“Without liturgical reform, there is no reform of the Church,” Pope Francis said emphatically last February during an address to the plenary assembly of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. His remarks came around the 60th anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy that was issued during Read more
Liturgical reform is crucial in the ongoing renewal of the Catholic Church. Pope Francis said this to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on Thursday. After what has been labelled as a significant address, discussion took place against the backdrop of the dicastery’s annual plenary assembly. The assembly focused Read more
The promulgation of Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, stands as a pivotal moment that ushered in a new era for the Catholic Church. Sixty years hence, we can reflect on the impact of this document on New Zealand’s theological landscape and liturgical practices. Sacrosanctum Concilium is the cornerstone of Vatican II because Read more
Of all that happened in the liturgy in the aftermath of Vatican II, only two events were visible to most people. First, was the disappearance of Latin (which had become a de facto badge of identity for many Catholics), and the second was the fact that now the president of the Eucharistic assembly ‘faced the Read more
On 11 October 1962, the Second Vatican Council opened, and a year later, Sacrosanctum concilium changed the Church’s liturgy. It was expected by most of the bishops that it would ratify a series of documents prepared by the curia covering a raft of issues – but in essence, this was seen as an exercise in Read more
Catholic liturgies and Masses will be using a new Lectionary in England and Wales from Advent next year. The Lectionary includes the scripture readings for Mass and the sacraments. The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has confirmed approval for the updated Lectionary. Cardinal Arthur Roche, Prefect of the Dicastery, has Read more
Reactions to Pope Francis’s decree Spiritus Domini have not been explosive. Indeed, the reverse is the case: bishops and presbyters around the world have said that it is merely a matter of words. After all, women have been reading for years at the liturgy – so calling them ‘lectors’ is just a needless formality! Women have Read more