My Most Holy Church on Earth

30 September 2013

My dearly beloved daughter, I must ask all of My sacred Servants to watch out for the summons to attend retreats, which will be introduced to persuade them to agree to a new oath of allegiance, which will render useless – should they agree to do this – their most sacred vows, which they made to me, Jesus Christ.

Ecclesiastical masonry has now reached the greatest level of power within my most holy Church on Earth and it will soon dictate its new liturgy, which will be in defiance of my most holy will.

Created by the enemies of God and disguised as a new adaptation to suit political powers, who want to ban Christianity, it will be presented so quickly that many within My Church will be astonished.

They will be pained to see such an abomination, but the voices of my loyal servants will not be heard in public, for they, the masons, control how this new liturgy will be perceived in every way.

Every objection raised in dioceses throughout the world will be dismissed and cast aside. The excuse will be that the Church needs to recruit new young souls who have fallen away from it. By appealing to a secular world, they will say that this will convert more people through a new liturgy.

Oh how deceitful this abomination will be and how many will fall for the lies, which will lead so many away from the truth.

The Book of Truth was foretold to the prophet Daniel so that God’s children would never forget the truth when they are drowning in the lies which will devour My Church on Earth. Accept the truth laid down by My Church on Earth.

Do not accept the new laws, which you will be forced to accept in my holy name, which will amount to sacrilege.

Your Jesus

Reading for Today from the Book of Truth: “. One half will not deviate from the Truth. The other half will twist the Truth”.

+AMDG+

This message was the second one  opened at JtM CPG meeting on Thursday 5 May, 2016, after a Prayer to the Holy Spirit. The first reading (which was from the Bible) was posted  yesterday. The prayer theme was: Faith, Church, Family, Priests, Nations.

2. One half will not deviate from the Truth. The other half will twist the Truth

21 November 2012

My dearly beloved daughter, for every stern message I give to all of God’s children always remember that My Love is ever merciful.

My patience is all enduring and I will save every single person who calls on My Mercy, irrespective of the gravity of their sins.

How I yearn to free all from the grasp of the deceiver who tightens his hold on every soul he has seduced, so that many are powerless against his strength. Let no man fail to understand this. When you have sold your soul, willingly, to Satan, he will not let you go free. Only I can set you free.

When those souls, who are lost to me because of the sinful lives they lead, try to change their ways, they too, will struggle against the beast. For this is a beast who is aggrieved and he is vicious. For many, even those who are devoted to me, their Jesus, he will become like a thorn in their side from time to time.Nothing will satisfy him until you yield to his temptation, which differs from person to person. Because every single one of you is a sinner, and will continue to be one until you are cleansed of sin, accept sin as a fact, but fight it.

To those of you who know me intimately, you know that you can trust in My Mercy, always. You know the importance of keeping in daily communication with me. This can be as simple as chatting to me during your working day. This is a perfect time to offer little sacrifices to me. If someone hurts you, offer this trial to me so that I can save souls because of it. If you are disturbed about the struggles you face, which you have no control over, you must allow me to take your burden away.

Many people work long hard hours both inside of and outside of the home. All I ask is for you to turn to me in your thoughts when you need support and help, for I will answer your prayer. Never make the error by thinking that you can only communicate with me during your time in Church, or before and after receiving the holy sacraments.

I am there at every moment of the day. I respond to every request, if it is according to my holy will. My beloved disciples, you are all God’s children. I unite you, nation with nation, so that I can bring peace and unity amongst the chaos, which will come.

Let me bring you into my holy family and you will be strengthened. Then you will rise and surge forward, renewed and with a new lease, to lead my army, which has not yet been formed in many countries. Keep loyal to my instruction. Please spread the seal of the living God everywhere. It must not be sold. It must be available for everyone. Pass copies to all those who need to be protected.

The division between the loyal followers, those who accept My Father’s book, the most holy Bible, and those who want to change the truth, is about to become wider. One half will not deviate from the truth. The other half will twist the truth.

They will do this to suit their own political and personal motivations, which will be hidden behind a couched language. The truth will soon be declared to be a lie and God will be accorded the blame. They will disrespectfully declare that the laws laid down by my Holy Vicar are old fashioned and do not suit modern society.

Every cunning argument will be in direct conflict with the Laws of God, which amount to this. These people want to introduce laws, which legalize sin. They do not love God. They say that they do, and many of those who promote such laws are atheists, but do not reveal their true beliefs. Many of their plans include the banning of Christian laws. On the one hand, they tolerate the laws, which allow women to abort children because of lifestyle choices. They use the arguments of choice, but this choice applies to the needs of the mother not the child.

Many women will be tormented after they destroy life in this way. Many will feel a sense of loss because they will know in their hearts that the life that they destroyed was created by God. Every powerful and convincing argument will be made to bring about the legislation of abortion. Every trick, used to garner support, which amounts to abortion being introduced for all. For this sin, I will tear down their countries.

The sin of abortion causes My Father great pain and he will not allow this to continue. The nations, which constantly try to make it available to more women and who promote it as being a good thing, will be taken out and dealt a punishment from which there can be no recovery. They will be guilty of the sin of murder and will be one of the first groups who will suffer pain during The Warning.

God will not allow you to touch the lives he created. His punishment will be meted out upon you in the form of Earthquakes and many nations will continue to receive punishment after punishment until the day of the lord. Abortion and murder will be the two sins for which My Father will cast down a severe chastisement upon the world. Sin, my disciples, is something like a stain, which blights your souls every day. But when you are in a state of grace, that sin diminishes.

The more you receive the sacraments of holy communion and confession, the greater the graces you receive. To those of you who attend daily Mass, very special graces are given to you. For you, my devout followers will be passed through the gates of my Paradise quickly.

Go now and spend a little more time with me. Chat to me. I like light chatter and it brings me closer to you. I yearn for you. I yearn for the intimacy I crave, so I can bring you closer to me. You can build a wonderful relationship with me simply by becoming a friend first. Then our love will build until such time that your heart will burst with love for me and mine for you.

It is not complicated, to begin a new fresh beginning, to prepare for My Kingdom. Start now. Call on me. If you love me, you will soon trust in me and this will lead you towards the cleansing of your soul. You will be happier, at peace, and nothing of the outside world will mean anything, except for the pain of sin, which you will witness. I am right here. I am waiting for you. I want mankind to be able to get to know me properly.

I love you.

Your Jesus

 

Should our churches have high altars?

+AMDG+

What Vatican II says about Altars and Tabernacles:

“Altars for Mass ‘facing the people’ were not mentioned in any of Vatican II’s 16 documents.  Nor, as Msgr Klaus Gamber proves in The Reform of the Roman Lituirgy, Its Problems and Background, was there such a practice in the early Church. Similarly, Fr Josef A. Jungman S.J. said  “The claim that the altar of the early Church was always designed to celebrate facing the people, a claim made often and repeatedly, turns out to be nothing but a fairy tale” – quoted from AD2000, November, 1998.

Moreover, the priest facing the people over the altar may actually be hindering active participation in that the laity have become spectators and the Mass reduced to interpersonal relationships with the priest. See CNCC no.152 pp.10-11, September 29th, 1997, for “Mass ‘facing the people’ or ‘leading them to the Altar’.”

The latest word on the placement of the tabernacle comes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church §1183. “The tabernacle is to be situated in churches in a most worthy place with the greatest honour. The dignity, placing, and security of the Eucharistic tabernacle should foster adoration before the Lord really present in the blessed Sacrament” cf  §1379. N.B. The CCC makes no mention of side-chapels for parish churches.

 Source: Newsletter Cardinal Newman Catechist Centre No. 161 p.5; 5th April, 1999. Editor/author The Rev. B.J.H. Tierney.

A Personal reflection

(From Remnant Child of Mary  who attends the Novus Ordo Mass, as well as the Traditional Mass when she can):

When the priest faces the altar, he prays with us and for us, as one of us, before Almighty God. I feel in reverence and awe of God, as I should – and my prayers and thoughts are ordered and directed to Him. 

Even when the priest faces us for the homily and Gospel– proclaimed to us, by him- again, it is appropriate. Afterwards, we all turn back to God, to Whom the Praise is owed. There is a joint sense of holiness and humility as we join together in prayer and attitude  – not a sense of he (the priest) is up there and we just have to watch and give an occasional response- towards a man who is not God, and not above us. In this latter case (the Novus Ordo Mass), we are disconnected from the altar, as if it is a table,  and distracted- by the man looking back at us. Not deliberately so but lacking a more compelling concrete image, it occurs and so all we can do is close our eyes and try to imagine  it all in our minds.

 By contrast, at the high altar we see a man with altar servers and acolytes postured in the most reverent way towards God the Most Holy, his attention never straying elsewhere, fixed on the cross, the altar, the prayers of the Mass and the Sacred Species. 

And all this can be theorized as promoting worship, in one direction or another, depending on the underlying beliefs and interests but NOTHING can substitute for the difference in experience, no matter what the explained intention of moving the altar was. It has to be experienced (without prejudice) to be understood. 

Cardinal Ratzinger: The Church does not require Dismantled High Altars

Michael Davies, (an Irishman) wrote to Cardinal Ratzinger requesting clarification about a problem in his local parish where the bishop wanted to remove the “exquisitely beautiful high altar” and “ the Blessed Sacrament demoted to the side altar of our lady”. The letter was dated 12th June 1996. Cardinal Ratzinger’s letter was “published in full in The Nationalist of 10 January 1997” after a court case.

Part of the letter states:

 “With respect to the placement of the tabernacle, the instruction Interoecimenici  (26.9.1964) par 95, which implemented the decisions of Sacrosanctum Concilium, states quite clearly that the Blessed Sacrament be reserved on the high altar, a possibility envisaged also by Eucharisticum mysterium (25.5.67) par 54….

It is certainly true that a great number of churches since the second Vatican Council have been rearranged; such changes, while inspired by the liturgical reform, cannot however be said to have been required by the legislation of the Church….”

Source:  AD2000 magazine, October 1998 p.10

Another personal reflection:

I have always loved my Catholic Faith.  I remember the Latin Mass from  my teenage years, but then spent about 30 years being very involved in my local Novus Ordo parish.  I began to question some of the things which were being done in the name of Liturgy. One day, I started searching for answers. I was led by Providence, to the Traditional Latin Mass. It was new in our area. I felt right at home from the beginning. I still had my old Missal, and surprisingly, my husband and children also accepted it immediately. My husband and I felt right at home.

I would still (and still do, occasionally) attend a Novus Ordo Mass. One day, I had to take my granddaughter to Mass, as her mum was away. I took her to the parish where she and her mum usually attend, and which is a fairly conservative parish. It was Sunday evening, and after Communion there was a reflection (a meditation with  liturgical movement). At the time I thought that it was tasteful and thought that it was good for the teenagers to be so involved. I had no problem with what they were wearing or their demeanour. I said to myself “ It’s funny. At one stage,  I would have been really impressed, but today I feel nothing.” It didn’t move me. I wondered why it was so. Almost immediately, I heard a little voice (my guardian angel?) saying: “This Mass pleases the senses and the Traditional Latin Mass pleases the soul.” This made sense to me immediately. I understood! This explanation hit the nail on the head.  (Remnant Survivor)