The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy

Sacrosanctum Concilium

Background to

Vatican II Liturgical Reform

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgyBackground Reform of Liturgy:Liturgical reform occurs in Church early history Leo the

Great - established Roman Calendar for Feast and Saints Days – in used until 1970

Gregory the Great 6th Century– known as Father of Christian worship; placed the “Our Father” immediately after the Eucharistic Prayer where it still is today! Introduced the Kyrie at the opening of Mass, standardized the chant used in liturgies, today known as the “Gregorian Chant”

Council of Trent there had liturgical reforms such as a standard Roman Missal. The prayers said at the Mass until the Council of Trent varied between diocese & region

Holy Sprit works liturgy works as liturgy is something alive and through the liturgy the Holy Spirit draws us closer to God

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgyBackground to Vatican II Reforms:Grassroots of reform began with de-Christianization of Europe

& influence of Enlightenment putting Catholics in chaos combined with Gallicanism

Enlightenment creates clash between Faith(Liturgy) & Reason (Enlightenment)

Gallicanism is term given that supports national authority of Church over Universal authority of Papacy

Effects of Enlightenment & Gallicansim isolate Scripture and Tradition & Pastristics with increasing emphasis to externals

French Church taken over by Gallanistism condemns processions such as Eucharistic Processions; veneration of Holy Images; restrict & limit public worship of Blessed Sacrament

Emerging Protestant view & thought of society invading Church!

Timeline of this is 18th Century!

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgyBackground to Vatican II ReformsReaction sees a return to romanticism and middle ages;

great glories of Church past & the Fathers of the Church

The Didache 2nd Century DocumentOn the Lord's own day, assemble in common to break

bread and offer thanks; but first confess your sins, so that your sacrifice may be pure.

Church focuses on liturgy as the repository of traditionConnection with Tradition is key to understanding the

source of liturgical spirit & reformVatican II reforms part of Holy Spirit; council is faith

event

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgySome Major Contributors to Liturgical Reform – France 1800’sFrance seen restoration Dom Ganger and monastic liturgy; established

monastery in FranceSought to reform liturgy through the Early Church Fathers – approach

taken to counter Enlightenment & GallicanismLiturgy is the gateway to the mysteries of ChurchWriting of Church Fathers understand liturgy as visible world

reflecting the invisible of worldApproach to liturgy is rooted in Fathers; symbols pointing to higher

reality; liturgy found it in traditions of Early ChurchChanges sought: Gregorian chant which by the 18th century nearly

lost! Create awareness of the significance of the liturgical cycle and year in mysteries of liturgy (Holy Week; Christmas, Feast Days such as Corpus Christi found in time and in a perfect cycle

Dom Ganger sees liturgy expresses dogmatic understand of faithTherefore, liturgical texts should be in hands in faithful so they come

to know, learn & experience faith more fully (participation)

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgySome Major Contributors to Liturgical Reform – Germany 1800’sDom Walter from Catholic South Germany, sees connection between

Mass and Divine Office German noted for the ecclesiastical theology with emphasis of

belonging to & involvement in the ChurchLiturgy helpful means of restoration as liturgy communal actionDid not favor the saying of the against rosary during liturgical

functions or private MassesDom Walter advocated communion under both species & emphasis

on the interior presence of person at Mass to have the right disposition

Places emphasis on importance of clergy to educate the faithfulHis ecclesiastical understand lay foundations as new source of

understanding to liturgy

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgySome Major Contributors to Liturgical Reform – PopesPius X focus on liturgy as brings issues being discussed into center

of ChurchPope has great love of Gregorian chant & saw importance of music

in house of God; 1903 restores sacred music with understanding active participation in liturgy;

Reforms Divine Office & seeks revision of Church calendar to give preference to Sundays and Lent over feast days that fell on Sundays;

Pius X started daily communion and lowered age of those who could receive

Pius XI is next pope who did a lot on liturgy with emphasis on teaching role of liturgy; gives more directives on restoring sacred music & sacred art

Pius XII wrote much on liturgy - mystery of Church revealed in liturgy; dealing with liturgy as public worship, not private prayer

Pius XII see liturgical prayer addressed to Christ

Vatican II Document

Constitution on Sacred Liturgy

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgySome Comments on Vatican II ReformsLiturgy is repository of tradition & liturgy in first fruit of Vatican II as

there was much discussion on liturgical reform in last 100 years.Extraordinary synod held on 25th anniversary of Vatican II called

reform the liturgy as the most visible & most associate change identified with Vatican II

There is debate since the Vatican II concerning the liturgy – there are very strong opinions in regard to liturgy; some seeing it was misguide & failed to appreciate & guard against rituals influenced by Enlightenment; other argue that there was not need to reform & blame to be lay at bishops at Council!

Council a faith event & guided by the Holy Spirit, therefore hold that liturgical reforms guided by Holy Spirit & something needed and necessary for the Church under guidance of Holy Spirit

Does not excuse the abuses stemming from misreading and influence of trends from late 60’s and 70’s & that can still occur

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgySome Comments on Vatican II ReformsChanges happened so quickly without proper educated of

clergy & laityThere is even today, a lacking of understanding &

awareness of purpose of liturgy & aims of why changes occurred

New approaches can be misguided in modes of worship, music, art and buildings; in opening door to new forms, there is going to be a period of maturity needed that may be decades or centuries

It took hundreds of years to have Gregorian chant, art or Gothic architecture mature & become what it is today – it takes a long time for a heritage to form

Council is faith event & need to trust in Holy Spirit; there are legitimate and different expression of liturgy

Need to have Catholic charity & tolerance where liturgy becomes divisive rather than source of unity!

Need to have faith in Holy Spirit and in each other seeking best.

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgyPurpose of Liturgy:Article 1 states that purpose of liturgy is to foster union to all those

who believe in Christ; to invigorate and adopt to our age are the reasons to do something with liturgy

Article 2: “For it is with the liturgy through which, especially in the divine sacrifice of the Eucharist, “the work our redemption is accomplished” as the faithful gathered express real nature of Church and encounter Christ

Liturgy is work of redemption as the sacrifice of Christ is made present in liturgy which is the source of our salvation

Source of Salvation – Christ’s Passion, Death & Resurrection; Christ’s victory over sin & death

Liturgy builds & forms us & brings the human & divine together; the visible & invisible realties

Article 7: Christ is always present in Church especially in liturgical celebrations; Christ is present in many different ways – Christ is present in the Eucharist; in assembly, in minister; in Scripture

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgyChrist Presence In Liturgy - Christ present in Sacraments; God is present in His Word, in

Scripture, it is His voice that speaks when Scripture is read; God is present where people gather – two or three gather; Christ present in the people of God; in our midst

Liturgy is exercise of priestly office of Christ and the sacred action of the Body, His Church – priestly office of Christ is mediating between God and us; we take part in that priestly office of Christ when we participate in the liturgy.

Liturgy is celebrated with Christ as head and all members who celebrate & participate!

Liturgy is an action surpasses all others as encounter the Sacred This understanding of what liturgy is; is the reason behind the call

of participation by the laity Art8: The call to full participation is to take part in the heavenly

liturgy, in fellowship with saints in heaven, drawn from book of revelation

Liturgy gives a taste and sense to the mystery of the celebration of heavenly and divine celebration – it is important to recover this sense of mystery of liturgy

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgyLoss of Mystery in Liturgy?Liturgy is a Sacred mystery; not about entertaining, but called

to enter into and participate in divine workMany say since Vatican II, there is a loss of the sense of the

Sacred; loss of reverenceTheological foundation of Liturgy – in liturgy we encounter the

presence of Christ So how is lost of mystery due to loss of language? Was

language or music the essence of our encountering mystery?The mystery is presence of Christ, not language or song is

essence of liturgy – key to mature understanding of liturgyArticle 9: When coming to liturgy , we are called to faith and

conversion, we touch that mystery; the faithful then need to come with proper dispositions where their thoughts match their words

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgyArt 10: “Nevertheless the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity

of the Church is directed; it is also the found from which all her power flows”.

Liturgy is most important and highest activity of Church – charity, loving your neighbor, serving the poor, to witness and evangelize & evangelization are important but all such activity of the Church is directed to liturgy

Liturgy is the summit that gives meaning to what Church does– does not mean only activity of Church

Liturgy is source of our meaning & existence since liturgy celebrates the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ;

In liturgy we participate in this mystery, LG34, lay people participate share in priestly office of Christ, anointed by Holy Spirit through baptism and confirmation

All activities of life acceptable to God and given meaning to the liturgy; liturgy is not detached from day to day things – work, family, living and even hardships of life contribute to the spiritual experiences acceptable to God

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgyChapter II – Promotion of Liturgical Instruction & Active

ParticipationArt 14: “Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be

lead to that full, conscious and active participation in liturgical celebrations”.

Active would better understood is “real active” not just activity in that everyone must be doing something, real participation which can be communal or silence sometimes

Art 21: Liturgy has unchangeable & changeable elementsSome elements that are changeable, not just may but ought to be

changed if not suitable to modern worldFuller expression of liturgy reform going back to primitive & what were

essential elements of Early Church not just middle ages, Example: liturgy in Early Church was in their own language, so people

could understand and follow the liturgyArt 22 Authority to change liturgy rests on bishop, no other person not

even priest can change liturgy, liturgy is not personal opinionArt 26: Liturgy is not private act but public worship of Church & sign

of unity

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgyNature of Liturgy

Art 28: Servers, readers, commentators, choir member exercise a genuine liturgical functions

Art 30: To promote active participation, people should be encouraged to take part by means of acclamations, responses, hymns, as well as actions, gestures & bodily attitudes – standing, kneeling, sign of peace

Art 33: Liturgy principally worship of the divine mystery, but contains instruction for the faithful since God speaks to the people in liturgy

Art 34: Liturgy should be simple, avoid repetitions; suitable readings for various liturgies be restored;

Art 36 & 37: Use of Latin language is preserved in the Latin Rites; but uses of vernacular “weather in the Mass, the administration of the Sacraments… may frequently be of great advantage to the people… these norms being observed for the competent territorial ecclesiastical authority… to decide whether, and to what extent, the vernacular language is to be used.

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgyChapter VI – Sacred Music

Art 113: Liturgical worship is given a more noble form when… celebrated in song with assistance of sacred ministers & active participation of the people

Art 114: treasure of music to be taken & sacred music should be given pride of place

Art 116: Gregorian Chant should be employed where the whole body of faithful can contribute to active participation

Art 119: So long as they accord with liturgical action; other kinds of sacred music may be employed; Council fathers open door to other forms; religious celebration, voices , of faithful may be heard; whatever form of music - encourage active participation

Art 120: Pipe organ is held in high esteem as traditional music instrument; yet other instruments be admitted in judgment of relevant authority & are suitable for sacred use

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgySacred Scripture & Lectors (Dei Verbum)Two parts constitute Mass – Liturgy of Word & Liturgy of

EucharistPaul VI restores lector to official status of ministry; no longer

did a person need to be a student for the priesthoodScripture is Living Word & God speaks in the spoken word of

the LectorGod’s Word – creates, is effective & endures & Word becomes

Flesh Lector brings God’s Word to the people & necessities

understanding & awareness of background to the ScriptureLector to personal grow in knowledge of ScriptureWord becomes Flesh through lector means accepting

responsibility, duties and privileges of their baptism & confirmation

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgyExtraordinary Minister of the EucharistExtraordinary ministers of the Eucharist introduced by Paul

VI in his Instruction of Facilitating Sacramental Eucharistic Communion – lack of sufficient clergy

Way of exercising baptismal (called) & confirmation (sent)Bread & Wine brought to altar to become the Body & Blood

of ChristExtraordinary Ministers are called to be examples of

Christian living & conduct; called to strive in greater understanding of the Eucharist

The Eucharist forms our communion with God & each other; Extraordinary Ministers should not noticeable separated from assembly

Extraordinary Ministers can conduct Liturgy of Word with Eucharist in absence of ordain minister

The Constitution on Sacred LiturgySome Comments on Vatican II Liturgical ReformsDocument starts a process of discussions on liturgy, & failures have

occurred; it may take centuries to develop treasure such as the Gregorian chant, but that should not stop but rather engage the process

Liturgy reform not struggle or without failure; there is basic affirmation in Extraordinary Synod of direction liturgy is taking

There are more post council documents in regard of liturgy; call for revision of rites of baptism and other sacraments have taken a lot of effort

With translation of liturgy, possible lost some meaning as some meaning lost and not the best;

Some argue that therefore must return to LatinYet Council is a faith event – called to follow the Holy SpiritCall is to develop and work to make liturgical changes & reforms

beautiful – participate, spiritual and theologicalChallenge to develop vernacular; within these traditions

Where to Find Information about what is allowed in Liturgies?

General Instruction of the Roman Missal

GRIM