Tabernacle location

[pax]

Where is the tabernacle positioned in your Parish? Do you like it or not?

In our Parish its located off to the side on the far right. Personally, I would like it behind the Altar in a place of greater prominence.

 

[KC Catholic]

Ours is in the behind the alter, where it should be!

 

[Wolseley]

Ours is in the center of an ornate reredos, right behind the altar, where it's supposed to be.

 

[isshinwhat]

Ours is in a side Chapel. It is a nice Chapel, but still, I wish it were behind the altar.

Question to the learned here. Should we still genuflect before seating, even though the tabernacle is not in the Sanctuary? I do, but I kneel a little [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]-eyed so I can face the tabernacle in the Chapel (you can see it through windows between the Sanctuary and the Chapel).

Neal

 

[nyj]

Originally posted by isshinwhat

Question to the learned here. Should we still genuflect before seating, even though the tabernacle is not in the Sanctuary? I do, but I kneel a little [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]-eyed so I can face the tabernacle in the Chapel (you can see it through windows between the Sanctuary and the Chapel).

If the tabernacle is not present (or if it is empty) one is not obligated to genuflect. Rather, a bow directed towards the altar is appropriate.

Our tabernacle is located in the chapel, which is connected to the Church but is not a part of the Church building itself. We do keep consecrated Eucharist in the tabernacle for purposes of adoration and emergencies but for Mass we bake bread and use that rather than the host that is commonly used.

If anyone considers this a "protestantization", that is their right, but it's also then my right to wipe the floor with their face.

 

[KC Catholic]

Originally posted by nyj
If anyone considers this a "protestantization", that is their right, but it's also then my right to wipe the floor with their face.

/me says todays "secret word" is "protestantization"

NYJ...uh...do you put honey in the bread that you are making for Mass?

JUST KIDDING!

 

[Annabel Lee]

Ours is also in the side chapel. When I was growing up it was behind the altar.
I still genuflect anyway. Never could get used to that "newfangled" bowing!

protestantization... try saying that ten times fast!

 

[Warrior for Jesus]

Ours is behind the altar, where I love to see it.

What is the reasoning behind moving it to the side or even to a completely different room?

 

[pax]

I think the reason for moving it to a side chapel is so it is more easily accesable for people that want to adore. Personally, however, I don't understand the concept of moving it off to the side and would much rather see it behind the altar in a place of greater prominence.

 

[Warrior for Jesus]

Thank you, Pax. I still think if people are willing to go to a chapel and kneel in front of the Tabernacle, they would get more out of kneeling in front of a filled Monstrance. Then they can actually gaze upon our Lord.

 

[pax]

Originally posted by Warrior for Jesus
Thank you, Pax. I still think if people are willing to go to a chapel and kneel in front of the Tabernacle, they would get more out of kneeling in front of a filled Monstrance. Then they can actually gaze upon our Lord.

I agree 100%. I definitely prefer the Monstrance.

 

[kern]

I cannot find the one in the church I go to, although I have only been 3 times and haven't searched around for it.

I did not know that the genuflecting was because of the tabernacle, I assumed it was just a general thing to do!

-Chris

 

[Warrior for Jesus]

Have you been Catholic long, Kern?

 

[kern]

Not really. I was baptized in a Catholic church at 10 and had first communion maybe 11 or 12, and went to some CCD classes. But the memories of those days are pretty dim -- the only two things I remember about CCD was that the 5th grade teacher said he saw Satan in front of K-mart, and the 6th grade teacher yelled at me for disrespecting God's word because my Bible fell off my desk.

After that we moved and started going to Presbyterian church, then I went through the common agnostic period, but now I am back to Catholicism (more seriously this time). I think I have gone to mass for the past 10 or 11 weeks, possibly a little bit more.

BTW, are you the same Warrior for Jesus from the Rapture Ready board? You have a lot more stamina than most, I think

-Chris

 

[Wolseley]

The idea of moving the Tabernacle off to the side was an innovation from Vatican II; I think a lot of it had to do with the awful architecture of some of the "new" churches built since that time.

IIRC, Vatican II stated that the Tabernacle is supposed to be in clear sight of the faithful inside the church; but as with a lot of things, the "liturgists" corrupted this into the cool idea that they could shunt it off into a corner or a back room somewhere, and thus they could focus more attention on their own novel ideas.

You'll have to excuse me---I have little use for professional "litugists". IMHO, they do more harm than good.

You know the difference between a liturgist and a terrorist?

---You can at least negotiate with a terrorist.

 

[LilyLamb]

I have to say this - when I first saw the title of this thread I did a double-take and had to laugh cause my DD is in PA with a team that is working on setting up an authentic, realistic Tabernacle like the one the Israelites used during their 40 year wilderness travels.

Unfortunately the thing collapsed after a heavy rainstorm and they have been working hard to get the mud off everything (real animal skins and silk panels etc) and repair the broken cherubim, candelabra etc ... once it is repaired then she will be there to do tours.

Just had to throw that in

 

[VOW]

To Lily:

In the forty years of going around in circles in the Sinai Desert, I'm sure the Israelites underwent a rainstorm or two. Sure makes you wonder how THEY dealt with the messy aftermath!

Thanks for sharing your story!


Peace be with you,
~VOW

 

[Warrior for Jesus]

Originally posted by kern
BTW, are you the same Warrior for Jesus from the Rapture Ready board? You have a lot more stamina than most, I think

-Chris

Yes, Chris, that is I. I am trying to take a sabbatical from there so I don't get kicked off of it totally. I do enjoy a good debate, but I don't know how good the debates are over there.

I will be back, though. Unless FirstCor bans me altogether.

 

[HisLamb]

In our church it's behind the altar. The first time I went into a Catholic Church that didn't have the Tabernacle behind the altar, I thought I'd wandered into a Protestant Church.

A church in a town adjoining our town has the Tabernacle behind the altar, but they have perpetual adoration in a side chapel also.

 

[Fr. Rob]

Originally posted by HisLamb
A church in a town adjoining our town has the Tabernacle behind the altar, but they have perpetual adoration in a side chapel also.

I find this discussion quite interesting. I can see both sides of the equasion. The Vatican II documents forbid, as I recall, do not permit the Blessed Sacrament to be reserved in two places in the same Church. There is to be one tabernacle, no more. Thus, when there is one in a Blessed Sacrament Chapel, there is not to be a second one placed behind the Main Altar.

In St. Peter's in Rome, the High Altar has never had a tabernacle anywhere near it. The tabernacle, if I recall my geography, is in a side chapel.

There are a few advantages to a Blessed Sacrament Chapel: 1. It is quieter. In large churches, one person walking across a stone floor produces a cacophonous echo that is not very conducive to prayer. Also, in our modern day and age, it is much harder for parishes to find ways to justify leaving the doors open and unlocked to the main Sanctuary/nave, given theft issues. (I once got to Church on Sunday before the First Mass to find the Tabernacle had been openend and Mary had been knocked of the wall and shattered into pieces.)

Blessed Sacrament Chapels need have very little, as the Blessed Sacrament is the focus. I do not like the idea, though, of a perpetual adoration chapel - unless you have folks who are scheduled and who have backups they can call to do the adoration. The issue of theft and use in black-masses is too great.

Blessings,
Fr. Rob