Abstract
Most Catholic schools avail themselves of many opportunities during the academic year to gather for an all-school Mass. Select teachers and students typically plan the liturgy and execute the needed ministries during Mass. This article situates liturgy planning and celebration in the context of the formal curriculum and calls for explicit liturgical education in Catholic schools. One Catholic high school’s experience with a “showcase liturgy” concept is described in detail.
Highlights
Journal of Catholic EducationPatron saints' days, various national theme weeks or months, and special events traditionally celebrated at the school should be ritualized, enacting Eucharist-like reflections on the sacramentality of the words and actions of Jesus and reminding participants of their struggles to make that sacramentality intentional in their everyday lives
One concern heard in episcopal and clerical circles about Catholic schools is that their students, especially as they get older, do not attend the parish Eucharistic liturgy
If Catholic schools are to prepare youngsters for adult membership in the Church, one of the outcomes of a Catholic education would be their participation in the local parish Eucharist
Summary
Patron saints' days, various national theme weeks or months, and special events traditionally celebrated at the school should be ritualized, enacting Eucharist-like reflections on the sacramentality of the words and actions of Jesus and reminding participants of their struggles to make that sacramentality intentional in their everyday lives. By such liturgical rituals, the students and faculty will bring to their celebrations of the Eucharist a much livelier sense of participation, awareness of themselves as a community of disciples, and openness to expressing their faith authentically in word, music, and gesture. The teachers and students involved in the planning and execution of the student-designed liturgies will be considered, as well as how the pieces fit together and students' reflections on their learning
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