On the Sacred

Liturgy
BRO. TIMOTHY JUSTIN G.
FRANCISCO
Companions of St. Charles Borromeo
 LITURGY
• Greek: leitourgia – the work of the people or work on
behalf of the people
• Liturgy is in many ways the public face or shop front
of the Church, it is through the liturgy that people
engage with the faith and deepen their relationship
with God. (Diocese of Shrewsbury, n.d.)
 LITURGY
• The Sacred Liturgy is the Church’s official public and
communal worship.
• Liturgy is the divine worship of the Church and
includes the celebration of Mass, the celebration of the
Sacraments, and the Divine Office or Daily Prayer of
the Church.
 LITURGY
• The defining characteristic shared by each is the
revelation of an aspect of the Paschal Mystery at the
center of the celebration.
• As the Church’s official worship, each of these
liturgies has at its heart the celebration of the “Mystery
of our Faith” – that is, the sacred passion, death and
resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
SACROSANCTUM
CONCILLIUM
• One of the documents produced during the Second
Vatican Council on the Sacred Liturgy.
• Divided into seven chapters, it talks on the different
liturgies of the Church as it “daily builds up those who
are in the Church, making of them a holy temple of the
Lord, a dwelling-place for God in the Spirit.” (SC,
Intro:1)
SACROSANCTUM
CONCILLIUM
• Chapter I: General Principles
• Chapter II: The Sacred Liturgy
• Chapter III: The Holy Eucharist
• Chapter IV: Other Sacraments and Sacramentals
• Chapter V: The Liturgical Year
• Chapter VI: Sacred Music
• Chapter VII: Sacred Art and Sacred Furnishings
 GENERAL
PRINCIPLES
• The Mass allows us to participate in the Paschal
Mystery of Christ’s Passion, Death, Resurrection, and
Ascension, for Christ is present in Liturgy.
• Christ’s love flows to us in a special way from the
Eucharist and The Word of God.
• Additionally, Christ is present to us in the priesthood,
diaconate, and in the people of God.
 GENERAL
PRINCIPLES
• Through baptism we are called to actively share in
Liturgy.
• Liturgical services are never private in nature. Liturgy
is a Celebration of the Church, and it signifies our
unity in Christ!
• “full, active and conscious participation” (SC 2:14)
 GENERAL
PRINCIPLES
• There is never to be random modification to Liturgy
without the consent of the Holy See.
• The bishop of a diocese is the one who leads the
diocese liturgically. He is meant to ensure that liturgy
conforms to the approved norms set in place by the
Vatican and laid down by him.
CULMEN ET FONS
(SC 1:10)
• Culmen (source): summit toward which the activity of
the Church is directed
• Fons (fount): the fount from which all her power flows
• Ultimate goal of the Liturgy: all who are made sons of
God by faith and baptism should come together to
praise God in the midst of his Church, to take part in
the Sacrifice and to eat the Lord's Supper.
BROADCASTING
THE LITURGY
• Transmissions of the sacred rites by radio and
television shall be done with discretion and dignity,
under the leadership and direction of a suitable person
appointed for this office by the bishops. This is
especially important when the service to be broadcast
is the Mass.
THE EUCHARIST
Jesus is present in the holy sacrifice of the Mass:
• In the person of the priest: The priest presides at the
Eucharistic sacrifice in persona Christi – in the person of
Christ. By the indelible character on his soul he has
received in the sacrament of Holy Orders, the priest acts
in the power and place of Christ Himself when he
pronounces the words of consecration during the
Eucharistic prayer.
THE EUCHARIST
• In the community of the faithful: Christ promises that
“wherever two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt 18:20) When the
faithful come together to participate in the commemoration
of the Paschal sacrifice, Christ is present among us.
• In the Liturgy of the Word: When the Scriptures are read in
church, God Himself speaks to His people, and Christ,
present in His Word, proclaims His Gospel. (SC 9)
THE EUCHARIST
• In the Eucharist: In the Most Holy Eucharist, Jesus is
truly and substantially present – Body, Blood, soul and
divinity. This presence is described as presence par
excellence, because He is truly present under the
appearance of bread and wine. For this reason, we
genuflect to the tabernacle where the Blessed Sacrament
is reserved and are encouraged to worship and adore
Him in Eucharistic adoration.
THE EUCHARIST
• Nine “decrees” in the chapter:
• The rite of the Mass should be revised so “that the intrinsic
nature and purpose of its several parts, as well as the
connection between them, may be more clearly manifested
and that the devout and active participation by the faithful
may be more easily achieved.” (SC, 50)
• Examples: removal of duplicate Confiteor, institution of the
Prayers of the Faithful
THE EUCHARIST
• Nine “decrees” in the chapter:
• More diverse set of Scripture readings to be used at Mass
over a cycle of several years. (Sunday Readings divided
into three sets (Year A, B, C) and weekday Masses (year I
and II).
• Additional reading from epistles added on Sundays.
THE EUCHARIST
• Nine “decrees” in the chapter:
• The homily should become a proper part of the liturgy, not
to be omitted on Sundays and holy days. Its subject matter
should be faith and morals, based on an exposition of the
Scriptural readings. (SC, 52)
THE EUCHARIST
• Nine “decrees” in the chapter:
• Restoration of the “common prayer” or “prayer of the
faithful”. The laity are to participate in this prayer for
intercessions on behalf of the Church, civil authorities,
those in need, and for all mankind and its salvation. (SC,
53)
THE EUCHARIST
• Nine “decrees” in the chapter:
• Proposed usage of the vernacular during the Mass. When a
congregation is present at Mass, “a suitable place may be allotted to
the mother tongue.” The readings and the common prayer should be
in the vernacular, and “as local conditions may warrant,” any parts
which pertain to the people should also be in their tongue. (SC, 54)
• Nevertheless steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be
able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of
the Mass which pertain to them.”
THE EUCHARIST
• Nine “decrees” in the chapter:
• Holy communion be offered to the laity at all Masses after
the priest’s communion. This is conciliar confirmation of a
practice first espoused by Pope St. Pius X.
• The Second Vatican Council proposes that there may be
special occasions where it is fitting for those not
consecrating the Host to receive communion under both
kinds.
THE EUCHARIST
• Nine “decrees” in the chapter:
• The Council describes the two parts of the Mass as “the
liturgy of the word and the eucharistic liturgy.” The
reformed Roman rite would explicitly be divided along this
line, instead of the former “Mass of Catechumens” and
“Mass of the Faithful.” Yet the Council mentions these two
parts only to emphasize their unity in a “single act of
worship.” (SC, 56)
THE EUCHARIST
• Nine “decrees” in the chapter:
• Broader application of priestly concelebration at Mass.
Concelebration was always common in the East, but in the
West this practice was limited to Masses at the ordination
of priests and bishops.