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• Networking
  • Local Church
  • Regions
  • Church in the U.S.
  • Other Liturgical Organizations
• Accomplishments
  • Advocacy
  • Children's Lectionary
  • McManus Award
  • Studies
  • Education

Benefits of Participation in the Life of the

Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions

I.   Networking

• FDLC and the Local Church — Participation in the FDLC provides an opportunity for the local church to enrich its perspective, to dialogue beyond its boundaries, and to impact the national agenda. [click for more information]

  • Local Church to Region — Through its Board of Directors the FDLC convenes directors of offices of worship and liturgical commission members by region at least once a year. Regional meetings provide a forum that offers the local church an opportunity to bring to the attention of other dioceses in its region issues that affect that local church and that may have regional implications and/or solutions. During these same meetings materials are shared and diocesan programs discussed.

  • FDLC and the Local Church — Participation in the FDLC provides an opportunity for the local church to enrich its perspective, to dialogue beyond its boundaries, and to impact the national agenda.

  • Local Church to National Church — The FDLC provides a forum that offers the local church an opportunity to bring to the attention of other regions of the country and to the attention of the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy issues that affect a local church. This happens as a region drafts a position statement for consideration of other regions in the United States, as it reviews issues of concern for discussion at the National Meeting, or as it instructs its regional representatives to bring issues to the annual meeting of the Board of Directors for discussion and action.

  • National Church to Local Church — From its inception the FDLC has provided a forum that encourages the local church to look beyond its boundaries to consider issues that affect other dioceses in its region and other regions of the country. This enrichment happens especially at regional meetings as participants listen to the concerns of those from other dioceses in their region. It also happens as Liturgical Commissions and Offices of Worship meet in regional caucuses at the annual National Meeting to consider position statements and resolutions of immediate concern drafted by other regions.

  • Local Church and the BCL — In October, 1968, the BCL convoked a meeting of Diocesan Liturgical Commission personnel in Chicago in order to prepare for the implementation of the Ordo Missae. In conjunction with this meeting, there was a session for Chairs and Secretaries as there had been in previous years at the Liturgical Weeks. At this particular session a resolution was passed which called for the creation of an Advisory Committee to the BCL. The advisory Committee was to be made up of members elected by the chairs and secretaries of the commissions from the twelve episcopal regions of the United States.
            The BCL Secretariat conducted an election by mail, soliciting nominations in April 1969. “It is hoped,” said the BCL, “that [in addition to the exchange of information among the commissions themselves and the holding of regional meetings] the federation would be able to present informal proposals to the Bishops’ Committee and to be a source of information to the Committee.”
           The purposes of the FDLC would develop and be refined, but the basic conception was clearly a distinct body, serving the commissions but equally prepared to submit its corporate recommendations to the BCL, a meld of subsidiary and collegial relationships.
           Through the FDLC the local church has a direct link to the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy. The Executive Director of the National Office and the Chair of the FDLC Board of Directors serve as ex officio advisors to the BCL, attend the June meeting of the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy and represent the Federation to the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy.

• FDLC and the Regions — Participation in the FDLC provides an opportunity for members of a region to come together at least once a year for two or three days for a Regional Meeting. [click for more information]
  • In service training — Regional meetings provide in service training for Worship Office staff and for members of liturgical commissions.
  • Mutual support — Regional meetings provide mutual support for Worship Office staff and for members of liturgical commissions.
  • Issues, solutions, strategies —  Regional meetings provide Worship Office staff and members of liturgical commissions the opportunity to share issues, solutions, and to develop strategies.
• FDLC and the Church in the United States — At the national level the FDLC has an impact on the liturgical life of the Church in the United States. [click for more information]
  • The FDLC impacts the national agenda — Through its official relationship to the BCL, the FDLC impacts the bishops’ agenda, e.g., cremation, televised masses, children’s lectionary, Sunday celebrations in the absence of a priest. Both the Executive Director and the Chair of the Board serve as observers at meetings of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.
  • The FDLC sponsors a National Meeting [click for more information]
    • Educational Opportunities — The National Meeting provides educational opportunities for its members and for members of the local church through workshops, presentations by major speakers, and lively discussion of issues during Business Sessions.
    • Surface Issues — The National Meeting provides members an opportunity to determine issues of national importance through its national process.
      The National Meeting provides members the opportunity to draft and pass resolutions of immediate concern which reflect issues that have arisen since the spring regional meetings and which need immediate attention.
  • The FDLC supports a Board of Directors — The FDLC Board of Directors is composed of twenty-four members who are elected by one of the FDLC’s twelve regions to represent that region and its needs and vision. When the Board convenes its members bring together insights and vision from all parts of the church in the United States. They provide professional leadership both for the organization and for its members. Current Board.
  • The FDLC maintains a National Office  — Located in Theological College in Washington, DC, the FDLC National Office is staffed to serve the needs of the Federation by the Executive Director, an Executive Assistant, a part-time administrative assistant and a part-time bookkeeper. Contact information. [click for more information]
    • Resources — The National Office provides resources for offices and commissions: job descriptions, models of commission structure, and a study of the development of commissions.
    • Guidelines — The National Office serves as a repository for diocesan sacramental guidelines and other diocesan policy statements.
    • Database  — The National Office maintains a database listing directors and chairs and maintains a web-based National Directory, available to FDLC members. The National Office also makes mailing lists available to its members to facilitate communication among them.
    • Hiring  — The National Office provides assistance with hiring through the FDLC Newsletter and the filing of resumes for positions in Worship Offices.
    • Newsletter — The National Office edits and publishes annually six issues of the FDLC Newsletter which is mailed to all members and to all bishops in the United States. In addition to news of the Federation, the Newsletter contains articles on liturgical subjects such as inclusive language in worship, the sacraments of initiation, and rituals for closing and merging parishes.
    • Tracking Position Statements —  The National Office maintains a database detailing progress on the implementation of position statements and resolutions of immediate concern.
    • Tracking Offices and Commissions — The National Office conducts an annual survey of offices and commissions, publishes this information in the members' web page Directory, and communicates this data to the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy.
    • Web site — The National Office maintains the FDLC web site, including the Liturgical Catechesis Project.
  • FDLC and Other Liturgical Organizations — The FDLC works at the national level to foster greater collaboration among various national organizations which have liturgy as the heart of their work. The FDLC through its Executive Director, its Chair, and its Board of Directors is in regular communication with many national organizations: [click for list]

    • the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy,

    • the USCCB Secretariat for the Liturgy,

    • the International Commission on English in the Liturgy,

    • the Notre Dame Center for Pastoral Liturgy,

    • the Instituto Nacional de Liturgia para Hispana,

    • the Association of Consultants for Liturgical Spaces,

    • the National Association of Pastoral Musicians,

    • the National Organization for the Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy

    • the North American Forum on the Catechumenate,

    • the Southwest Liturgical Conference,

    • the Liturgical Conference,

    • the Georgetown Center for Liturgy, 

    • We Believe.

    • Representatives of the BCL and the Instituto regularly attend FDLC Board of Directors’ meetings. In addition, representatives of the above organizations have been invited to participate in networking meetings convened by the FDLC.

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II.  Accomplishments

• Advocacy [click for more information]
  • Roman Missal [click for more information]
    • published and revised the The Mystery of Faith, a study guide on the structural elements of the Mass;
    • published a series of bulletin inserts on the Mass;
    • participated in the consultation process through offices and commissions;
    • is keeping offices and commissions informed of progress through the FDLC Newsletter, regional meetings, and Fax’s;
    • published and mailed briefing papers to all dioceses in the US;
    • worked closely with We Believe who duplicated our briefing papers;
    • provided extensive documentation on the Pastoral Introduction
  • Liturgy Offices and Commissions [click for more information]
    • The National Office tracks the number of dioceses with commissions and/or offices and reports this data regularly to the BCL.
    •   The Executive Director and Chair regularly request the BCL to encourage the bishops to maintain/establish offices of worship and commissions. As a result Chairs of the BCL have frequently urged their fellow bishops to do so during the annual meeting of the USCCB.
    • The National Office helps in staffing of offices of worship by advertising openings in the FDLC Newsletter and by maintaining resumes on file at the National Office.
    •  The Board of Directors developed a job description for the Director’s position in an Office for Worship, available from the FDLC National Office.
  • Environment and Art [click for more information]
    •  Through its position statements and through the Executive Director and the Chair of the FDLC Board, the FDLC has expressed strong support for Environment and Art in Catholic Worship. As a result a member of the FDLC Board of Directors was appointed to represent the Federation in the drafting of Built of Living Stones.
    • The FDLC through its National Office has published pastoral bulletin inserts on environment and art.
  • Timing of Sacraments of Initiation [click for more information]
    • With the NCCD shaped and published a joint statement on the proper liturgical time to celebrate the sacraments of initiation.
    • The Executive Director and the Chair of the FDLC Board of Directors brought the statement to the attention of the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy
  •  Order of Sacraments of Initiation [click for more information]
    • Through its position statements and through the Executive Director and the Chair of the FDLC Board, the FDLC has expressed to the BCL strong support for restoring the order of the sacraments of initiation.
    • The National Office through the FDLC Newsletter has edited and published articles on the order of the sacraments of initiation.
  • Liturgical Formation [click for more information]
    •  Through its position statements and through the Executive Director and the Chair of the FDLC Board, the FDLC has expressed strong support for liturgical formation of those to be ordained and those already ordained.
    • An annual Seminary Liturgical Formation Forum is held in conjunction with the National Meeting. The forum brings together in dialog seminary liturgy personnel and worship office directors.
    • In 2003, the National Office conducted a survey of bishops and diocesan worship offices regarding seminary liturgical formation. Then, NOCERCC collaborated with FDLC in conducting a similar survey of priests ordained 1993-2003. The results of the survey were shared with the BCL.
  • Liturgy of the Hours [click for more information]
    •  The FDLC sponsored a National Meeting on the theme of Liturgy of the Hours
    • The FDLC encourages use of Liturgy of the Hours in parishes through a series of bulletin inserts published by the National Office.
  • Full Active Participation [click for more information]
    • The National Office edited and published a series of pastoral bulletin inserts on full active conscious participation by the assembly.
    • Through position statements the Federation has advocated Communion in the Hand.
    • Through position statements the Federation has advocated Reception of Communion from the Cup.
    • Through position statements the Federation has advocated Reception of Communion from the altar rather than the tabernacle.
• Children’s Lectionary — The Children’s Lectionary resulted from the passing of a position statement at the Rochester National Meeting. A sub committee established by the FDLC became an ad hoc committee of the BCL and over a period of seven years worked on and produced the Children’s Lectionary. The Executive Director of the National Office served on that committee.
• The Frederick R. McManus Award — The McManus Award provides the FDLC an opportunity to recognize outstanding work in the area of pastoral liturgy and to support those who continue the cause of the reform of the liturgy.
•  Studies and Fact Finding [click for more information]
  • Ordo Missae Study — This study requested by the BCL resulted in many recommendations for the revision of the Roman Missal and in the publication of the study guide to the Mass, The Mystery of Faith which has been used by thousands to better understand and celebrate the eucharist, revised in 2004 incorporating the norms of the 2000 General Instruction of the Roman Missal.
  •  Seminary Liturgical Formation — In 2003, the FDLC surveyed diocesan bishops and worship offices regarding the liturgical formation of seminarians. FDLC then collaborated with NOCERCC in undertaking a similar survey with priests ordained 1993-2003.
  • Lectionary Study — Requested in 2002 by the Secretariat on the Liturgy, the FDLC study surveyed its own membership, the Catholic Biblical Association, members of the Catholic Academny of Liturgy (CAL), and members of the Notre Dame Liturgy Listserve regarding the proclaimability and usefulness of the revised Lectionary.
• Education [click for more information]
  • Formation of the Assembly (English and Spanish) — As a grassroots organization with a primary focus on pastoral needs the FDLC emphasizes education of the Assembly in a majority of its publications though: [click for list]
    • Bulletin Inserts in English and in Spanish such as those published on Full, Active, Conscious participation.
    • Publications in English and in Spanish such as The Mystery of Faith
    • Liturgical Catechesis Project — a web site where the laity may find answers to their questions and where articles and resources are posted.
  • Continuing education for Membership — At the same time the FDLC sees the continuing education of its members as an important part of its work. This ongoing education is accomplished through:[click for list]
    • Annual Meetings — Workshops and major presentations
    •  Regional Meetings  — In service presentations by guest speakers
    • The FDLC Newsletter  — Timely articles on issues of concern to the membership
    • National Workshops  — Workshops such as Multicultural Workshops and Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a  Priest

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 © 2005 FDLC
Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions
415 Michigan Avenue, N.E., Suite 70 Washington, D.C. 20017 202-635-6990
Contact us: nationaloffice@fdlc.org