They will continue to take an active part in the liturgy if they experience it as capable of leading them to a deep personal relationship with God; and it is from this experience that there will come priestly and religious vocations marked by true evangelical and missionary energy. Nor did Saint Pius X perceive Latin to be a hindrance to this active participation that he was seeking to promote: Latin is the language of the Roman Church. This practice reminded the older students to behave like responsible role models; it also allowed the older students to assist the teachers by attending to the younger students needs. "The Mass is meant to cultivate silence during the celebration so that the very mysteries we celebrate can be pondered and prayed," said Petri. Thus, we should never regard receiving Holy Communion as a "right" or still less as a routine practice. 36-42) and that is how we learn to make an offering of ourselves to God and to others. Pius X (1905) urged frequent communion and lowered the age of first communion to seven, the age of reason. For example, each 7th grade student would sit with one or two kindergarten students. including the Pastoral Council, Faith Formation Commission, Liturgy, Parish Life, Stewardship, Social Justice and Buildings and Grounds Committees. If subconscious experience is ignored in worship, an affective and devotional vacuum is created and the liturgy can become not only too verbal but also too cerebral. Planning the liturgy - At our school, one class from grades 3-8 was responsible for helping plan the weekly all-school liturgy. The active participation described here is not necessarily that type of participation carried out by a liturgical minister. You folks are up and down and doing something all the time. Since its chief function is to clothe with suitable melody the liturgical text presented for the understanding of the faithful, its own proper end is to make the text more meaningful for them. 2:9; cf. Quite the opposite. By: Fr. catechesis, How can I explain the Churchs moral teachings. actions, gestures, and bodily attitudes. Go deep! Active Participation in the Sacred Liturgy, part II First, I want to thank you for all the support and materials you have shared with us. 2:4-5), is their right and duty by reason of their baptism. parenting, It has been written with good reason that in the history of the Church all true renewal has been linked to a re-reading of the Church Fathers. Enactinga reading or the life of a saintin the classroom helped the students to pay closer attentionto the readings and homily at Mass. The outward beauty of the liturgy helps to lead them to the very heart of the liturgy, namely, what God the Father has said and done to save us in and through His Son Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy expresses this in s. 14: "Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that full, conscious, and active participation [participatio actuosa] in liturgical celebration which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy.". On the other hand Catholics, from the first moment they enter church, participate physically. Thomas Petri, dean and acting president of the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC, a layperson still participates in Mass even if they are not lectoring, altar serving, or distributing Holy Communion. Many years ago, Dietrich von Hildebrand described what it means to be spiritually awake: "[It is] the attitude in which the depth of things is open to the person, an inner readiness to fully receive and penetrate the essential beheld by our spiritual eyes" (Liturgy and Personality, p. 112). I told them then, that the M&M were the same, just different color BUT what was different was their attitude, their preparation to receive it, their conscious and active involvement that had changed the experience of receiving it. But what does fully conscious and active participation mean? Should we discover that we are beset by serious sin or that we are otherwise not spiritually prepared, we ought to refrain from receiving Holy Communion and seek to be reconciled to God through the Sacrament of Penance as soon as possible. Here is a wonderful idea from Rocio M. for an activity to teach about full, active, and conscious participation in the Liturgy (as per the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 14). (s. 14). This means when we attend Mass, none of us are meant to be mere spectators none of us. That this is Saint Pius Xs intention is further made clear by the opening paragraph of his Motu Proprio, which shows that among the concerns he has (Tra le sollicitudini = among the concerns), the paramount one is "promoting the beauty of the house of God": There is one pastoral care paramount not only for this Holy See but also for individual churches: maintaining and promoting the beauty of the house of God. This Motu Proprio, issued only three months later on November 22 of the same year, was one of the first of Saint Pius Xs papal decrees and was devoted to the restoration of sacred music. They really do manifest more fully the richness of the Church's prayer. It will take work on the part of both clergy and laity to become familiar with these changes but it's worth the effort. It is instructive to note that the immediate context for encouraging "active participation" is concern for "the holiness and dignity of the temple", and that what is being participated in is "the most sacred mysteries" and "the public and solemn prayer of the Church". In addition to carrying out ministries, the Council Fathers also write about the participation of the faithful by means of acclamations, responses, psalmody, antiphons, and songs. A few words may be said about the liturgical aspect. "It is rooted in our baptism and in our continued life in Christ. Actively participating in the Mass - The Bishop's Bulletin All the worshipers are expected to participate actively in each liturgy, for this is holy "work," not entertainment or a spectator event. Heres the key passage from one of the most important documents of the Council, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy: Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy. The idea of full, conscious, active participation was a big change from the idea of liturgical celebration which had existed for centuries before in which the people of God attended rather than participated in Mass. It also means, that the mind and heart are awake, alert and engaged during the Eucharistic celebration. First and foremost is continual conversion of mind and heart. Through this means they can more easily be moved to devotion and better disposed to receive the fruits of grace coming from the celebration of the holy mysteries. However, this certainly cannot be the only way in which the faithful participate. Preparing the readers and servers - On Wednesday mornings, I would meet any students in the church who were assisting with Mass so that they could practice their readings (Read slooowly and loudly!) and get comfortable in their liturgical roles. Then I asked how had it been a different experience from the first M&M they had taken, what was different? At a 1909 congress for lay Catholics, a Belgian monk named Dom Lambert Beauduin called for active participation of the laity in Church life, especially in the liturgy. Both Bradley and Petri agreed that while the live-streams are good, in that they maintain a connection between a parishioner and their parish and encourage prayers, they cannot be viewed as a substitute for regular Mass attendance in non-pandemic times. For these reasons Gregorian Chant has always been considered the supreme model of sacred music. Yet, as Pope Benedict XVI has reminded us, "it should be clear that the word 'participation' does not refer to mere external activity during the celebration" (Sacramentum Caritatis, no. Everyone who comes to Mass is meant to be on the field or in the game.. To look back over what has been done in the field of liturgical renewal in the years since the Council is, first, to see many reasons for giving heartfelt thanks and praise to the Most Holy Trinity for the marvelous awareness which has developed among the faithful of their role and responsibility in this priestly work of Christ and his Church. Initiatives for next year should draw particular attention to the nature of the Christian life as a great pilgrimage to the house of the Father, whose unconditional love for every human creature, and in particular for the prodigal son, we discover anew each day (Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 49). Still the fact remains: there certainly is a continual tendency to deviate from the right norm for sacred music, a norm established in admitting this art to the service of public worship, expressed very clearly in the ecclesiastical canons, in the decrees of general and provincial councils, and in the repeated prescription of the Sacred Roman Congregations and of the Supreme Pontiffs, Our predecessors. Engage on the issues you care most about. So, as we continue in this new year, let us ask the Lord to give us the grace to renew our participation in the Mass and seek to continually deepen our active praying of the Holy Eucharist. The constitution gave examples of participation, including songs, responses, gestures, and, interestingly enough, "sacred silence.". Enacting the saint or reading - Occasionally, we would prepare a skit to act out one of the readings or the life of a saint whose feast we would be celebrating. Phone: (608) 521-0385 Worshippers are not passive, for instance, when listening to the readings or the homily, or following the prayers of the celebrant, and the chants and music of the liturgy. I think a lot of Catholic priests, with good intention, wish for everyone to take part and not simply be observers, but perhaps they dont understand how much Catholics DO take parteven in a Mass that is celebrated traditionally. Active Participation in the Sacred Liturgy, part II, Lost, all lost in wonder at the God thou art, Roman Catholic Diocese of New Ulm, 1421 6th Street North, New Ulm, MN, 56073, Go deep! Consider social apps for more than dating. Second, liturgical catechists presumed that this participation in the liturgy is itself a matter of understanding the purpose of liturgy. PDF Encouraging the Assembly to Full Participation - Pastoral Liturgy "We first of all participate in the liturgy by our attendance at the Mass. Subscriptions They did and some of them even said that those were dark chocolate M&Ms! I teach Confirmation (8th grade) and I want to share with you an activity I recently did with my class. Third, we will suggest some steps to encourage full participation throughout the assembly. "The Mass is meant to cultivate silence during the celebration so that the very mysteries we celebrate can be pondered and prayed," said Petri. Instead it is an invitation to both the priest and laity, that in the liturgy they may be looking together toward the Lord and going out to meet him (Spirit of the Liturgy, 174). 2:9; cf. No, we are not priests in the ordained sense, but we are priests in the baptismal sense, and that empowers us to actively participate in the Mass. There Our people assemble for the purpose of acquiring the Christian spirit from its first and indispensable source, namely the active participation [attiva partecipazione] in the most sacred mysteries and in the public and solemn prayer of the Church. Preparation of this kind is a necessary prerequisite for the opening of the spirit to the knowledge of . The term appears in paragraph 14 of Sacrosanctum Concilium, the constitution on liturgy produced by the Second Vatican Council.The simple claim that 'all the faithful should be led to that full, conscious and active participation in liturgical celebrations,' has provoked a great . Online Edition Vol. (From a series found in The Prairie Catholic) Last month we began our discussion of what it means to fully, consciously, and actively participate in the sacred liturgy. Such participation by the Christian people as a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people (1 Pet. Active participation certainly means that, in gesture, word, song and service, all the members of the community take part in an act of worship, which is anything but inert or passive. No. teaching resources. In fact, we are on the field! If it were the case that in order to participate everyone had to be doing whatever it is that these roles require, then at any given Mass probably 98 to nearly100% of those present would not be participating! With fraternal love in the Lord I welcome you, the Pastors of the Church in the Northwestern United States, on the occasion of your ad Limina visit. They kneel to pray. aax_getad_mpb({ "slot_uuid":"3711106e-47ab-47c9-a457-2e01d4a04f78" }); Any parent who has taken their family to Mass knows that it can be challenging for a child to remain quiet and attentive during Mass. Your monthly donation will help our team continue reporting the truth, with fairness, integrity, and fidelity to Jesus Christ and his Church. In no other way can it affect the minds of the hearers in the manner which the Church intends in admitting into her liturgy the art of sound. The Mass is not simply a remembrance of a past event, but is in fact the re-presentation of an action that had eternal consequences. Go here to learn more, Day 7 The End of Week 1, Frayed Nerves, and Active Participation Mrs. Flusche's House. PDF What is meant by Active Participation? - Roman Catholic Diocese of La P.S. Faith Formation classes brought her to tears!, My story is all about witness and invitation. This must be condemned, even where everything else deserves the highest praise, where there is beauty and grandeur of building, splendor and exactness of ceremonies, full attendance of the clergy, gravity and piety of the officiating ministers. "Participation must be both because we are both body and soul," Petri said. Unfortunately, we often fall into that trap today and I know it is one of the easiest habits to acquire. If the Mass were a football game, who would the congregation be? And he encouraged congregational singing instead of the performance of amateur operettas. If you would like to advertise with The Bishops Bulletin or have an event for our Diocesan Events page, please contact our office during business hours to discuss your options. Petri differentiated between "willful distraction," which would be letting one's mind wander, and distractions that come from other sources, such as children. Full, Active, Conscious: Liturgy and Life - Catholic Apostolate Center The conclusion is inevitable: According to the mind of Saint Pius X, not only does "active participation" not exclude Gregorian Chant; it is precisely in the singing of the parts of the Mass in Gregorian Chant, by the people, that this active participation consists! One of the most central concerns of the Council regarding the Mass related to our participation in it. However, that grace will bear fruit in us to a greater or lesser extent, an extent that depends upon the degree to which we pray the Mass. 52). Theyve got robed choir members, then all the extraordinary ministers of communion, the lectors, the catechists, all the children, a couple of Boy Scouts, the Parish Administrator and the Janitor. Permissions. What must they do then? 2) Since the purpose of the music is to make the text "more meaningful" so the faithful can be "moved to devotion" and "better disposed" we not only begin to see what Saint Pius X means by "active participation", but already have the germ of what the Second Vatican Council will refer to as "full, conscious, and active participation.". As part of this free service you may receive occasional offers from us at EWTN News and EWTN. Beautiful how the Mass would be celebrated simply, nobly and reverently if we only paid more attention to the true wording and meaning of the documents of Vatican II rather than the odd interpretations that have become so popular. Learning the Psalm - To assist the school in singing the psalm response, the students would prepare a psalm board'a poster that had the psalm response written out in big, bold letters and was colorfully decorated. Christine Rousselle is a former DC Correspondent for Catholic News Agency. While theirbodies were doing one thing at Mass, their hearts were doing another. Chris Burgwald holds a doctorate in theology and is the director of discipleship formation for the Diocese of Sioux Falls. To explain this further Id like to return to the analogy that I used last fall: football. We have to be utterly convinced that Christ truly can heal us of sin and its effects in our lives. Growing up as a student in a Catholic school, I remember having all-school Masses once each quarter. In the Mass, God pours his love, his life, his grace out upon us, to the point that we really and truly receive him in Holy Communion. In fact, ministerial participation in the liturgy may distract from the In other words, they werent tuned in to the Mass at all. Longenecker's work please consider supporting it financially. Active Participation in the Church's Liturgy - Adoremus Thanks for sharing Rocio! "active participation." Second, we will look at the role of the clergy in encouraging full participation. Stories on the Journey: How Did I Get into This? The core of the mystery of Christian worship is the sacrifice of Christ offered to the Father and the work of the Risen Christ who sanctifies his People through the liturgical signs. How do I become more active in my parish? When they got to class I offered them one M&M from the bag, then I told them that I had a treat for them and that I would give them a special kind of M&M. SC 29). Copyright 2018 University of Notre Dame, McGrath Institute for Church Life 342 Geddes Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Phone 574.631.5510 mcgrath@nd.edu, Ways to get students involved in school liturgies. Involving students in both planning the liturgy and serving in appropriate liturgical roles helps to facilitate both knowledge of and participation in the liturgy. At the time various bishops, priests and laity , This external activity was not what the Council had in mind, for the Council Fathers desired to reaffirm that the , What this means is that active participation technically does not require any external act by the faithful, for the , Instead it is an invitation to both the priest and laity, that in the liturgy they may be . Yet the Roman Rite is again distinctive in the balance it strikes between a spareness and a richness of emotion: it feeds the heart and the mind, the body and the soul. The question of participation in the liturgy was an important one taken up by the Second Vatican Council in its Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium. Mt 28:19-20). It is also a good practice to prayerfully read the Scripture readings before arriving at Mass. Because liturgical actions, by their nature, are communal celebrations, they are celebrated with the presence and active participation of the Christian faithful whenever possible. In these articles we have spent the last several months exploring the nature of the sacred liturgy, attempting to answer the question, What is it? We have discussed the liturgy as an exercise of the priestly office of Christ, as a participation and foretaste in the heavenly worship of the angels and saints, as the source and summit of our lives, and as the memorial and re-presentation of the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary. Be sure to check out the additional resources at sfcatholic.org/answer. At the very heart of the worshipping community, we find the Mother of Christ and Mother of the Church, who, from the depths of her contemplative faith, brings forth the Good News, which is Jesus Christ himself. Think about a professional football game. How can a layperson "participate" in Mass? We just sit there.. Lastly, it may be the result of the many prejudices on this subject which so easily begin and so obstinately remain, even among persons of piety and authority. Since the liturgy is such a central part of the Christian life, I wish today to consider some aspects of the liturgical renewal so vigorously promoted by the Second Vatican Council as the prime agent of the wider renewal of Catholic life. 3. While Sunday Masses allow children to experience the liturgy with their families and within the context of the broader parish community, weekday school Masses allow children the opportunity to take on ministerial leadership roles and experience Gods grace with their peers. It didnt call for everyone to have a part to play the way everyone in a goofy, lefty school has to get a trophy for participation. This traditional Gregorian Chant must be fully restored to functions of divine worship. LITURGY MATTERS: The Vatican II take on full, conscious and active Here is a wonderful idea from Rocio M. for an activity to teach about "full, active, and conscious" participation in the Liturgy (as per the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 14). Guidelines for Televising the Liturgy | USCCB Nor does it mean the suppression of all subconscious experience, which is vital in a liturgy which thrives on symbols that speak to the subconscious just as they speak to the conscious. E-mail: info@adoremus.org, 50 Years Ago: On Welcoming with Joy and Partaking with One Heart in the New Liturgical Order, 50 Years Ago: Changes In Mass for Greater Apostolate. b. There's a medium bow of the head and the shoulders. Petri told CNA that participation, while being manifested in the exterior sense, should "flow from an interior disposition to be attentive to the sacred mysteries that are celebrated and to receive the graces that God wills to impart.". Full When someone has asked us for our "full" attention, what comes to mind? It must also be universal in this sense, that, although individual countries may admit into their ecclesiastical compositions proper forms native to each, still these forms must remain so subordinate to the general character of sacred music that no hearer of another nation might be disturbed thereby. Introducing the Divine Office Hymnal. Since parents are called to be the primary catechists for their children, its important to invite their participation in the school liturgies as well. We will cover that in the next article. However, he noted the reception of Communion is "essential" for a person's spiritual life. I, No. children, 2:9; cf. Want to get fit and. As a priest for some 34 years, I can tell you it is a joy when the congregation robustly raises its voice in praise of God and when all the ministers of the liturgy perform their roles reverently and joyfully.
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