Volume 1, Issue 1 July 2011 Transforming Words Matter and Form, the A liturgical minister is The lector’s, ―the Word title for this newsletter that faithful woman of the Lord‖; the EM’s, regarding things liturgi- and man who steps ‖the Body of Christ;‖ cal, is also that which is out from the security the server’s, ―Amen‖, necessary for the valid- of the pew to become the usher’s and ity of the celebration of actively engaged in the greeter’s, ―welcome;‖ a sacrament. In short, building up of the Body the choir member’s the ―matter‖ refers to of Christ. They say to ―Alleluia;‖ the wedding the substance, e.g., Jesus, ―call me out of assistant’s reassuring water, oil, bread, wine; the boat!‖ words, are all trans- the ―form‖ is the for- forming words and by Lector, EM, server, mula or words that their own words they sacristan, usher, transform the ordinary are, at once, trans- greeter, choir member, into the extraordinary. formed and transform- wedding assistant — ing! This newsletter will each one models ac- give attention to tive and humble disci- ―matter‖: events, peo- pleship as they place ple, news, and strive to themselves in the ser- convey them with the vice of the Church’s intent to not only in- great corporate form but to transform prayer—the Eucharistic the liturgical minister. liturgy. The Heart of Hospitality The ministry of Greeter is loved son and daughter of and revere Jesus in a a recent addition to litur- God that they are. Vati- small host that it is to see gical ministry at Saint can II reminded us of the him in another human John’s. It is a ministry of four modes of the pres- being. hospitality that welcomes ence of Jesus in our litur- More than simply another all who come to pray with gical celebrations; in his chore to perform, the us—be it for the first time sacred Word, in the bread Greeter perpetuates the or once again. and wine, in the person of essence of Jesus’ own the priest and in the peo- We are many parts but all ministry and mission. He Liturgical Ministry ple gathered. The latter part of the one Mystical welcomed the least and mode of presence is often Body of Christ. Each the littlest; extended overlooked or the least member, each person is love, patience, tolerance acknowledged. It seems significant and must be and acceptance to all. much easier to recognize made to feel as the be- Inside this issue: Did you know that…. The Revised Roman Missal 2 Vianney Views 2 As the central object in the Liturgy of the Word, Chatter Matter 2 the Book of the Gospels ranks first among sa- cred objects after the chalice and paten. For this Assembly Required 3 reason the Book of the Gospels is carried in Moving Rite Along 3 procession for the celebration of the Mass and Musical Notes 3 enthroned at the center of the altar. Matter and Form Ite, Missa Est 4 The Revised Roman Missal Goes Into Effect November 27, 2011 The challenge of change is before ticam in 2001, the fifth instruction that draws us together and situates Catholics as the Church in the on the vernacular translation of us as Americans within a much lar- United States and the rest of the the Roman Liturgy which outlined ger ecclesial communion. English speaking world prepares the principles and rules for transla- We humans are creatures of habit. for the most significant change in tion. We Catholics are creatures of ritual. the liturgy since the introduction of Liturgical language is important for Ritual is based on the familiar— on the new Order of Mass in 1970. the life of the Church. The well- patterns that have been learned. On November 17, 2009, the bish- know axiom, lex orandi, lex cre- Because a change in the ritual will ops of the United States completed dendi, reminds us that what we affect how we participate, it is natu- the review and gave approval to pray is not only the expression of ral to resist change and cling to the the translation of the Missale Ro- our sentiment and our reverence familiar simply because it is com- manum, editio typica terna, which directed toward God. What we fortable. It is important to realize brought to a conclusion the work pray also speaks to us and articu- that the new texts of the Roman begun in 2004. Pope John Paul II lates for us the faith of the church. Missal represents a change in lan- announced the publication of the guage but not in ritual. The process of translation of the third edition of the Roman Missal new edition has involved linguistic, As we prepare to receive the new during the Jubilee Year 2000. To biblical and liturgical scholars from texts, we should eagerly anticipate aid in the process of translation each of the 11 English speaking the opportunity as ―a moment to the Congregation for Divine Wor- countries which ICEL(International sink our roots deeper into the soil of ship and the Discipline of the Sac- Commission on English in the Lit- tradition handed on in the Roman raments issued Liturgiam Authen- urgy) serves. The result is a text Rite‖ (Vicesimus Ouintus Annus, 23). Vianney Views: Randy Graham Randy Graham and his wife, Irene, In addition to his commit- Center. have been parishioners at Saint John ment to these ministries Randy is in his fourth year of Vianney since 1978. Over the years Randy has been in Diaconal formation and looks forward Randy has been involved in various formation. This entails at- to ordination in February, ministries: Children’s Liturgy of the tending classes twice a week 2013. Word; That Man Is You, ACTS, Lector, at St. Mary’s Seminary and Extraordinary Minister of Holy Com- annual retreats with his fel- Along with his wife, 3 chil- munion, Instituted Acolyte, Pastoral low candidates. Randy also dren and 3 grandchildren, Council Member and coordinator for ministers once a week to Saint John Vianney parish Ministry to the Homebound. youth detained in the Harris rejoices for him and with County Juvenile Detention him. Chatter Matter Richard Rynearson (Sat., EM) Salzburg, Austria, July 17—30. May and Paula Goodhart. sends greetings form Mesa Verde The June 25 EM training welcomed 9:30 EM Ellyn Poole looking for- National Park. Richard and his wife 18 new ministers! ward to the August are working in the tourist center birth of her son, Mat- for the summer and will return in JP Pfeifer (EM, 9:30am) returns thew Brian. October. to active duty after her maternity leave (daughter, Joseanna, is Choir member Maria Garcia was David and Stacia Mor- now 3 mths.!) selected to participate in the Salz- gan Dunn (cantor) at Maria Garcia's benefit burg Voice Institute competition in Welcome to new lectors: Walter concert. Page 2 Matter and Form Assembly Required To the EMs participating in the re- become members of Christ’s body liturgical assembly, is to form, or cent training session I noted a dis- and are privileged to participate in better yet, to be formed, into the tinction between ―gathering‖ and his great Eucharistic prayer to the body of Christ. St. Augustine said: ―assembling‖. Positing a model Father. ―Become what you receive, receive car or airplane kit, I suggested what you are.‖ When the community assembles to that while the pieces are gathered pray, it prays as the body of We must also be wary of the incli- in the box they do not get to be an Christ, as a sort of ―corporate‖ nation to think of ourselves as an airplane or car until the pieces are Christ. In the liturgy, the word ―I‖ audience. Rather, we deliberately assembled. rarely means one of us individuals. assemble for our collective action The same is true of the Church at It refers to the assembly that and collective prayer; not as spec- prayer. If we stay at the level of prays as one. The ―my‖ in the lit- tators present merely to watch or simply gathering we have missed urgy does not mean ―mine alone.‖ to listen. We come not to be en- an essential aspect of the liturgy. It is the voice of the one Christ tertained or impressed by the dis- When we assemble for the Eucha- that speaks course or music. Eagerly we ristic liturgy, we are not a group of here; we gather, then assemble, for this anonymous individuals who hap- fold our most exquisite presentation of the pen to be gathered in the same voices into Church. For in her liturgical prayer place and time. We are brothers his. ―we‖ are most perfectly the bride and sisters in the Lord united by of Christ and his own beloved The essen- his blood in the waters of baptism. body. tial task By the sacrament of baptism we then, for the Moving Rite Along In marriage preparation the ques- Christ’s sacrifice for the Church man marriage is like the union of tion regarding matter and form is and the Church’s obedience to Christ and his Church. The reali- raised. The typical response re- Christ was used to exemplify how ties are eternal; what happens in garding the matter is often: ―the husbands and wives time is its shadow. rings!’‖ Wrong! The ―matter‖ is the should regard each an- Nietzsche said that before a man It is to be the will bride and the groom; the ―form‖ is other. St. Paul was not married, he should ask himself: of the bride and the exchange of consent.