Salle de lecture Number 150 Reading Room Volume 30 Fall 1997 Planning the Liturgical Year ~2-550 national bulletin on Litur.JIIIIIIIa Planning the Liturgical Year National Bulletin on Liturgy A review published by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. This bulletin is primarily pastoral in scope. Editor: It is prepared for members of parish liturgy Zita E. Maier. OSU committees. readers. musicians. singers. catechists. teachers. religious. seminarians. Editorial Office: clergy, diocesan liturgical commissions. NATIONAL LITURGY OFFICE and for all who are involved in preparing. 90 Parent Avenue (613) 241-9461 celebrating. and improving the community's Ottawa. Ontario extension 276 life of worship and prayer. K1N 7B1 Business Office: Editorial commentary in the bulletin is the NOVALIS responsibility of the editor. P.O. Box 990 Outremont. Quebec H2V 4S7 1-800-NOVALIS <668-2547) Subscriptions The price of a single issue is now $5.50. For one year. excluding 7% GST: Individual copies and back issues must be 1-4 copies: purchased from the publisher. Customers Canada $17.00 should add to the price the GST (7%) after United States $20.00 us adding one of the following amounts for Other countries $27.00 us shipping and handling: Five or more copies: For orders of Canada $15.00 $99.99 and less: 8% <$2.00 minimum United States $18.00 US charge) Other countries $25.00 US $100.00 to $999.99: 5% $1.000.00 and more: shipping costs only Quantity discount for this issue: National Bulletin on Liturgy is published by For 50 or more copies to one address. Publications Service of the CCCB and 30% discount. appears in spring, summer. fall and winter. Publisher: Excerpts from the English translation of Rite of Holy PUBLICATIONS SERVICE Week© 1972, International Committee on English Canadian Conference of in the Liturgy. Inc. <ICEU; Catholic Bishops excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal© 90 Parent Avenue 1973. ICEL. All rights reserved. Ottawa. Ontario K1N 781 National Bulletin on Liturgy, Copyright © Concacan Inc .. 1997. All rights reserved. No part of this bulletin may be reproduced in any form without the prior written per­ mission of CCCB Publications Service. International Standard Serial Number: ISSN 0084-8425 Legal deposit: National Library. Ottawa. Canada Second Class Mail: Registration Number 2994. Volume 30 • Number 150 • Fall 1997 national bulletin on tturJIIIII-.• Planning the Liturgical Year Contents Page Introduction ............................................................................................ 131 Planning the Liturgical Year ................................. Christian McConnell 133 Mother to the Poor: St. Marguerite d'Youville ............................................... ................... 137 Celebrating the Eucharist in Ordinary Time ...... Gregory Klein, OCarm 138 Traveller and Parish Woman: Marguerite Bourgeoys . .. ... .. ...... .. ... ... ... ... ... .. ... .. ... .. .. .. 144 Evaluating the Parish's Liturgical Celebration ....... Bernadette Gasslein 145 The Role of the Liturgy Committee ....... ................................................. 153 Dedication of the Lateran Basilica ......... ................................................ 158 Preparing the Liturgy: Resources ........................................................... 159 Reverence in Liturgy and Life ................ ................................................. 166 Introducing Silent Prayer in the Eucharist .................. John G. Hibbard 172 "Let Us Pray to the Lord" ....................................................................... 177 Choosing "Good" Music: Ill. According to Your Word ......................................................................................... Della Goa 178 Regional Liturgy Conferences Hold Meetings ....................................... 182 Notes from the Annual Meeting of the National Council for Liturgy and the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy ...................................... 186 Brief Book Reviews .. .. .. .. .. ... .. ... ....... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... ... .. ... ... .. .. .. 190 130 • National Bulletin on Liturgy Introduction n earlier edition of the bulletin the Easter season. It takes careful says: "A strong Sunday celebra­ preparation to sustain these festive sea­ Ation of worship is both a sign sons to their end-points. At the same and a cause of a living Christian com­ time, the temptation to focus on the munity" (no. 6 7, p. 21). The renewal of past event more than on the present the liturgy has brought back into focus reality is to be resisted. The heart of the centrality of the paschal mystery in the liturgy is the action of Christ now, the Sunday Eucharist. Yet our culture the mystery of his ongoing presence in of individualism and consumerism mil­ the community. Christ continues to be itates against an understanding of what incarnated as God's plan unfolds. it means for Christians to gather on Sunday as the body of Christ. There is, The hope is that the contents of this among average Christians, not much issue will assist liturgy committees in appreciation that Christ is present the important work they do for the among them when two or three are parish. It is impossible to gather all the gathered in his name and that when information about the liturgical year, the Scriptures are proclaimed in the but a listing of available resources has assembly it is he who speaks to them. been provided in the hope that com­ mittees will find what best suits Yet the faith of the Church prompts their needs. The most important parishes to do what they can to make source of information for committees the liturgy the summit and the font of is always the the life of the community. Liturgy liturgical books themselves, and in committees that are effective prepare particular the introductions and pas­ the celebrations of the liturgy so that toral notes in these books. Someone the faith of the community is strength­ once said that the Church's best kept ened by good celebrations and not secret is the Vatican II document the weakened by poor celebrations. General Instruction of the Roman Missal. This document is not just an introduc­ Liturgy committees that are well tion for "the priest's book," the sacra­ informed understand the centrality of mentary; it is a "how to" for all the the paschal mystery in the Sunday ministries, and above all, it gives the Eucharist and in the liturgical year. theological and historical basis to the They know that this year has a flow structure of the Eucharist. All the that should not be interrupted by ritu­ al books have such introductions. themes and "causes." They also strive to follow through on the seasons. Liturgy committees are always busy There is a temptation to stress the about the business of the community's anticipatory seasons, Advent and Lent, prayer, but they must never forget but to "lose steam," so to speak, when that they too will pray. See the open­ it comes to continuing a sense of cele­ ing prayer for Thursday after Ash bration through to Epiphany for the Wednesday for an appropriate prayer Christmas season and to Pentecost for for opening a meeting. III Volume 30 • Number 150 • 131 c: E"' ~ as @ This text is prayed at the beginning of the Easter Vigil while the paschal candle is marked with the Greek letters and the numbers of the year. 132 • National Bulletin on liturgy Planning the Liturgical Year Christian McConnell hen the members of a liturgy committee gather (usually in September) to look ahead at their parish's liturgy, the prospect of planning the W whole year can seem rather daunting. This committee has to contend with the different seasons, the "extra" liturgies on bigger feasts, and the details of a parish's ongoing liturgical life Sunday after Sunday. Sometimes a committee begins to function only on a totally practical level, and it is hard to develop a sense of vision even for each part of the year, let alone the whole year. However, if the community's liturgical celebrations are to have a balanced and unified focus, stepping outside of the details is important. The question is: how? A Sequential Versus a Therefore it helps to step outside of Structural Approach the sequential framework and look at In the normal course of a liturgical the liturgical year in a "structural" way. year, the most pressing and immediate A structural approach deals with the concerns naturally warrant the most most important elements first and attention. Liturgical planning becomes then moves through to the secondary a "sequential" process, with the various ones. Of course, this cannot always be seasons and occasions being treated in done; during the year the more imme­ the order in which they occur. This is diately upcoming celebrations do need to be expected, but it should not be the attention. But at the same time it is only way that liturgy planning is done. essential that at some time the year be The primary weakness of a sequential planned as a whole, with a balanced approach is that it runs the risk of los, sense of priorities. ing a sense of proportion. Paschal Mystery and In the liturgical year as a whole, the Anamnesis feasts and seasons are not created Before reflecting upon the individual equal. Some are very central and others parts of the year, a committee needs to less so. A liturgy committee may also recognize that the primary aspect of all spend most of its time and attention Christian liturgy is about the salvation on liturgical celebrations that are more won for us in the life, death and resur­ complicated