Speaking of Liturgy

Pilgrimage: Praying with our Feet

Dr Veronica Rosier, OP explores the significance of pilgrimage as a passage into the presence of God with a spirit of faith and conversion. From the El Camino to the Communion Procession, she highlights aspects of the inner and outer journey of discerning God’s purpose.
Sr Dr Veronica Rosier, OP holds a PhD in liturgical studies (CUA Washington, D.C.). She has taught liturgy at CUA, Port Moresby, and Australia, including ACU where she established ACU’s MA(Liturgy) award in 2006. Veronica is the author of numerous publications including Liturgical Catechesis of Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest (Leuven: Peeters, 2002). Currently, Veronica serves as a facilitator for Catholic Mission’s Immersion programs and pilgrimages in Australia, Asia and Europe.

That all Christ's followers may be one: Reflections on Ecumenism

On the night before he died Jesus prayed that all may one (John 17). After a lifelong commitment to Christian unity, Reverend Robert Gribben reflects, with Dr Paul Taylor, on the hopes and challenges of the Ecumenical movement and how we might work together as we look to the future.
Rev Professor Robert Gribben AM studied at Melbourne and Cambridge universities. During more than fifty years of ordained ministry, he has served Methodist and Uniting churches in Australia. He was Professor of Worship and Mission at the former United Faculty of Theology in Melbourne, Australia, a fellow of Ormond and Queens Colleges, Director of Ecumenical Relationships for the World Methodist Council and a member of the international committee of the Global Christian Forum. His books and published articles address liturgy, history, theology, evangelization, Christian unity and the future of the churches.

Receiving from the altar: a more complete form of sharing Holy Communion

Fr Brian Nichols discusses the significance of receiving Holy Communion from the same altar of sacrifice. One of the great teachings of the Second Vatican Council, this expresses the unity of the Body of Christ when we celebrate the Mass. It is an invitation to consider our pastoral practice.
Rev Brian Nichols is a priest of the Archdiocese of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, and is currently Vice-Rector of Corpus Christi Seminary in Melbourne. He also teaches Liturgical and Sacramental Theology at Catholic Theological College (University of Divinity), Melbourne. He holds a Licentiate in Sacred Liturgy from the Pontifical Liturgical Institute (Sant’ Anselmo), Rome.

The Collect in the Liturgy: Part 2

In his second podcast on the Collect, Professor Gerard Moore continues his discussion of the origins and features of these fascinating ancient prayers.  
Professor Gerard Moore is Principal of the BBI – The Australian Institute of Theological Education in Sydney. He earned a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC with a dissertation on the Collect, and has written numerous books and articles on liturgy in scholarly and pastoral publications.

What do we mean when we describe the Liturgy of the Word as Sacramental?

Fr Frank O’Loughlin explores the Liturgy of the Word as a genuine dialogue between God and God's people. The proclamation of the Word in the liturgy is a sacramental encounter that reveals the nature of God and stirs the heart into action.
Rev Dr Francis O'Loughlin was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Melbourne in 1969. He served on the staff of Catholic Theological College in Melbourne from 1977 to 1996, teaching courses in systematic theology and liturgy, following doctoral studies at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, and further study at the Irish Institute of Pastoral Liturgy. He also served as the director of the Diocesan Liturgical Centre in East Melbourne. He has taught extensively in Australia and New Zealand and is widely published.

Expressing the Mysteries: Common bodily postures in the liturgy

Sr Ursula O’Rourke SGS reflects on the way physical gestures and postures, including processions, give expression to the mysteries celebrated in the liturgy. These common bodily postures foster the participation of all who are gathered and promote an openness to the presence of Christ.
Sr Ursula O’Rourke SGS is a Sister of the Good Samaritan who teaches liturgy in the liturgical formation program at Holy Spirit Seminary Queensland, Australia. She is a sessional lecturer in the School of Theology at the Australian Catholic University and involved extensively in liturgical formation and consultation across Australia.

Reclaiming Catholic Art: Identity and Worship in Church Communities Today

Fr Mark Joseph Costello invites us to engage more actively with local communities when renovating churches so that the identity of the local church and the human desire for meaning in the modern world may be better expressed in the liturgical environment.
Rev Mark Joseph Costello OFMCap is Provincial minister of the Capuchin Province of St Joseph. He has worked extensively as a liturgical designer and consultant, has been published in various liturgical journals, and undertaken professional consultancy on liturgical spaces.  He is a member of the North American Academy of Liturgy and Societas Liturgica.

Ministry of the Sacristan: Loving God’s house and serving the people of God

Corinna Laughlin invites us to consider the ministry of Sacristan as more than knowing what sacred objects are needed for the liturgy and where to find them. She asks: ‘What does it take to be a good Sacristan?’ She discusses this important role and highlights some key aspects of training.
Dr Corinna Laughlin is a Pastoral Assistant for Liturgy at the Cathedral of St James, Seattle, USA. Since 1998, she has worked with clergy, Cathedral staff and volunteers, planning hundreds of liturgies each year.  Corinna has written the Guide for Sacristans, Guide for Servers, and Guide for Celebrating Holy Week and Triduum for Liturgy Training Publications as well as articles for many other publications. Corinna serves as a Consultant to the Liturgy Office of the Archdiocese of Seattle.

Singing the Mass: Liturgical Music after Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963) — Areas of Growth and Challenge

Paul Inwood reflects on areas of growth and challenge since the promulgation of Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Second Vatican Council’s teaching on the liturgy and poses some important underlying questions about the nature of music in the liturgy.
Paul Inwood is an internationally-known Roman Catholic liturgist, composer, organist, choir director, author, speaker and workshop presenter. His work is to be found in major Catholic hymnals across the English-speaking world. A former president of the international liturgical music study group Universa Laus, Paul was responsible for the introduction of the music of Taizé into the British Isles in the 1970s. He was named 2009 Pastoral Musician of the Year by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (USA), and was the official composer of the Vatican Hymn for the Holy Year of Mercy (2015-16).

The Diocesan Liturgical Commission: Its Role and Importance Today

Rita Thiron describes how a synodal Church places importance on Diocesan Liturgical Commissions. She outlines the role of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission and how it contributes to the vitality of the Church today.
Mrs Rita Thiron is the Executive Director of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions in Washington, DC.  She previously served as the Director of the Office of Worship for the Diocese of Lansing (Michigan) and an adjunct professor at Siena Heights University.  Since 2013, Rita has served as a consultant to the Bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. She is the author of eight books and countless articles. She is a frequent workshop presenter in dioceses across the United States.