At no point during the Mass are the people mere spectators, an audience merely listening to the priest speak. Most especially, during the Eucharistic prayer, the people are to be offering their own sacrifice of praise together with the priest. The Eucharistic prayer is not a time for the people simply to listen to the priest speak on and on, but they are to unite their prayers with his prayers.
Pope Benedict XVI insists that this would be most effectively accomplished by the priest facing in the same direction as the people during the Eucharistic prayer (not facing toward/against the people, but with the people toward God) and saying the prayer in a quieter voice or even silently.
A study of what the priest is saying during the Eucharistic Prayer. And the essential importance of the consecration of the Eucharist.
Listen online [here]!
