Liturgy Newsletter Vol. 6 No. 4 September 2006 A Quarterly Newsletter prepared by the Liturgy Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales

Changes to Holydays of Obligation n Africa, as everywhere In May the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales voted its approval to transfer in the world, the liturgy Imust deepen and nour- to Sundays those Holydays of Obligation which are Solemnities of the Lord, namely, ish people’s faith. Unless there is a passing from the Epiphany, Ascension and The Body and Blood of the Lord. The importance of these historical-technical aspect days is such that the bishops were anxious that all members of the Catholic Church of the liturgy to the experi- ence of an encounter with should be able to celebrate them. The bishops have long been concerned about the way the Lord, there is a danger that large numbers of the faithful are unable to take part in the celebration of Mass on of formalism. days of obligation which fall during the week. Their consultation within their dioceses, A liturgy which fails to take the pastoral aspect and in particular the representation made by Councils of Priests, persuaded that it was into consideration can now timely to approve the change. harm our people’s faith! The difficulty lies in The decision of the Bishops’ Conference was advised to the Holy See and its recognitio achieving formation which instills a sense of was granted on 13 July. The changes take effect from the 1st Sunday of Advent, 2006. the liturgy technically The Liturgy Office website contains full details of the changes, and confirms calendar complete but at the same time incisive from the dates for these celebrations from 2007-2010. pastoral point of view, and nourishes the faith In a statement advising of the changes, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor wrote of the people taking part, leading them to encounter that they have been made to assist the Church in England and Wales to celebrate more the Lord. profoundly the mysteries of the life and mission of the Lord. The Liturgy Office has Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don, prepared two sets of materials under the title Keeping These Days Holy. The first is dis- Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship cussion material to help deaneries review present practice and plan for the future; the and the Sacraments second contains background information regarding the changes; pastoral notes regarding the worthy keeping of Sunday and other Holydays and extracts on the same theme from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Pope John Paul II’s apostolic letter, Dies Domini. These resources can be downloaded from the Liturgy Office website.

Bishop Roche at USCCB translated and received the recognitio of As has been widely reported in the the Holy See. It is not possible to say yet Catholic Press, Bishop Roche, Chairman when all this work will be completed. of the Department for Christian Life and The full text of Bishop Roche’s address Worship, was invited in his capacity as can be read on the Liturgy Office Chairman of ICEL to address a recent website: www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/ meeting of the United States Catholic Resources/Missal/US+AR.html Conference of Bishops. Following his address the Bishops of the United States Promoting Liturgy in Africa The first congress for the promotion of voted their approval, with amendments, the liturgy in Africa and Madagascar held of the grey book translation of the Ordo on the African continent took place from Missae submitted to them by ICEL. July 5-9 in Ghana. The congress brought That translation has now been approved together 100 members of bishops’ commis- Contents by a number of English speaking Bishops’ News 1–3 sions for liturgy, from all over the sub-Saha- ‘Special Liturgies are Conferences, including that of England ran area and Madagascar. A special message gloriously useless 2 and Wales. The English and Welsh Con- was sent to participants by Benedict XVI, Forming new disciples in Europe 3 ference has submitted its approved text to who sees signs of hope in the liturgical the Holy See for recognitio. However the Documentation awakening of the continent and the pro- Benedict XVI translation will not be introduced, until found spirituality of the African peoples. The Mystery of the the whole of the Roman Missal has been living Bread 4

Liturgy Newsletter — Page  Coming Events Archbishop Albert Malcolm spiritual aspects of the liturgy: authentic sensus liturgicus, in a way Ranjith Patabendige Don, Sec- transcendence, sense of the sacred which is, so to say, infectious so Panel of Monastic Musicians The Language of Liturgy. A confer- retary of the Congregation for and of mystery, profound interior they become enthusiastic. ence at St Hilda’s Priory, Sneaton Castle, Whitby. 25-29th September Divine Worship and the Sacra- participation, etc.’ An interview with the Arch- 2006 ments, took an active part in the He advised that the Final bishop can be accessed in the Society of St Gregory Summer School Congress. He spoke afterwards Report is shortly to be pub- Zenit archive for 2006.07.24: 30th July to 3rd August 2007 at of its importance and the merit lished in English, ‘the fruit of www.zenit.org/english/ Sneaton Castle, Whitby. For further details go to www.ssg.org.uk resulting by meeting away from an encounter, of reciprocal News of coming events can also Rome. ‘It was an opportunity exchange between the bishops Scholarship be found at: www.liturgyoffice.org. The Mgr James Crichton scholar- uk/Newsletter/News.html to hear the voice of Africa there and our Congregation for Divine ship provides a partial bursary for on the spot, to dialogue with Worship and the Discipline of diocesan priests of England and them and take part in their local the Sacraments.’ Wales for study at San Anselmo, liturgies. The latter would have The Archbishop has empha- Rome. The bursary is available for been impractical for a meeting in sised that those serving the the academic year 2006-7, and for Rome.’ liturgical development of the the following years. Please apply The Archbishop noted that Church in Africa need more to: The Preside, Pontificio Istituto ‘The Congress provided an than a technical knowledge of Liturgico, Piazza Cavalieri di Malta opportunity to review the variety the liturgy and its history. It is 5, Roma I-00153, Italy. of practices introduced through important, he says, that formators processes of inculturation. The should transform that knowledge Still waiting congress proved for stimulat- with pastoral wisdom and must The secretariat of the 2005 ing a desire for more complete present it in such a way that Synod of Bishops on the Eucha- knowledge of all the profoundly those being formed ‘acquire an rist continues to assist Pope ‘Special Liturgies are gloriously useless!’ The quote comes from Fr. McCarthy, of SPRED or carers beforehand to find out an experience (SPecial REligious Development). He speaks of related to the symbol and will be able to share that those liturgies that are often prepared ‘for’ people experience with the group. It may seem simple but with learning disabilities. His point is not that special authentic symbols always help us access not just liturgies are frivolous but often they are not litur- our memories but a living present, which contains gies at all! They are too cerebral, too full of added a hope for the future and which helps to carry us ‘activity’. into the future. Next we interiorise this experi- SPRED originated in the Archdiocese of ence by listening to the Word of God and receive a Chicago in the 1960’s, and is now used across the message from the leader catechist as Jesus speaks to continents of Africa, America, Australia and Europe. our hearts. The format is always the same - “John, Local parish SPRED groups welcome and recognise Jesus says to you today…; Mary, Jesus says to you the giftedness of people with learning disabilities. today…” Each person individually receives the Their ultimate goal is to help each disabled person same message. We are then invited to express our to be integrated into his or her own parish. thanksgiving through song and gentle movement. SPRED uses a method of symbolic catechesis 3. Finally we move to a space where we cel- based within a model of friendship. Each disabled ebrated Agape. A meal shared together in friendship person within a SPRED group has a special friend and love where we catch up with all our news and (catechist) who accompanies them in their journey events of our lives. of faith — this is a two-way journey, as catechists Each time we meet we use the same pattern, gain just as much, if not more, from the friendship! although the symbol and the message changes! This They live their faith through SPRED. Because we repeated ritual enables our learning disabled friends are all on a continuous journey of faith, SPRED to come to understand or know what is going to is not a time limited programme — it is a way of happen, they become comfortable with the ritual experiencing life-long catechesis. and it helps them to grow in confidence in their Each time a SPRED group gathers, there are 3 SPRED group. main elements to the session: This process is so similar to what is expected of 1. A time of quiet activity for minds to slow the relationship between ‘ordinary’ liturgy, ‘ordinary’ down and people to become truly present to those catechesis in ‘ordinary’ life. Maybe one of the things around them, and ready to receive the Word of that makes so-called ‘special’ liturgy so challenging God. for people is that although our faith tradition is rich 2. We then move into a Celebration space in symbolism and ritual — so often we seem just to where the leader catechist guides our reflection ‘go through the motions’. together on a common symbol. This might be SPRED is one way of enabling people with a flower, a bowl of water, a photograph, in fact learning disabilities to take their rightful place in anything that we will all have experienced at some our church — if you would like to know more time in our lives. We next share our experience. For then click on www.spred.org/ those who do not use words to express ourselves Patricia Lenihan RSC their special friend will have spoken to family

Page  — Liturgy Newsletter Benedict in the preparation of dealing with statutory bodies Celebrating Sunday Evening the postsynodal apostolic exhor- responsible for listed buildings. Prayer is published by Canterbury tation. Pope Benedict has said: ‘In Consecrated for Worship is pub- Press [www.scm-canterburypress. acred polyphony, “ad limina” visits bishops asked lished by Catholic Truth Society co.uk] £25.00, particularly that [www.cts-online.org.uk] £9.95. of the so-called me: “But when will the postsyn- Recent additions S odal text finally come?”’And I “Roman School,” is a Celebrating Sunday to the Website legacy to preserve with replied: ‘They are working on it. Evening Prayer care, to keep alive and They will not take too long.’ A resource book to assist par- Cycle of Prayer to make known, not only for the benefit of experts ishes and communities celebrate New resources to support the New Publications and lovers of it but also Sunday Evening Prayer. The Cycle of Prayer both for indi- for the entire ecclesial Consecrated for Worship volume, prepared by the Lit- viduals and parishes have been community, for which produced by the Liturgy Office. it constitutes a priceless A teaching and policy docu- urgy Office, includes guidance They can be freely downloaded spiritual, musical and ment for the Catholic Church in for preparation and material for cultural heritage. from www.liturgyoffice.org. England and Wales. It concerns celebration. Drawing on the ideas The Bartolucci Founda- uk/Calendar/Cycle the building, alteration, conser- of the ‘Cathedral’ or ‘urban’ Office tion aims precisely to safeguard and spread the vation and maintenance of the the book encourages parishes to Holy Communion and celebrate Evening Prayer over classical and contem- Church’s places of worship. It People with Coeliac Disease porary tradition of this a liturgical season. The use of assembles material from the litur- The Liturgy Office has produced famous polyphonic elements repeated from week school that has always gical books of the Roman Rite this simple leaflet to explain the to week allows people to enter requirements of the Church with been distinguished by its and the teaching documents and form, focused on singing into the prayer. Above all it is regard to the bread used at Mass. guidelines of the Holy See. In alone without an instru- intended to show to parishes that There is widespread confusion mental accompaniment. addition it applies and develops celebrating the Office is about amongst clergy and laypeople An authentic renewal of that teaching to the particular more than words but can engage alike. The leaflet can be down- sacred music can only circumstances of the Church in happen in the wake of the all the senses through music and loaded from www.liturgyoffice. great tradition of the past, England and Wales. use of symbol. org.uk/Documents/Coeliacs/, of Gregorian chant and This essential resource is A CD-ROM containing from where also can be down- sacred polyphony. designed to assist those involved materials is included as part of loaded still fuller details of the For this reason, in the in building, reordering or making the publication to assist parishes Church’s teaching together with field of music as well as in the areas of other alterations within a church, or prepare people’s leaflets. a list of approved suppliers. art forms, the ecclesial community has always Forming new disciples in Europe encouraged and sup- ported people in search In May 2006 I went as a delegate from the Bishops’ a particular need what might be termed life-long of new forms of expres- Conference of England and Wales to the 10th meet- mystagogy, continuing to support and assist the sion without denying the ing of bishops with national directors of catechesis incorporation of the sacramentally initiated. This past, the history of the human spirit which is also in Europe, to listen and share on the topic: Christian is surely an area for further study and reflection. a history of its dialogue Initiation as a Process for Becoming Christian. I was Priests and catechists need to be open themselves to with God. asked to go by the Department for Christian Life formation for RCIA, developing appropriate styles Pope Benedict XVI, speaking after a concert and Worship because of my experience in Mid- and skills for the catechumenate. It was striking to sponsored by the Domenico Bartolucci Foundation dlesbrough Diocese, and as a member of the RCIA hear stories of the many seekers on the margins and given in the Sistine Chapel Network. The meeting was a joint venture between – from people with disability, students, immigrants, on June 24, 2006, the Council of European Bishops Conferences prisoners, wayfarers, to people in former commu- (CCEE) and the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI). nist countries where faith has survived in ‘secret’ Twenty-seven countries were represented from communities, who find our ‘western’ methods of European Bishops Conferences and the Kazakhstan evangelisation and catechesis literally frightening! Bishops’ Conference. Gospel terms like ‘service’ and ‘listening’ echoed It was a tremendous opportunity to see the throughout the Congress, and the fact that becom- baptismal catechuemenate at work across Europe, ing Christian goes hand in hand with becoming to hear the stories of life and hope, and also voice fully human. All this has huge impact on the way some of the concerns facing people involved in parishes approach catechesis in RCIA. welcoming adults and children into the Church A full report on the Conference can be down- through the RCIA and RCIC. Many common loaded from the website of the RCIA Network: threads emerged, in both the presentations and in www.rcia.org.uk. RCIA Network is the national the discussions. These include the primary impor- body offering support and coordination for all tance of being welcoming communities, the variety those involved in RCIA ministry in England and of situations of those approaching our parishes, the Wales different cultural backdrops in Europe, east and Have a look at approaches from countries as west, the support given by diocesan and catechetical diverse as Hungary and Sweden, Italy and Germany, services, where they exist. Italy and Russia, and see what we can learn from Almost universal concern was expressed con- our European brothers and sisters about how to cerning the falling away of new Catholics, and the approach initiation in England and Wales. inadequacy of the discernment processes within Caroline Dollard the RCIA process. It was recognised that there was Executive Member of RCIA Network

Liturgy Newsletter — Page  Magazine The Mystery of the living Bread subscriptions In his homily for Body & Blood of the Lord Pope Benedict explored the aptness of the symbolism of bread used in Christ’s self-gift in the Since 2003 the Liturgy Eucharist. The full text of the homily can be downloaded from [www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/2006/docu- Office has offered ments/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20060615_corpus-christi_en.html] readers in the United Kingdom a one-stop Jesus, as a sign of his presence, chose bread and its deepest mystery on Palm Sunday, when some subscription service wine. With each one of the two signs he gives him- Greeks asked to see him. In his answer to this for overseas English self completely, not only in part. The Risen One question is the phrase: “Truly, truly, I say to you, language liturgical publications. This facil- is not divided. He is a person who, through signs, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, ity helps subscribers comes near to us and unites himself to us. it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” avoid the difficulties Each sign however, represents in its own way (John 12:24). and expense of paying a particular aspect of his mystery and through its The mystery of the Passion is hidden in the the subscriptions in foreign currency. respective manifestation, wishes to speak to us so bread made of ground grain. Flour, the ground that we learn to understand the mystery of Jesus wheat, presupposes the death and resurrection of The subscription list for Christ a little better. the grain. In being ground and baked, it carries in 2006 is now closed. If you would like to During the procession and in adoration we look itself once again the same mystery of the Passion. register an interest at the consecrated Host, the simplest type of bread Only through death does resurrection arrive, as in subscribing for and nourishment, made only of a little flour and does the fruit and new life. 2007 please email the water. In this way, it appears as the food of the poor, Mediterranean culture, in the centuries before Liturgy Office. We will then email you back those to whom the Lord made himself closest in Christ, had a profound intuition of this mystery. when details of costs the first place. Based on the experience of this death and rising for 2007 are available. The prayer with which the Church, during the they created myths of divinity which, dying and liturgy of the Mass, consigns this bread to the Lord, rising, gave new life. To them, the cycle of nature qualifies it as fruit of the earth and the work of seemed like a divine promise in the midst of the Book reviews humans. darkness of suffering and death that we are faced Brief reviews of recent liturgical publica- It involves human labour, the daily work of with. tions have previously those who till the soil, sow and harvest [the wheat] In these myths, the soul of the human person, in been carried in Liturgy and, finally, prepare the bread. However, bread is a certain way, reached out toward that God made Newsletter. Because not purely and simply what we produce, something man, who, humiliated unto death on a cross, in this of pressure of space it has been decided that made by us; it is fruit of the earth and therefore is way opened the door of life to all of us. In bread all further reviews, also gift. and its making, man has understood it as a waiting and details of books We cannot take credit for the fact that the earth period of nature, like a promise of nature that this received, will be put produces fruit; the Creator alone could have made would come to exist: the God that dies and in this directly on the Liturgy Office website. This it fertile. And now we too can expand a little on this way brings us to life. has the advantage prayer of the Church, saying: The bread is fruit of What was awaited in myths and that in the very of allowing more heaven and earth together. It implies the synergy of grain of wheat is hidden like a sign of the hope of substantial reviews of the forces of earth and the gifts from above, that is, of creation -- this truly came about in Christ. Through a broader selection of materials. the sun and the rain. And water too, which we need his gratuitous suffering and death, he became bread to prepare the bread, cannot be produced by us. for all of us, and with this living and certain hope. www.liturgyoffice.org. In a period in which desertification is spoken He accompanies us in all of our sufferings until uk /Newsletter of and where we hear time and again the warn- death. The paths that he travels with us and through ing that man and beast risk dying of thirst in these which he leads us to life are pathways of hope. waterless regions -- in such a period we realize When, in adoration, we look at the consecrated Liturgy once again how great is the gift of water and of Host, the sign of creation speaks to us. And so, we Newsletter how we are unable to produce it ourselves. encounter the greatness of his gift; but we also www.liturgyoffice.org. And so, looking closely at this little piece of encounter the passion, the cross of Jesus and his res- uk /Newsletter white Host, this bread of the poor, appears to us as urrection. Through this gaze of adoration, he draws a synthesis of creation. Heaven and earth, too, like us toward himself, within his mystery, through Editorial Revd Allen Morris the activity and spirit of man, cooperate. The syn- which he wants to transform us as he transformed Liturgy Office ergy of the forces that make the mystery of life and the Host. 39 Eccleston Square the existence of man possible on our poor planet The primitive Church discovered yet another London SW1V 1PL come to meet us in all of their majestic grandeur. symbol in the bread. The Doctrine of the Twelve 020 7901 4850 In this way we begin to understand why the Apostles, a book written around the year 100, 020 7901 4821 (fax) Lord chooses this piece of bread to represent him. contains in its prayers the affirmation: “Even as Liturgy.Office@cbcew. org.uk Creation, with all of its gifts, aspires above and this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and beyond itself to something even greater. Over and was gathered together and became one, so let Thy The views expressed in Liturgy Newsletter are not above the synthesis of its own forces, above and Church be gathered together from the ends of the necessarily those of the beyond the synthesis also of nature and of spirit earth into Thy Kingdom” (IX, 4). Bishops’ Conference. that, in some way, we detect in the piece of bread, Bread made of many grains contains also an Liturgy Newsletter may be creation is projected toward divinization, toward event of union: The ground grain becoming bread copied and distributed freely in whole or in part. Permission the holy wedding feast, toward unification with the is a process of unification. We ourselves, many as we for any other use contact the Liturgy Office. Creator himself. are, must become one bread, one body, as St. Paul

© 2006 Liturgy Office, Bishops’ And still, we have not yet explained in depth the says (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:17). In this way the sign Conference of England and message of this sign of bread. The Lord mentioned of bread becomes both hope and fulfillment. Wales

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