Liturgical Reform Research Articles

The Fundamental Criterion of Liturgical Translation: Valde Utilis Apud Populum

Liturgiam Authenticam , the instruction on the use of vernacular languages in the publication of the books of the Roman liturgy, claims to be faithful to the intentions of the liturgical reform of Vatican II, especially to the intention of Sacrosanctum Concilium 36. From the time of the publication of Liturgiam Authenticam, the debates on the liturgical translation have become tangled in the argument of authority or procedural collaboration between Rome and the Bishops’ Conference. The publication of the Apostolic Letter Magnum Principium in 2017 has solved this legal problem. This paper argues that the problem of implementing faithfully the intentions of the liturgical reform of the Vatican II regarding the use of vernacular in the liturgy cannot be simplified by implementing only the correct idea of collaboration between the authorities involved in the work of translation. Further, implementation of the correct understanding of the function of language in the work of liturgical translation is a serious challenge. For this reason, there are some important points to consider regarding Liturgiam Authenticam after the publication of Magnum Principium .

Post-Conciliar Liturgical Reform in the Czech Lands and Music of the Liturgy

The article describes the introduction of the liturgical reform in the Czech Republic and the associated musical creation that would correspond to therenewed liturgy. It focuses on the work of individual liturgical commissions, the determination of the criteria of musical creation and the prominent music protagonists. At the same time, it describes the progress of the work on the common song-book for the Czech and Moravian dioceses.

Liturgy as Embodied Informal Education for Identity Re-formation: Luther’s 1523 and 1526 Liturgical Reforms

Martin Luther’s 1523 and 1526 reforms of the Catholic liturgy holistically contributed to the re-formation of the spiritual identities of believers at Wittenberg in three ways: (1) Reconstructed their living inheritance as the worshipping people of God; (2) Clarified the embodied biblical narrative of justification by faith in the gospel; and (3) Explicated their role as the local and global body under Christ the Head, reconnecting them to their heritage of witness in the world.

Mszał Rzymski w języku angielskim po Soborze Watykańskim II: Wstępna analiza porównawcza dwóch angielskich przekładów

Following the Second Vatican Council the Roman Catholic liturgy has undergone significant changes. One of them is the shift towards the vernacular as the language of liturgy. First of all, the post-conciliar liturgical reform resulted in a considerable reduction in liturgical texts. Secondly, the shift towards the vernacular entailed further changes, including substantial departure of some translations (e.g. English or German) from the original Latin text of the socalled editio typica of Paul VI’s Missal. This paper is concerned with the differences between the two English translations of the postconciliar Roman Missal (1969/1970), i.e. the 1973 version and the currently used 2010 translation. The analysis has a preliminary character as it deals with selected parts of the Roman Missal in English. The paper focuses on the major differences at the levels of lexis and grammatical structure and it seeks to demonstrate how two radically opposing approaches to the translation of the language of worship contribute to the emergence of texts that significantly differ in their content, style and emphasis.

Les aménagements liturgiques des cathédrales de Genève, du ve au ixe siècle. Étude chronologique comparative

The aim of this paper is to study the liturgical arrangements realized in the transition space between the choir and the nave of the church, in order to obtain a better understanding of the link between the cathedral and the other monuments of the cult, in particular the baptisteries. The presented data are related to the one published on other sites: the cathedrals of Aosta, Tournai, Cologne, and Trier, and other buildings in western Europe. In the southern cathedral of Geneva, we observe, with a certain precocity, the emergence of a solea and an ambo, as in Aosta (half a century earlier), in Grado and Boppard during the same period, and in Tournai a little later. During the 6th century, this type of architectural element spreads throughout western Europe, and is in competition (or in complementarity) with more opened arrangements connecting the cathedral to the baptistery, as it is the case in the northern cathedral of Aosta, recently modified. During the 7th-8th centuries, the situation became more complex in Geneva, when, on the east of the baptistery, a third church was constructed, whose liturgical arrangements were those of a martyrial church. In the Carolingian period, this building was considerably enlarged on the western side (at exactly the same place where the baptistery was disappearing) and provided with arrangements similar to those of the cathedral of Cologne at the same time. This shows that it was now used as a cathedral, at the detriment of the two ancient churches that disappeared soon after. These constructions can be seen in relation with the application of the Carolingian liturgical reform, which was inspired by the image of Rome, as it can be seen in the Ordo Romanus IV, written in the Frankish kingdom.

Contexts for Pastoral Care: Magdalene Liturgies, Cistercian Reform, and the Cantus Database

This study examines antiphons at matins for the Magdalene feast (22 July) in Cistercian sources and compares them to those of Cluny. It draws on the Cantus Database and Index for Latin Ecclesiastical Chant and Cantus Analytics as resources for identifying patterns of Cistercian observance as a way to address the many lacunae in surviving manuscripts. This analysis also focuses on the Song of Songs narratives evoked by the chants. In so doing, it explores their connection to Cistercian liturgical reform, and the implications for understanding models of apostolic influence and pastoral care foundational to the praxes of confession and penitence.

Pentecostal Worship: Introduction

Over the previous century, the various streams of liturgical reform in the Western churches may be characterized as quests for a more profoundly real encounter with God in worship. Reformers of the...

Ressourcement or Aggiornamento? An Assessment of Modern Liturgical Reforms

AbstractThis article assesses the liturgical reforms attributed to Alexander Schmemann and New Skete monastery. A close examination of these reforms demonstrates that they were primarily pastoral attempts to continue the work inaugurated by the Moscow Council of 1917–18 (Schmemann), and to restore monastic stewardship of venerable liturgical traditions (New Skete). The author suggests that it would be more fruitful to approach the question of renewing tradition on the basis of the goals of liturgical renewal, which happen to be common to both the Catholic and Orthodox churches, namely liturgical theosis, or divinization of the people through liturgical events.

Pastorační rozlišování situace dvou forem římského ritu - tradice a tradicionalismus

This study reflects on the newest discussion concerning the term reform of reform after the speech of Cardinal Robert Sarah at the conference Sacra Liturgia in London on 5 July 2016. It compares this lecture to the lecture during the Cologne Liturgy Days (29 March to 1 April 2017) called Source of the Future: Ten years of motu proprio 'Summorum Pontificum' of Benedict XVI. For an understanding of the pastoral distinction between the two forms or the Roman rite there is a detailed pastoral-theological analysis of motu proprio Summorum Pontificum by Benedict XVI (2007). The introduction of the extraordinary form of the Latin rite is determined by three criteria: liturgical reform of the council is not and must not be questioned; there must not be any legitimization of division of the Church; active participation (participatio actuosa) of all believers in the liturgy must be preserved. The end of this study presents the pastoral distinction of four basic types of the personal shift towards Catholic traditionalism developed after publication of motu proprio Summorum Pontificum and it lists certain pastoral recommendations for overcoming tension following the application of the two forms of the Roman rite in the Czech Lands.

Aggiornamento on the Hill of Janus: The American College in Rome, 1955–1979 by Stephen M. DiGiovanni

Reviewed by: Aggiornamento on the Hill of Janus: The American College in Rome, 1955–1979 by Stephen M. DiGiovanni Gregory J. Fairbanks Aggiornamento on the Hill of Janus: The American College in Rome, 1955–1979. By Stephen M. DiGiovanni. Downers Grove, IL: Midwest Theological Forum, 2016. 694 pp. $35.00. Stephen DiGiovanni's history of the Pontifical North American College (NAC) from 1955 to 1979 is his second volume. The first was the Second Founder: Bishop Martin J. O'Connor and the Pontifical North American College (2013). That book covers the preceding period, including the building of a new seminary campus, which opened on the Janiculum Hill in 1953. Seminaries at this time were semi-monastic with a disciplined daily schedule. Attire was the cassock, which was worn in and outside the college. The emphasis was on structure and obedience. There were bells to summon seminarians for each activity, and much of the training was provided by older seminarians who took on the rolls of mentors and enforcers of the all-important [End Page 91] Seminary Rule. Summers would be at the NAC's summer villa on the outskirts of Rome, the Villa Santa Caterina in Castel Gandolfo. Summers included classes and a regular Mass and devotion schedule, although the pace was relaxed from the academic year (students rose at 6:00 a.m. vs 5:30 a.m. during the academic year). As the new seminary opened there was one spiritual director for all the students. This soon became two, and although personal spiritual directors were not yet the norm, changes were leading that way. Confessors were available daily and students began to meet with the spiritual directors 2 to 3 times per semester. Education was typical Roman style, large aulae (classrooms), classes in Latin five days a week (off Thursdays and Sundays). The college had a system of repetitors to assist students and give English language class synopses for study. The NAC had ample opportunities for activities, including a large sports field and a theater for showing films and performing shows. New seminary traditions grew up with these facilities, including the still-current annual "Spaghetti Bowl," a new-men versus upperclassmen football game held each Thanksgiving weekend. Pope John XXIII announced in 1959 his intention to call a synod of the Diocese of Rome, and an Ecumenical Council, and to revise the Code of Canon Law. The Roman synod highlighted the challenges in Rome, which had experienced large growth in population and was in desperate need of new parishes to fulfill the needs of the diocese. The Roman synod was enthusiastically followed by the seminarians who witnessed poverty in Rome. Seminarians and student priests were men of their age and wanted to serve. The issue at stake was the conflict between the desire of the seminarians to engage quickly in ministry and the need to develop patterns of prayer, discipline, and study for their ministry. Impatience with waiting was a sign of the idealistic age and would characterize the struggles during these years. In 1964 the eighteen-year term of the rector, Bishop O'Connor, ended and he was succeeded by Bishop Francis Reh. Those years (1964–1968) were turbulent. The liturgical reforms, including the interpretation of the spirit behind them, pitted the haste of many students in contrast to the slow approach the college preferred. The introduction of the vernacular at Mass was welcomed by seminarians, although many wanted the transition to be faster. Since the new liturgical books were years away, students began inserting unauthorized translations and musical settings into the Mass. Despite concelebrated Masses becoming more common, student priests frequently preferred to attend Mass rather than concelebrate. The [End Page 92] theology of concelebration was not yet fleshed out and questions about participation in Mass, and the identity of a priest, were debated. The seminarians were excited to be part of the new theology and closely followed the Council. The infamous "Black Week" of November, 1964 hammered home to the seminarians that authority figures might not be trusted.1 Morale declined at the seminary and small acts of rebellion began to take place. During Reh's years the students grew more independent and self-reliant...

Utjecaj tekstova latinskih rimskih sakramentara na crkvenoslavensku rimsku liturgiju (9. – 14. stoljeće)

The liturgical texts of the Church Slavonic sacramentaries (Kiev Leaflets, Vienna Leaflets, Sinai missal Sin. Slav. 5N and others) from the early stages of the Slavic liturgy (9th to 14th century) with its textological and euchological content mostly belong to the Roman rite. These texts are euchological texts with proper liturgical function: texts are written and arranged for the celebration of the Mass and they are preserved in the liturgical book called sacramentary. The medieval Latin liturgical textological tradition is divided into two branches: Gelasian and Gregorian, which formed a unique textological tradition in parts of Northern Italy and Transalpine countries (from Aquileia to Salzburg) establishing a new textological tradition known as the »Gelasianized-Gregorian Sacramentary«, which was used in the mentioned parts of Central Europe. Based on the research of the history of Old Church Slavonic liturgy and historical and comparative analysis of Latin and Church Slavonic texts, mostly conducted for the doctoral thesis entitled Historical and liturgical peculiarities of the early stages of the Slavonic liturgy, this study presents influences of Latin liturgical textological tradition from Central Europe on the oldest Church Slavonic translations of sacramentaries from 9th to 14th century and other liturgical texts, mainly euchological, which continued to exist in the Croatian Glagolitic tradition even after the liturgical reform at the end of the 13th century.

Neither Cisalpine nor Ultramontane: John Carroll's Ambivalent Relationship with English Catholicism, 1780-1800

Enlightenment-influenced English Catholic priests and laymen, members of the "Cisalpine" network, had a significant impact on Archbishop John Carroll (1735-1815), first bishop of Baltimore, and in turn the Church in the United States. Though Carroll had ambivalent relationships with the "Cisalpines" and links with that movement's conservative critics, particularly Charles and Robert Plowden, his close friends, the Cisalpine network supported many of the same reforms as Carroll, including religious liberty and liturgical reform, and they were irenic towards Protestants. However, Carroll consistently sought to stay on the sidelines of the "Cisalpine stirs," the controversies pitting the progressive Cisalpines against the conservative party led by the vicars apostolic (bishops consecrated for the "English mission"). Carroll's intense interest and occasional participation in these controversies illuminate important elements of this thought, as do the reasons why he became increasingly critical of the Cisalpines.

100 Years of Worshiping Together: Where Do We Stand? Why Does It Matter?

Several shared liturgical phenomena demonstrate that Christian assemblies in many ways "worship together" simply in their regular practice of liturgy. At the same time, recent years have seen a pronounced withdrawal fr om that ecumenical reality and its implications for Christian unity. Still, this essay counsels against despair and argues that the emergence of liturgical ecclesiology, the practice of mutual affirmation and admonition, and a rereading of the New Testament as a document for continuing liturgical reform all offer significant hope.

Liturgical re-enactments and the Reformation

Half a millennium after Luther mounted his challenge to the Roman Church it is worth reminding ourselves of the significance of music in the widespread liturgical reforms of the 16th century. Naturally, there was little initial consensus on what was acceptable in church: in some places, choirs and organs fell silent; in others, polyphony thrived. In certain reformed liturgies, not even the congregation sang (although they participated in other ways).1 Yet the series of events that collectively became known as the Protestant Reformation had a profound effect on music—vocal and instrumental—both during the 16th century and in the decades and centuries to follow. The year 2017, therefore, seems an appropriate time to reflect on how we, as musicologists, performers and listeners, have experienced and continue to experience the Reformation. Many will freely admit to turning towards Johann Sebastian Bach for musical inspiration at this time. After all, Bach must be the most famous Lutheran composer, and a prolific one at that. If there is one year when we ought to perform Ein feste Burg, then surely this is it? On the other hand, what does a rendition of bwv80 or bwv720 actually teach us about church practice in the 16th century? Almost nothing, by itself. There is another associated risk, too; namely the subconscious conflation of Bach and Luther. Mattias Lundberg has commented on Bach so often being the ‘“prism” through which Luther is read’.2 Of course, Bach was composing two centuries after Luther, Zwingli, Calvin et al. had made their mark on the Church and, by extension, on the arts. Despite this, Bach seems persistently to be our go-to music when it comes to the Reformation, as if it will teach us something about Luther and his time; that is, more than just what Lutheran chorale tunes sound like. As inspiring and uplifting as Bach’s music unquestionably is, the performance of a cantata (or a section thereof) or a chorale prelude at a Sunday service is not an adequate time-travel substitute: we will not (unless we are particularly fortunate in terms of buildings and instruments available to us) be giving either ourselves or our listeners the impression of being transported back to the 18th century, let alone to the 16th.

Bishops, Baby-Killers and Broken Teeth: Psalm 58 and the Air War

Abstract Do the imprecatory psalms authorize reprisal attacks against civilian targets? This question was at the heart of a controversy that arose in Britain during July 1917, which brought together the unlikely combination of the German bombing campaign and the Church of England’s process of liturgical reform. When a meeting of the Canterbury Convocation approved the removal of Psalm 58 and several other imprecatory psalms, there was an immediate stir in the Press. This public debate about Convocation’s decision offers a valuable window through which we can discern the ongoing vitality of British biblical culture during the First World War.

Vatican II, Maurice Duruflé, and the Harmony of Determination in the Messe “cum jubilo”: Part One

ABSTRACTIn a series of articles and essays between 1965 and 1970, French composer and organist Maurice Duruflé documented his relationship to Vatican II’s liturgical reforms. In the writings he deplored the diminishment of Gregorian chant and the organ in favor of popular music styles and instruments. Duruflé wished to preserve the Church’s musical heritage, a sentiment that translated to his 1966 concert work Messe “cum jubilo.” He bases the work on chant and the organ, characteristics that flag the Church’s past. The Sanctus and Benedictus movements in particular foreground Gregorian chant via harmonic progressions in the organ accompaniment that are associated with the otherworldly. Duruflé’s use of harmony and its associativity parallels the transcendent dimensions of the liturgical texts, which illuminate the themes of his writings.

Liturgijska duhovnost bl. Ivana Merza

Today, experience is again valued in theology. In this respect, the need is stressed for truths and values, aside from abstract notions involving man’s rational dimension, to be transmitted by way of a „model“ which includes also the experiential–emotional dimension. Through the „model“ method a particular truth and value is presented in the manner in which it is embodied and lived by a specific person, thus gaining in appeal. In this article, Ivan Merz is depicted as the model which existentially brought to pass the sustainable idea of a liturgical movement, of which he was an adherent, and also of a conciliar liturgical reform: to reestablish the liturgy as the source of spiritual life. In doing so, he skillfully avoids any one–sidedness and exclusivity. He stresses, and rightly so, the primacy of the liturgy, but without entering into a kind of „panliturgism“. Furthermore, he values extra–liturgical devotions, as well as individual prayer, but does not detach them from the liturgical context. Finally, he is aware that the liturgy must shape our mentality and activites in our daily lives and in society, however, by giving primacy to the contemplative dimension, he avoids allowing Christian involvement to be transformed into just another type of social program. Therefore, Merz is an example to us of an integral approach in which all three dimensions are intertwined, this not always being the case in ecclesial practice. The paper uses the analytical method to examine Merz’s works, his experience and numerous testimonies about him. Some controversies over the liturgical spirituality of his time are presented through the historical–descriptive method.

Homilia w osmozie z teologią liturgiczną

Nowe Dyrektorium homiletyczne przedstawia homilię jako syntezę słowa Bożego, celebracji liturgicznej i chrześcijańskiego życia (por. DH 12–14). Homilia jawi się tutaj jako przykład syntezy teologicznej bądź też jako przykład syntezy w teologii. W takim ujęciu może być ona uważana za najlepszy przykład zrodzonej w okresie reformy liturgicznej teologii liturgicznej. Osmoza pomiędzy teologią liturgiczną a homilią polega na tym, że obydwie pozostają w funkcji liturgii i jawią się jako teologia z liturgii. W takim ujęciu homilia, podobnie jak teologia liturgiczna, ma cztery podstawowe cele: pozostaje w służbie zbawczemu misterium, tak aby włączyć w nie uczestników celebracji liturgicznej; jest teologiczną syntezą prowadzącą do pełnego poznania misterium Chrystusa; jest syntezą wszystkich dyscyplin teologicznych; jest teologią ortodoksji dla ortopraksji w perspektywie doksologii – żywą teologią zbawczego misterium.

Martin Luther: music and mission

Abstract This article seeks to demonstrate Martin Luther's often-overlooked credentials as a musician. Luther was convinced that music was the viva voce evangelii (living voice of the gospel), and unlike other more radical Reformation movements, he encouraged the use of choral and congregational singing in worship. Some of his familiar hymns – Nun freut euch, Ein’ feste Burg and Aus tiefer Not – offer insights into his ambitions to embed congregational singing into his vision of reformed worship, which went hand in hand with liturgical reform. Luther's Formula Missae and the vernacular Deutsche Messe lay the groundwork for Lutheran worship, which restructured the service around the centrality of the gospel proclamation. Luther's musical tradition reached its zenith in the work of J. S. Bach, which continues to echo in the Western musical canon, leaving Luther with a lasting musical legacy.

A Reappraisal of Liturgical Continuity in the Mid-Sixteenth Century: Henrician Innovations and the First Books of Common Prayer

The multiple sources of the first two versions of the Book of Common Prayer have received a lot of attention from scholars. Thomas Cranmer, who was their principal compiler, had indeed turned to diverse texts for inspiration: the Sarum rite of his province of Canterbury and Scripture were obvious sources, as were the several ancient liturgical traditions of which the archbishop had knowledge. This article however explores more immediate origins for the English liturgies, i.e. the new practices created at the end of Henry VIII’s reign. After the break with Rome and the passing of the Act of Supremacy of 1534, liturgical experiments were rife in England as the regime harnessed public prayer to advertise the royal supremacy and the clergy responded by adapting the Catholic liturgy to the new ecclesiology and the revised doctrinal pronouncements. Several of the new prayers composed under Henry were included in the Book of Common Prayer, albeit in a slightly modified version (bidding of the bedes, 1543 litany). Moreover, changes in the clergy’s liturgical habits also shed light on the origins of some passages found in the Edwardian liturgies. This article also seeks to illuminate one of the most enduring historiographical issues relating to the English Reformation: why was the wholesale liturgical reform of 1549 so readily accepted or tolerated by a majority of the English people? A better understanding of how the Henrician Reformation redefined the status of the liturgy may contribute to explaining the success of the Edwardian liturgical reforms, for public prayer had lost its status as an immutable and trustworthy depository of faith and had become a text which could be reformed at will by the government.