Turning your back on the kids...

Interesting article:

http://gkupsidedown.blogspot.com/2008/05/high-schoolers-facing-east.html

We had a similar occurrence with 7th graders after a confirmation retreat. At said retreat, much to the chagrin of Sr Pant Suit and Fr Bud from the GIA sponsored diocesan conference, we traded felt banners for sweet copes and arts and crafts time for an ad orientem mass (i.e. the priest was facing the same direction of the kids). Wait!...it gets worse...

Instead of a "trust exercise" we prayed the liturgy of the hours.

Instead of an "eco spirituality" talk we had the sacrament of confession available.

Instead of kids gathering around the altar in a circle we had orientation during liturgies, a schola leading chant in English and Latin, smoke, and even....::gasp::....bells!!!

In other words, we did what Vatican II asked.

So what was the outcome of the priest "turning his back to the kids?"

After explaining the whats and whys of ad orientem celebration and experiencing it (without bashing versus populum) they asked why on earth we do it any other way. They said that they felt even more connected to the actions of the priest and felt that they were all gathered before God in a more reverent atmosphere.

Amazing. 7th graders love oriented celebration. Good thing the new missal presumes oriented celebration which makes it easier to implement it.