Liturgy Newsletter

September 2003

News

Papal Splendour

Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht11 September to 30 November 2003. It will feature about 100 magnificent Vatican treasures. For the first time these items will be on show outside the Vatican. The exhibits, on show for the first time outside the Vatican include the papal tiara with which John XXIII was crowned, the ring worn by Pius XII, and various mitees, book bindings, chalices and reliquaries. The majority of the exhibits are normally kept in the private papal sacristy, the Treasury of St Peter and the Museum of the Lateran in Rome. The exhibition highlights two typically papal rituals: the conclave (election and coronation of a new pope) and the Holy Year, celebrated every 25 years (2000 was the most recent occasion. The exhibition marks the 150th anniversary of the reinstating of the diocesan hierarchy was reinstated in the Netherlands after it had been abolished during the Reformation.

Societas Liturgica

Subscriptions to Studia Liturgica cost £17.50 and are payable by cheque made payable to Societas Liturgica and sent to Societas Liturgica c/o University of Notre Dame, 1 Suffolk Street, London, SW1Y 4HG

Revised Translations under review

Translations of the Ordination Rites for Bishops, Priests and Deacons and the Order of the Dedication of a Church and an Altar have been received from ICEL and are presently being considered by the Bishops of England and Wales, in preparation for their vote on the translation in November 2003. These are the first complete ritual texts prepared by ICEL since the publication of Liturgiam Authenticam in 2001.

Liturgy Office Website

The website continues to develop. More documents are being placed on the site of both viewing and downloading. Recent documents that have been added include Guidelines for the Production of One-off Service sheets and recipes for making Bread for the Eucharist. Other documents available include a Guide to Catholic Funerals, Guidelines for Liturgy of the Word with Children and the leaflet Singing the Mass. A liturgical calendar for 2004 is in preparation and work is also underway to provide resources for the General Instruction of the Roman Missal for when it is published (see page 2 for more information). This Newsletter can be downloaded together with Spirit of the Season, a liturgical resource produced principally to assist teachers in Catholic schools, but also those responsible for the liturgical formation of children in parish catechetical programmes. The Website offers the Newsletter in PDF files so that those who find the printed copy difficult to read can display it on their computer screen at the magnification of their choice. Comments from users of the Website are always welcome: how would you like to see the present service improved or developed then please email lifeworship@cbcew.org.uk and let us know.

News from ICEL

The Bishops of ICEL met from July 29-31 and have approved the revised Statutes drawn up as reqested by the Congregation for Divine Worship following the publication of Liturgiam Authenticam in 2001. The Statutes have been forwarded to CDW for recognitio. The principal changes to the Statutes concern the administration of ICEL and a slimming down of its permanent Consultants’ Committee. In future where there is a need for a wider consultation it will take place on a more ad hoc basis.

ICEL continues its work in preparing new translations of the Order of Christian Marriage, the Rite of Exorcism, and the Martyrology. It is expected that these translations will be completed before the year’s end and be submitted for the approval of the ICEL Bishops. That approval received, the usual practice of then submitting the translation for the careful consideration of individual Bishops’ Conferences will be followed.

The principal work facing ICEL remains that of preparing an English translation of the 3rd edition of the Roman Missal. ICEL has done a good deal of work in reviewing the Latin text and in preparing the necessary base translations. It will be assisted in its detailed translation work by a ratio translationis being prepared under the auspices of Vox Clara, a committee of English-speaking bishops established in April 2002 to assist CDW in assuring that the Roman Rite is being faithfully translated into English.

Cardinal Arinze, prefect of CDW, visited the ICEL Secretariat in May 2003 too meet with the staff and to hear of ICEL’s current work. Cardinal Arinze was sympathetic to some of the particular difficulties that were faced in preparing faithful English translations of Latin texts that were also suitable for use in liturgical celebration. At the conclusion of his visit Cardinal Arinze spoke of the important work that ICEL has done, and noted the ever-increasing requirements being made on the English language as a translating language. He spoke also of the gratitude owed by all to the ‘founding fathers’ of ICEL

The Society of St Gregory

The 2003 Society of St Gregory summer school was held at Worth Abbey from 29 July to 1 August. The Conference marked the 40th Anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium and took as its theme Grace as from a fountain.

Something over 100 people attended the series of talks and workshops exploring a range of liturgical and musical topics. The summer school concluded with a celebration of Mass at which Bishop Kieran Conry presided.

Societas Liturgica

The 19th Convention of Societas Liturgica was held in Eindhoven, Netherlands from 11th to 16th August. The meeting provided an opportunity for a rich exploration of the role of the saints and the Communion of the Saints in the liturgy of the Church, past and present, Catholic and Orthodox, Anglican and Reformed. Papers from the meeting are to be published in Studia Liturgica. The next meeting of Societas Liturgica is being held in Dresden in 2005. The society welcomes membership from those teaching or doing research in liturgical and related studies; those who are actively engaged in official liturgical commissions and those who are making significant contributions to the liturgical life of the Church.