Speaking of Liturgy

Corinna O’Loughlin presents the Church’s vision for sharing Holy Communion from the altar and notes that this is not always straightforward for communities. She offers some tips to help move from theological foundations to practical reality.
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.

Sr Kathleen Harmon examines how we respond when we gather for worship at Christ’s invitation. She invites us to look more closely at what we mean by full, conscious and active participation in the liturgy.
Sister Kathleen Harmon, SNDdeN holds an MA in Sacred Music and a Ph.D in Liturgical Studies. She has served on the Executive Committee of the North American Academy of Liturgy, the Executive Committee of the Catholic Academy of Liturgy and the Board of the National Pastoral Musicians Association.  She was Music Director for the Institute for Liturgical Ministry and Co-Director of its Liturgy in a Formative Environment program. Her books include The Ministry of Music; the Ministry of Cantors; The Mystery We Celebrate, the Song We Sing; and Becoming the Psalms: A Spirituality of Singing and Praying the Psalms.

Larissa Cairns explores the role of the Cantor as one who is primarily a minister of the liturgy. She describes some of the skills and qualities needed to exercise the ministry well, noting that effective Cantors require both skill and humility.
Ms Larissa Cairns is a soprano and music educator based in Melbourne, Australia. She completed studies in music and education at Australian Catholic University and has taught in secondary schools and led choirs, nurturing a love for diverse musical styles. Larissa has been involved in the premieres of many liturgical works by leading Australian composers and is a longstanding member of the St Francis' Choir, Melbourne. She is active in parish ministry and a sought-after cantor for liturgical celebrations.  

Paul Briers reflects on the significance and role of the altar server, in light of his own call to the ministry. He invites servers to make their outward actions an expression of inner prayer.
Mr Paul Briers KCHS is the Honorary President of the Archconfraternity of St Stephen, the International Guild for Altar Servers to which parishes from across the world become affiliated to Westminster Cathedral, London, where it was founded. It was raised to the status of Archconfraternity in 1906 by Pope Pius X, later saint.  Paul is in his final year of formation for the Permanent Diaconate for the Diocese of Lancaster, England. He shares his experience and reflections from over thirty years of Altar Serving across two parishes and in wider involvement in the local diocese and the national church in England and Wales, UK. 

Fr Dennis Smolarski SJ advocates for gestures in the liturgy to be guided by the Church’s teachings on the Mass rather than by imitation of others. He invites us to consider adopting gestures that express the common worship of the community of faith, rather than an individual’s personal preference.
Rev Dennis C. Smolarski, SJ, received MDiv. and STM degrees from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley and holds a PhD in computer science. He is currently on the faculty at Santa Clara University in California. Father Smolarski has had a long-time interest in Western and Eastern rite liturgy and worship, and possesses an indult to celebrate the liturgy also in the Byzantine rite. He is the author of several books on liturgy, including Q&A: The Mass (Liturgy Training Publications, 2002) and How Not to Say Mass: A Guidebook on Liturgical Principles and the Roman Missal, rev. ed. (Paulist Press, 2003). 

Rev D’Arcy Wood describes the significance of music for the Church at prayer and explores how to approach choosing suitable music for the liturgy, bearing in mind the singing ability of worshippers and available musical leadership.
Born in Tonga, Rev Dr D’Arcy Wood holds BA(Hons), MA and BD(Hons) degrees from Melbourne and a PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary. He spent 15 years lecturing in theology and liturgy in Adelaide. He was President of the Uniting Church in Australia 1991-94. D'Arcy served on the editorial committee of three ecumenical hymnals: The Australian Hymn Book (1977), Sing Alleluia (1987) and Together in Song (1999). He also helped prepare the Basis of Union, which is the foundational document of the Uniting Church in Australia. Now retired, he continues to write on ecumenism, history, liturgy and hymnology. 

Sr Judy Foster, SGS describes aspects of good preparation and proclamation for Ministers of the Word in the liturgy so that all who listen can respond with open hearts.
Sister Judith Foster, SGS is a Sister of the Good Samaritan of the Order of St Benedict.  She studied at the Irish Institute of Pastoral Liturgy and offered liturgical formation in parishes and schools across New South Wales for almost twenty years. Since 2008 she has been Liturgical Consultant for Townsville Diocese in Queensland. Judy is a former member of both Sydney and Parramatta Liturgical Commissions and was member of the ACU Centre for Liturgy's Board of Advisors from 2023 - 2025.

Professor Bruce Morrill, as a Jesuit theologian, reflects on the legacy of Pope Francis and the liturgy and how Francis’ pastoral vision invites us to enter into the spirit of the liturgy as a sacramental encounter with the risen Lord.
Rev Professor Bruce T. Morrill, S.J. holds the Edward A. Malloy Chair in Roman Catholic Studies at Vanderbilt University (Nashville, Tennessee), where he is Distinguished Professor of Theology in the Divinity School and Graduate Department of Religion. He has some two hundred publications in addition to a dozen books, including Practical Sacramental Theology: At the Intersection of Liturgy and Ethics (2021) and the forthcoming revised, expanded edition of Encountering Christ in the Eucharist: The Paschal Mystery in People, Word, and Sacrament (December 2026).

Diana Macalintal explores the significance and meaning of the ancient ritual of the Washing of the Feet and examines our pastoral practice in the liturgy. She invites communities to see the washing of the feet as a sacred act that signifies our participation in Christ’s limitless love given to all.
Ms Diana Macalintal is the co-founder and co-director of TeamInitiation.com and Liturgy.life and is a widely-recognised leader in the areas of the catechumenate and Catholic liturgy and music. With a Master of Arts in Theology from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, she served in campus, parish, and diocesan ministries for over 30 years. She is a prolific author and speaker, a published liturgical composer, and served on the advisory boards of several national Catholic organizations.

Br Steven Kropp reflects on the significance of liturgical vestments and the importance of careful its choice. He describes how vestments contribute to worship and lead us more deeply into the celebration of the liturgy.
Brother Steven Kropp OFM Cap is a priest of the Midwest USA Province of the Capuchin Franciscan Friars Minor. He holds a Master of Arts in liturgical studies from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and has served  as a Vocation and Formation Director, Provincial Vicar, and Director of the Solanus Casey Center. He is currently pastor of the Catholic Parishes on the Crow Native Reservation in Montana.