The Pope: Proposes that a liturgy should be followed so that the community may grow in liturgical life

Mariangela Jaguraba – Vatican News

Pope Francis participated on Friday (20/01), at the Vatican, in a course promoted by the Pontifical Institute of Saint Anselm for those participating in the liturgy for diocesan leaders.

According to the Pope, “This course, which has just been completed, corresponds to the notes of the Exhortation desiderio desideravi Cult formation. Indeed, taking care of celebrations requires preparation and dedication. We bishops know this very well in our ministry, because we need the cooperation of those who prepare liturgies and help us fulfill our mandate to lead the prayer of holy people.

The Church’s first art form of worship

“Your service to the liturgy requires, in addition to deep knowledge, a deep pastoral sense. So I’m glad to see you once again renew your commitment to studying liturgy. For this reason, the cult is never complete, it is not known as ideas, crafts, human skills. It is the first art of the Church, to form and classify it.

Next, Francis made some reflections on the context of undertaking liturgical reform. According to him, people today do not speak of a “master of ceremonies”, i.e. one who takes care of “sacred ceremonies”. “The liturgical books mention Master of Celebrations. The Master teaches liturgy as he encounters the paschal mystery of Christ. At the same time, everything should be arranged so that the liturgy shines with decorum, simplicity and order. “The ministry of the master is a diakonia: he collaborates with the bishop in the service of the community,” he underlined.

In the school of worship the master grows first

According to the Pope, one of the objectives of the Second Vatican Council was to “recover with the faithful the ability to fully live the act of worship and to be amazed at what is happening in celebration before our eyes.” How can this be achieved? The answer is already found in the Constitution Sacrosanctum Consilium, which, in number 14, prescribes the formation of the faithful. “Therefore, the teacher develops primarily in the school of liturgy and participates in the pastoral work of forming clergy and the faithful,” the Pope said.

According to Francisco, “One of the most complex aspects of the reform is its practical implementation, that is, the way in which what the Council Fathers established is translated into daily life. The first of those primarily responsible for practical implementation. , together with the Director of the Liturgical Pastoral Department, the diocese, communities, priests and other ministers implement the celebratory practice indicated by the Council. This is done above all by celebrating”.

Grow in worship life

When the celebrant visits a parish with the bishop, it is good to appreciate the celebratory style that lives there. There’s no point in holding a nice “parade” when the bishop is there, and then everything goes back to the way it was before. Your task is not to organize a one-day ritual, but to propose a liturgy that can be followed with adaptations that the community can incorporate to grow in liturgical life.

“Be still,” the Pope admonished them. “Especially before the celebrations, help the assembly and the partners to focus on what is going to be done. Before and after the celebrations it is noisy, but the silence opens and prepares the mystery, allows integration, makes the echo sound. The word is heard. Fraternity is beautiful, greeting each other, but the encounter with Jesus is our It gives meaning to meeting and reuniting. We need to rediscover and respect silence”, he concluded.