Good
Morning!
Your program booklet states that in less
than an hour and a half, Paul [Turner], Carole [Eipers] and I will
try to summarize the study mornings. This is a daunting task – almost
as impossible as talking about the relationship of liturgy and
catechesis in a few days. But we will try to reflect on what we have
all accomplished here and what promise it holds for the future.
We were invited by the BCL, the national
office and a hard-working local committee to address the issue of
“Liturgy as the Privileged Place of Catechesis.”
But that was
preceded by an even greater summons — we were also called by God at
our baptism, and like the people of Ephesus, we were reminded that
some are called as “apostles [or successors to them], others as
prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers” but
always gifted by grace “for building up the body of Christ until we
attain the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God” (Ephesians
4:11-13).
And so we kingdom builders gathered, in a
ballroom in Hartford, CT, to examine our varied and mutual roles in
Christ’s Church.
We
came prepared having read articles by Schellman and Ostdiek, Dooley
and Baumbach, Groome and Varga...
We
were privileged to spend time with two excellent presenters, whose
scholarship challenged us, whose insights inspired us, and whose
passion and creativity astounded us.
We dialogued at tables with
esteemed colleagues and new friends...
And we mourned the loss of a
liturgical and musical genius...
We
received folders with concise charts – treasures that could be used at
future workshops – and perused bibliographies that identified trusted
sources...
And if we looked closely, we read the small cards on our tables that
quoted Scripture, Patristic literature, and recent documents.
And we prayed.
We
celebrated the liturgies of the Church and entered more fully into a
paschal mystery that we can never fully grasp, but encountered a
living God who is present among us and who reveals his great love for
us in word and sacrament. And it was in these liturgies that God’s
word was best “echoed down” and where we were most fully “catechized.”
On Wednesday morning, we listened with
awed admiration and rapt attention as Father Paul Turner examined how
the liturgy catechizes. He reminded us how
Our buildings have always been shaped by and mold liturgical praxis –
in their shape and decor; the shape, size and placement of the font,
the centrality of the altar, and in the location of the tabernacle.
The liturgy catechizes in
rubrics that express unity, but also delineate rank.
The liturgy catechizes with people whose age confuses our theology of
a sacrament and whose baptismal status is sometimes muddied by when
and how we welcome them into our faith community.
And finally, Paul reminded us how the liturgy catechizes with new
translations that will provide more elegant language and one that may
confuse essential theology.
But buildings, rubrics, people, and texts,
only serve to equip us for the real task of liturgy... to worship
almighty God and to sanctify his people so that they may serve one
another in love.
On Thursday morning, we entered into an
approved liturgical dance with our sure-footed partner, Dr. Carole
Eipers. From the perspective of a catechist, we examined the
relationship between Liturgy and Catechesis and appreciated catechesis
as both an overture to and reprise to liturgical celebrations. Under
her well-choreographed tutelage, we entered into a dance of
discipleship and appreciated anew the evangelizing power of our
ritual.
Still dancing along (though not all with
tap shoes) we realized that catechists need liturgists:
to provide expert advice
to enhance participation
to offer kairos in a chronos world
to embrace sacred silence
to reveal beauty
to expose idols
to enter sacred space
and to tell the important stories of our faith
that offer hope in a troubled world
And we more fully
appreciated that liturgist need catechists...
since they offer an introduction to the mysteries celebrated
in liturgy
they help us explore more fully Sacred Scripture and
Tradition
catechesis frees the liturgy to be
liturgy, promoting knowledge of the faith, moral formation, and skills
for prayer
it can offer age-appropriate formation
and can attend to the needs of each person
and can tell and retell our stories of faith and tradition
since true catechesis promotes dialogue
And in our mutual
dance of discipleship, together we share the Good News of Jesus
Christ.
SYNTHESIS OF TABLE DISCUSSIONS
All comments will be
posted to the website. Please refer to the handout which synthesizes
your discussions on Wednesday and Thursday. You told us of important
strategies that could be and should be implemented at the parish, in
diocesan offices and commissions, and by this federation.
PARISH
Catechesis firmly rooted in the Word and centered on the person of
Jesus Christ
At the heart
of catechesis we find, in essence, a person, the person of Jesus of
Nazareth... It is the definitive nature of catechesis to put people
not only in touch with but in communion with Jesus Christ... (CT 5)
Liturgy celebrated well.
faithful to the
liturgical books
collaborative preparation
careful selection of texts, options
preaching based on the Word and euchology
Catechesis on the liturgy that focuses on its theology, its communal
nature, and on the participation of the assembly.
Developing a staff structure that encourages collaboration.
DRE on PWC
Liturgist on Educ Commission
All on RCIA Team
Sacramental preparation based upon the rites.
Develop or revise
parish sacramental policies
RCIA model for all catechesis (RCIA 75)
“accommodated to the liturgical year...supported by celebrations of
the word”
familiarity with the Christian way of life
liturgical rites
apostolic activity
More opportunities for mystagogical reflection and the tools to do it
well.
Regular evaluation of liturgical celebrations and liturgical
catechesis.
Music at all rites and the development of repertoire of music for the
rites
Regular, ongoing, age-appropriate catechesis including programing,
bulletin inserts, and well-prepared worship aids.
