and Liturgical Life

Let Us Praise, Adore and Give Thanks

Washington Theological Union Symposium Papers 2006

Franciscans and Liturgical Life

Let Us Praise, Adore and Give Thanks Washington Theological Union Symposium Papers 2006

Edited by

Elise Saggau, O.S.F.

The Franciscan Institute St. Bonaventure University St. Bonaventure, New York 2006 ©The Franciscan Institute St. Bonaventure University St. Bonaventure, NY 14778 2006

CFIT/ESC-OFM Series Number 6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the publisher.

The articles in this book were originally presented at a symposium sponsored by the Franciscan Center at Washington Theological Union, Washington, DC, May 26-28, 2006.

This publication is the sixth in a series of documents resulting from the work of the Commission on the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition of the English-speaking Conference of the Order of Friars Minor. (CFIT/ESC-OFM)

Cover design: Jennifer L. Davis

ISBN: 978-157659-1413

Library of Congress Control Number 2006940790

Printed and bound in the United States of America

BookMasters, Inc. Ashland, Ohio TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abbreviations...... vi Preface Ilia Delio, O.S.F...... ix

Chapter One Is Liturgy the Heart of the Church Today?...... 1 Catherine Dooley, O.P.

Chapter Two Sacramentality and Franciscan Worship...... 11 Judith Kubicki, O.S.F.

Chapter Three Franciscan Theology of the Eucharist: Does It Inform Our Lives?...... 27 James Sabak, O.F.M.

Chapter Four

Liturgy of the Hours and the Rhythm of Franciscan Life...... 51 William Cieslak, O.F.M., Cap.

Chapter Five Franciscan Devotionalism and Postmodern Culture...... 71 Daniel Grigassy, O.F.M.

About the Authors...... 91

ABBREVIATIONS

Writings of Saint Francis

Adm The Admonitions BlL A Blessing for Brother Leo CtC The Canticle of the Creatures CtExh The Canticle of Exhortation LtAnt A Letter to Brother 1LtCl First Letter to the Clergy (Early Edition) 2LtCl Second Letter to the Clergy (Later Edition) 1LtCus The First Letter to the Custodians 2LtCus The Second Letter to the Custodians 1LtF The First Letter to the Faithful 2LtF The Second Letter to the Faithful LtL A Letter to Brother Leo LtMin A Letter to a Minister LtOrd A Letter to the Entire Order LtR A Letter to Rulers of the Peoples ExhP Exhortation to the Praise of God PrOF A Prayer Inspired by the Our Father PrsG The Praises of God OfP The Office of the Passion PrCr The Prayer before the Crucifix ER The Earlier Rule (Regula non bullata) LR The Later Rule (Regula bullata) RH A Rule for Hermitages SalBVM A Salutation of the Blessed Virgin Mary SalV A Salutation of Virtues Test The Testament TPJ True and Perfect Joy

Early Biographical Sources

1C The Life of Saint Francis by Thomas of Celano 2C The Remembrance of the Desire of a Soul LJS The Life of Saint Francis by Julian of Speyer 1MP The Mirror of Perfection (Smaller Version) 2MP The Mirror of Perfection (Larger Version) ScEx The Sacred Exchange between Saint Francis and Lady Poverty AP The Anonymous of Perugia L3C The Legend of the Three Companions AC The Compilation LMj The Major Legend by Bonaventure

Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, ed. Regis Armstrong, Wayne Hellmann, William Short, three volumes (New York: New City Press, 1999, 2000, 2001) PREFACE

About two years before he died, composed his Canticle of the Creatures. Although he was very ill, blind, and near death, this light-filled hymn emerged from his inner depths as a song of praise and glory resounding throughout the whole creation. The Canticle, in a sense, recapitulated the life of Francis, a life of prayer, praise and adoration to the living God of overflowing love. His fidelity to the Liturgy of the Hours, his sacramental view of creation and his Christ- centeredness, all reflected in the Canticle, remind us that Francis’s life was, at its core, a liturgical life. Although liturgy may have been at the heart of Francis, Franciscans have paid little attention to the development of a Franciscan liturgical life and the import of this life for ministry. Daniel Grigassy points out in this volume that, while Franciscans should be at the forefront of liturgy and mission, others for whom liturgy is less characteristic, such as the Jesuits, have taken the lead. This lacuna raises several questions. How does liturgical life shape Franciscan life? Is there a “Franciscan” liturgical life and, if so, what is it? These questions are particularly important at a moment in history when the whole Franciscan intellectual tradition is under renewed consideration. We here at the Franciscan Center of the Washington Theological Union make our contribution to this renewal by engaging the Franciscan tradition with questions of contemporary significance. Since the import of liturgy on the shape of Franciscan life has received little attention, we gathered together experts in the field of liturgy, primarily Franciscans, to discuss the meaning of Franciscan liturgical life. Although the papers contained in this volume have a particular focus on the intersection between liturgical life and Franciscan life, we begin with the more general question, is liturgy at the heart of the Church today? Catherine Dooley, a Dominican Sister who teaches liturgy and catechetics at Catholic University of America, addresses this question with breadth and depth in her paper. Highlighting the present decline in church attendance, she offers a brief historical back- ground to the nature of liturgy, stressing the importance of mystagogy for participation in liturgy as a way of life. If liturgy is to be at the