Another Bishop Points Out The Obvious
If we're a 'Christ Centered Church', why isn't Christ centered in all our churches?

You know things are pretty screwed-up when it takes a BISHOP to re-emphasize the Sacrament of Confession, or that Christ should be the central focal point in our churches.

And yes... I'm making a BIG DEAL over this. Think about it -- if you were taught to treat your spouse as "no big deal", it's only a matter of time before you treat your spouse like dirt.

With that in mind, here's some of an article from the Catholic News Agency; (Emphasis mine)

Tabernacle placement must be 'central and visible,' Bishop D’Arcy says

Bishop John M. D'ArcyFort Wayne, Ind., Jul 19, 2009 / 04:56 am (CNA).- Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend John M. D’Arcy has issued new norms on the placement of the tabernacle in churches, aiming to end controversy on the topic.

The bishop described the new norms and the reasons for them in a July 19 letter posted on the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend website and addressed to priests, deacons, religious, and all the faithful.

“The presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is at the center of our faith and of the devotional life of our Catholic people,” his letter began.

Saying tabernacle placement has become “a source of controversy,” he said the Eucharist should always be “a means of unity and communion, and never of division.”

“The place of the tabernacle in our church should reflect our faith in the real presence of Christ, and should always be guided by church documents,” Bishop D’Arcy continued.

In his experience, people have always desired the tabernacle to be “central and visible” and find it “confusing” when it is not.

The norms state that the tabernacle should be “prominently located in the sanctuary of the church, along the central axis behind the main altar ... at an elevated, open location in the apse area, or in another central place in the sanctuary that is equally conspicuous.”

If a high altar with a tabernacle remains in place, the norms add, “it is appropriate to continue using this noble structure for the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament.”

The norms are to applied to all future construction or restoration projects, and in churches where the tabernacle is not centrally located a consultation should begin to determine how to do so.Our Bishop here in the Diocese of Raleigh, well over a year ago instituted essentially the same thing;

106. As the Real Presence of Christ, truly present in the Holy Eucharist, the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the tabernacle located in or near the sanctuary of the church building such that is truly noble, prominent, readily visible, beautifully decorated, suitable for prayer, and sufficiently elevated. The tabernacle is therefore not to be located behind where the assembly is seated in the nave. Care is also to be taken not to place the chair of the principal celebrant in front of the tabernacle or in any such fashion that will obscure the tabernacle from the assembly.

Permission for the tabernacle to be located in a chapel for daily Mass will be given if the reservation of the Holy Eucharist can also be maintained in the main church building according to the stated norms.Just in the Cape Fear Deanery (where I live), one of the larger parishes finally placed the Tabernacle front and center... after approximately one year from the Norms being announced, and well past the implementation date. Hmmm... In all honesty, I'm not sure of all the in's-and-out's in this specific case, but how hard can it be?

And there's another 'Community'(?) here that still has Christ in the Broom Closet. I'm not going to say who, but just type "Liberal Catholic" in this blog's search engine upper left. Anyhow, they've still yet to place the Tabernacle front and center... but it is "near the sanctuary".

They must have an ACLU bottom feeder on the parish council who argued that point.