Parish Liturgy Committee

08-11-2019Weekly ReflectionDeacon Edward Wendt

My Dear Tres Ecclesiae families,

Father Prince and I have spoken numerous times about the development of liturgy committees at our three churches. These individual committees will serve an all important role to enhance the present liturgical celebrations at their particular parish.

Some years ago, then Cardinal Ratzinger –now Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI— said: "The Church stands or falls with the liturgy". There is nothing more important than the liturgy, in which we encounter God himself." This is true for the Church as a whole, and for each member and group within the Church. This is true, as well, for each parish. For us too, the liturgy is the source and summit of our life. Why? Because although there are many ways of doing good things and even of praying, only in the liturgy of the Church do we receive God's grace through the sacraments; only in the liturgy do we encounter God personally, in a real and efficacious way.

That is why we need to do our very best to have an uplifting liturgy, and as one body of Christ, we need to celebrate with reverence and joy. Through our involvement in various liturgical ministries and active participation in the liturgy, we are not just being nourished, but we are enabling ourselves to live out our baptism with Christ to its fullest.

If we think of Sunday Mass as a sacred drama with two or three acts, several scenes, numerous props and a cast composed of presider, deacon, sacristan, assembly, servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, ushers, hospitality ministers and an organist/choir, liturgical environment (decorations/flowers) it is easy to see the reason for the rise and spread of parish liturgy committees since the Second Vatican Council. Someone has to plan and put all this together in accordance with the church's norms and the people's needs. But the church's worship is not just a set of texts and rubrics. Liturgy committees exist principally to enhance the living experience of the people of God as they come together with a yearning to sustain the vision of a kingdom come in Jesus Christ.

We would like to have these liturgy committees in place by the fall of this year. If you are an active liturgical minister of the church and attend Mass frequently or weekly at your parish and would like to serve on the liturgy committee please contact me (Deacon Wendt) or Father Prince.

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