THE PRESIDER'S CHAIR

The Presider's Chair in front of the altar is new and imposing: it should speak for itself. This is what the Roman Missal says about the chair in the Instructions to be found at the beginning of the Missal. "The Celebrant's Chair should draw attention to his office of presiding over the Community and leading its prayer. Hence the place for it is in the apex of the Sanctuary, facing the people. But the shape of the building or other circumstances may militate against this position; for example, the distance between the Priest and the people may then be so great as to make contact between them difficult."

Sometimes the Presider's Chair is called the President's Chair, or the Celebrant's Chair, for the chair highlights a particular role of the Celebrant who presides over the gathering. This is what the Mass is: the gathering of people in one place - here in this church - who believe in God and to whom God is very important; the gathering is presided over by a Priest who acts in the person of Christ; the gathering celebrates with Faith and Joy the memorial of Our Lord, in the sacrifice of the Eucharist.

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