To My Boys: September 25, 2020
Good morning!
One of the things we have greatly missed during this time of quarantine has been the constant visits from alumni. We always encourage graduates to make their way back to campus to visit their teachers and counselors, tour the new things that have been built, and stay for lunch. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen much of that since March.
If the alumnus graduated some time before 2017, they will pop their head into the chapel and notice the various changes that took place during the remodeling. One of the first nuances is where the altar is located. You may not know this, but for hundreds of years (okay, actually for about 35 years) the altar was located on the west side of the chapel, closer to the dining hall. When Architect Jorge Hernandez started to rethink the layout for the chapel, a decision was made to place it on the other side.
Why? Well, there are two reasons.
The first reason is practical. If you happened to walk into the chapel late, after mass had started, you were walking in towards the front. In that situation, both the priest and all others at mass would see you as you made your way in. If you’re a priest that wrestles with attention deficit (like yours truly), then you would get distracted and may be forced to give the tardy individual the evil eye. Nothing worse than an evil eye from the elevated position of the altar. Placing the altar on the east end of the chapel helped tone down any distractions.
The second reason is theological and, without a doubt, the more important reason. The gospel of St. Matthew says, “For just as light comes from the east and is seen as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be” (v.27). At mass we celebrate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and, just like the sun that rises in the east, it is Jesus, the Son, who rises from the dead. It is for this reason that traditionally altars in churches were always placed on the east side of the building. In Latin, it was referred to as ad orientem. That way people would face in the direction of the rising sun as the priest elevated the host and chalice in the air.
Unfortunately, nowadays with all the restrictions placed on construction and with the ever-growing problem of limited space in the city, new churches have to be built wherever and in whatever direction is allowed and most convenient. Take our new chapel for example. The only space available on our campus to build it did not allow for the altar to be placed on the east side. It actually will face south. But take a look at the much older churches in Miami (e.g. Gesù, Little Flower, St. Patrick’s, St. Mary’s Cathedral) and you will note they all have their altars facing east.
So, now you know. If there is one thing I love about our Catholic faith, it’s that every practice, every action, every word, and prayer is loaded with powerful purpose and meaning. We are probably not aware of most of it, but it is there for us to discover. A treasure trove of symbols and meaning that not only enrich our faith but give glory to God.
Auspice Maria
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: communications@belenjesuit.org
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: communications@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba, by Queen Isabel II of Spain. The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline. In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the school's property and expelled the Jesuit faculty. The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow. Today, Belen Jesuit is situated on a 34-acre site in western Dade County, just minutes away from downtown Miami.