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The purpose of this pastoral resource is to catechize the faith community
about their baptismal call to active participation in liturgy through spiritual
awareness of the primary symbols of worship. By awakening the spiritual
imagination of the faithful, they may enter into a deeper faith experience
through authentic and active participation in liturgical prayer and ritual.
This book is a powerful tool for group discussion or individual reflection.
Each chapter concludes with discussion questions, a prayer, and a ritual
or meditation. The final chapter offers recommendations, creative prayers,
and rituals for temporary worship settings.
Quantity discount pricing:
| 6- 9 copies |
$5.95 each |
| 10 – 19 copies |
$4.95 each |
| 20 – 29 copies |
$4.50 each |
| 30 – 49 copies |
$3.95 each |
| 50 copies or more |
$3.50 each |
About the Author
Mary Amore is director of liturgy at St. Mary of Gostyn Parish in
Downers Grove, Ill. She is pursuing her Doctor of Ministry degree at the
CTU in Chicago, while also lecturing, presenting workshops, and writing
about liturgy for publications such as Celebration. She lives in
Downers Grove with her husband and two children.
Table of Contents
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
THE EVOLUTIONARY CHURCH: Our Roots and Our Future
THE WATERS OF BAPTISM: Doorway to New Life and Call to Community
THE AMBO: Altar of the Living Word
THE ALTAR: Table of Transformation
THE WORSHIPING ASSEMBLY: The Living Body of Christ
THE PILGRIM CHURCH: Sacred Space in Transition
Bibliography
Introduction
On December 4, 1963, the bishops of the Second Vatican Council promulgated
the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy and instituted renewal of
the sacred liturgy:
In the reform and promotion of the liturgy, this full and active participation
by all the people is the aim to be considered before all else. For it is
the primary and indispensable source from which the faithful are to derive
the true Christian spirit (14).
For Roman Catholics of the twentieth century, this profound proclamation
would be a watershed in the liturgical life of the church, for it would
alter the ecclesiology of the assembly.
In the decades that followed the Second Vatican Council, a considerable
amount of time and effort has been spent nurturing this call to active
participation
on behalf of the laity. From catechizing the people on their roles as ministers
of the assembly to diligently recruiting and training people for various
liturgical ministries, parishes everywhere have worked in the spirit of
Vatican II to bring about full and active participation for all believers.
As both a member of the assembly and a full-time director of liturgy, my
experiences working with laity and clergy have taught me that our task
is far from complete!
The Birth of this Book
The concept for this book came from my experience as the liturgical
advisor for the renovation project of my home parish, St. Mary of Gostyn
in Downers Grove, Illinois. It became evident that our vibrant, spirit-filled
faith community needed liturgical catechesis to help them make a connection
between their worship experience and the primary symbols of the rituals
that shape our lives as Catholics. I began a yearlong series of bulletin
articles, adult faith formation talks, town hall meetings, and small group
discussions, which focused on helping the parish gain a deeper insight
into the intimate relationship between the assembly's call to participation
in the liturgy and the primary symbols of worship.
Focusing on the liturgical rituals of baptizing, proclaiming, feasting,
and commissioning as primary liturgical actions of the Christian community
at prayer, we studied the following questions:
What is our experience of the life-giving waters of baptism?
How is baptism intimately linked to the celebration of Eucharist?
In what ways does the word of God work within us and prepare us for
mission?
In what manner are the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist
connected?
How are we transformed at the eucharistic banquet?
As disciples of Christ, in what ways are we called to be the Body and
Blood of Christ in the world?
How do we gather for prayers as a faith community?
How do we welcome the strangers in our midst?
The results of our discussions led us to focus on the primary symbols
of worship: the font, the ambo, the altar table, and theassembly
and how these symbols engage our spiritual imagination and active participation
in the liturgical life of the church. Over time, the parish family of St.
Mary's grew in spiritual awareness of the nature of these powerful liturgical
symbols and how these symbols call forth their full, conscious, and active
participation in the saving mission of Jesus Christ.
Using This Book
This book is for the primary ministers of liturgical celebrations: the
baptized faithful. It is a pastoral resource intended to catechize each
of the primary symbols of worship and how these symbols influence the community's
call to active participation through theological and liturgical insights.
The opening chapter offers a glimpse into the history of Roman Catholic
Christian worship and the effects thereof of the liturgical renewal brought
about by the Second Vatican Council. Chapter Two looks at the communal
call to active participation rooted in the sacrament of baptism. In Chapter
Three we examine the assembly's communal call to active participation,
rooted in God's word. Chapter Four covers the community's call to active
participation in the eucharistic banquet and mission work of Christ. In
Chapter Five we continue with the important work of the assembly actively
accepting the invitation to communal worship as the living Body of Christ.
Chapter
Six offers insight into how we claim nontraditional, temporary worship
settings for full and active worship experiences. Discussion questions
at the end of each chapter are useful for personal study and for parish
gatherings, small groups, and families. Also included are guided meditations,
which are experiential in nature and intended to enhance liturgical spirituality.
A Word of Thanks
I'd like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Reverend Thomas Paul,
pastor of St. Mary of Gostyn Parish, for sharing his wisdom and knowledge
and the people of St. Mary's, who taught me the true meaning of church
and who have been a continual source of inspiration and support during
this project. Most importantly, I am immensely grateful to my husband,
Joe, and my two teenage children, Lauren and Joey, for their enduring love,
patience, and understanding during the writing of this book.
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