Catholic Liturgy

I thought it was interesting to find out that prior to Vatican II (1962-65) the presiding priest of a parish used to perform the Mass in Latin and his back faced the congregation. This was intended to be a visible sign that illustrated that the priest was a mediator between God and the people. No one (well, unless you knew Latin) knew what the priest was saying during the Mass, they (those attending) simply trusted that the priest was saying the right things before God.

However, after Vatican II things radically changed within the Catholic Church. Mass was now spoken in the native language of the people. The priest began to face the congregation and he began a new role that involved teaching as well as fostering formation so that the congregation can be used within the community.