Editor’s Note: Enjoy the following commentary from Fr. George Rutler of the Church of St. Michael in New York City, who makes clear what Cardinal Sarah had in mind when he called recently for celebrating parts of the Mass facing East.
“In 2014, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea to be Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, with instructions to continue a ‘reform of the reform.’ After the Second Vatican Council, many changes in the liturgy were done virtually overnight, with no mandate from the Council, but motivated by what Pope Pius XII would have called a romantic ‘historicism’ based on a mistaken understanding of the early Church’s liturgy.
“Even some well-intentioned but misinformed Catholics have thought that inferior contemporary music and completely vernacular texts were the aim of Vatican II. A growing number of young Catholics understand better what the Popes want for the liturgy than some aging people who have not outgrown the confusion of the 1960s and 1970s.
“One change, never mentioned by Vatican II, was having the priest as a ‘presider’ face the people all through the Mass. It came at a time when people were increasingly preoccupied with themselves, and it encouraged a psychology of self-absorption. The venerable ‘ad orientem’ posture of the priest, always kept in the Eastern rites, is not a matter of turning his back to the people. Rather, the priest faces East to direct the faithful’s attention away from himself and toward the horizon symbolizing the Resurrection.
“The readings and preaching (the ‘synaxis’ or synagogue part) are done facing the people for they are instructive, but the Holy Sacrifice (the ‘anaphora’ or temple part) is offered with everyone facing in the same direction, rather than in what Pope Benedict XVI called an ‘enclosed circle.’ Pope Francis celebrates ad orientem in the Sistine Chapel. It has nothing to do with the placement of the altar, for the venerable manner — as in ancient basilicas — is a free-standing altar. In our own parish church, the ad orientem use is suitable for the altar in the nave as easily as at the older altar.
“As Cardinal Sarah points out, liturgical innovations were supposed to invigorate Mass attendance, but they had the opposite effect, not to mention the countless millions of dollars spent on church renovations which in too many cases ruined fine art. His Eminence has asked that parishes institute the ad orientem in the Ordinary Form by Advent, as a thing ‘good for the Church, good for our people.’
“Actually, no permission is needed for that, since the original General Instruction of the Roman Missal left the position as a legitimate option, so it may be instituted at any time. The ad orientem use will be a modest change, different from the way innovations were made in the 1960s with tactless abruptness.
“Cardinal Sarah said, ‘The liturgy is not about you and me. It is not where we celebrate our own identity or achievements or exalt or promote our own culture and local religious customs. The liturgy is first and foremost about God and what he has done for us’.”
Q. Concerning the question about why there was such a long time span between Adam and Eve and Christ’s coming on earth, it might be because God knew that Mary would be the first woman in history who would do it right. — S.J.S., Missouri.
A. You could be correct.
Q. In chapter 14 of John’s Gospel, Jesus said that “in my Father’s house there are many dwelling places” (another translation says “mansions” and another says “rooms”). Does this mean that non-Catholics will be in different rooms from Catholics? — D.M.D., Massachusetts.
A. No, it doesn’t mean that. There won’t be rooms or dwelling places or mansions in Heaven; there will only be eternal happiness in the glorious presence of God.
“This mystery of blessed communion with God and all who are in Christ is beyond all understanding and description,” says the Catechism of the Catholic Church (n. 1027). “Scripture speaks of it in images: life, light, peace, wedding feast, wine of the kingdom, the Father’s house, the heavenly Jerusalem, paradise: ‘no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him’ [1 Cor. 2:9].”
The Catechism says that “the life of the blessed consists in the full and perfect possession of the fruits of the redemption accomplished by Christ. He makes partners in his heavenly glorification those who have believed in him and remained faithful to his will. Heaven is the blessed community of all who are perfectly incorporated into Christ” (n. 1026).
Although faithful members of the Church founded by Jesus and guided by the Holy Spirit have the surest route to Heaven, the key to salvation for those who are not Catholics, as the Catechism just said, is to believe in Jesus and remain faithful to His will. How this can be accomplished by those who are ignorant of Christ was explained by Pope Paul VI in his Credo of the People of God:
“We believe that the Church is necessary for salvation because Christ, who is the sole mediator and way of salvation, renders himself present for us in His body, which is the Church. But the divine design of salvation embraces all men, and those who without fault on their part do not know the Gospel of Christ and His Church, but seek God sincerely, and under the influence of grace endeavor to do His will as recognized through the promptings of their conscience, they, in a number known only to God, can obtain salvation.”
While there will not be separate dwelling places in Heaven for each of the blessed, the saved will experience degrees of happiness that will depend on how devoted they were to God on earth. St. Paul explained this when he said that “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Cor. 9:6). He also said that “the brightness of the sun is one kind, the brightness of the moon another, and the brightness of the stars another. For star differs from star in brightness” (1 Cor. 15:41).
In other words, those who practiced heroic virtue on earth will shine brighter and enjoy a higher degree of happiness in Heaven than those who “backed into Heaven” after a spiritually mediocre life.
This situation, however, will not cause any envy or rivalry. Instead, said Fr. Charles Arminjon in his book The End of the Present World, “union, peace, and harmony will not reign any less in this countless array, in which the lesser ranks cooperate with the highest in the repose and harmony of all. The elect will form but one heart among themselves. Their one link will no longer be force or self-interest, but charity. Forming a single body, whose head is Jesus Christ, and having become living stones of the one building, they will share in the conquest with the same joy and the same love. Each will be rich in the richness of all; each will thrill in the happiness of all” (pp. 230-231).
Q. Can a Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness, or Christian Scientist or Seventh-day Adventist go to Heaven without valid Baptism or sanctifying grace? Let’s say they do not repent and die in their sins. Also, were King Herod or Julian the Apostate baptized and did they die without sanctifying grace? If so, were they probably condemned? — M.G., Alabama.
A. As for how those who are not Catholics can be saved, see the previous reply, but no one, Catholic or non-Catholic, who refuses to repent of his sins before he dies can be saved. Merely calling oneself a Catholic, like some of our present-day politicians, is not enough to get to Heaven if one promotes such grave evils as abortion and same-sex behavior and never repents for cooperating in those sins.
On the second question, we are sure that the two King Herods who were involved with Jesus were never baptized. As for Julian, who reigned as Roman Emperor from AD 360 to 363, he earned the title “the Apostate” because of his persecution of Christianity and his promotion of paganism. He was the last pagan emperor of Rome and died in battle at the age of 31.
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