30/08/2020 Catholic liturgy - Wikipedia

Catholic liturgy
In the Catholic Church, liturgy is divine worship, the proclamation of the Gospel, and active charity.[1]

Contents
Liturgical principles
Sacraments
Liturgical music
Devotional life of the Church
Liturgical time
Sacred space
Personal prayer
See also
References
External links

Liturgical principles
As explained in greater detail in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its shorter Compendium, the
liturgy is something that "the whole Christ", Head and Body, celebrates — Christ, the one High Priest,
together with his Body, the Church in heaven and on earth. Involved in the heavenly liturgy are the
angels and the saints of the Old Covenant and the New, in particular Mary, the Mother of God, the
Apostles, the Martyrs and "a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all
tribes and peoples and tongues" (Revelation 7:9). The Church on earth, "a royal priesthood" (1 Peter
2:9), celebrates the liturgy in union with these: the baptized offering themselves as a spiritual sacrifice,
the ordained ministers celebrating at the service of all the members of the Church in accordance with the
order received, and bishops and priests acting in the person of Christ.

The Catholic liturgy uses signs and symbols whose significance, based on nature or culture, has been
made more precise through Old Testament events and has been fully revealed in the person and life of
Christ. Some of these signs and symbols come from the world of creation (light, water, fire, bread, wine,
oil), others from life in society (washing, anointing, breaking bread), others from Old Testament sacred
history (the Passover rite, sacrifices, laying on of hands, consecrating persons and objects).

These signs are closely linked with words. Though in a sense the signs speak for themselves, they need to
be accompanied and vivified by the spoken word. Taken together, word and action indicate what the rite
signifies and effects.

Sacraments

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Sacraments in the Catholic Church are efficacious signs, perceptible to the senses, of grace. According to
the Church's theology, they have been instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, and through
them divine life is bestowed on us. They are means by which Christ gives the particular grace indicated
by the sign aspect of the sacrament in question, helping the individual to advance in holiness, and
contributing to the Church' s growth in charity and in giving witness. Not every individual receives every
sacrament, but the Catholic Church sees the sacraments as necessary means of salvation for the faithful,
conferring each sacrament's particular grace, whether forgiveness of sins, adoption as children of God,
confirmation to Christ and the Church. The effect of the sacraments comes ex opere operato (by the very
fact of being administered). Regardless of the personal holiness of the minister administering the
sacraments, Christ provides the graces of which they are signs. However, a recipient's own lack of proper
disposition to receive the grace conveyed can block their effectiveness in that person. The sacraments
presuppose faith and, in addition, their words and ritual elements nourish, strengthen and give
expression to faith.[Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 224]

There are seven Sacraments:

Baptism
Eucharist
Confirmation
Penance, also called Confession and Reconciliation
Anointing of the Sick, formerly called Extreme Unction and Last Sacraments
Holy Orders
Matrimony

Liturgical music
Singing and music, especially Gregorian chant, are associated with the liturgy. The Gregorian chant, also
called cantilena Romana, has been, since its codification, (putatively under Pope St. Gregory the Great,
although actually occurring later,) and remains the official music of the Latin Rite Catholic Liturgy,
prescribed by Church documents to be given "pride of place" in Her liturgies. This form of music of the
Church is contained in the Sacramentary Roman Missal as well as the chant books, e.g. graduale
Romanum, antiphonale, liber cantualis. Other Rites within the Catholic Church, (e.g. Maronite,
Byzantine, Ambrosian) have their own forms of chant which are proper to their Divine Liturgies.
Gregorian chant provides the Latin Church with a musical identity, and like the ancient Liturgical
language, provided and still provides Her Liturgies with a unifying element as Her catholicity
("universality',) has become more apparent, via the international travel of recent popes, worldwide
media originating in the Vatican, etc. Also associated with the liturgy are sacred images, which proclaim
the same message as do the words of Sacred Scripture sung to the sacred melodies of the chant, and
which help to awaken and nourish faith.

The 1967 document Musicam sacram, that implemented the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy after the
Second Vatican Council, repeatedly mentions facilitating the full, active participation of the congregation
as called for by the Council.[2][3] so that "unity of hearts is more profoundly achieved by the union of
voices.[4] Musicam Sacram states: "One cannot find anything more religious and more joyful in sacred
celebrations than a whole congregation expressing its faith and devotion in song. Therefore the active
participation of the whole people, which is shown in singing, is to be carefully promoted."[5] It calls for
fostering this congregational participation through attention to choice of song directors,[6] to choice of
songs,[7] and to the nature of the congregation.[8] It mentions the duty to achieve this participation on
the part of choirs, choirs directors, pastors, organists, and instrumentalists.[9] To achieve full, active

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participation of the congregation, great restraint in introducing new hymns has proven most helpful.[10]
To this end also, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal recommends use of seasonal responsorial
psalms and also keeping to a song that all can sing while processing to Communion, to “express the
communicants’ union in spirit by means of the unity of their voices, to show joy of heart, and to highlight
more clearly the ‘communitarian’ nature of the procession to receive Communion.”[11]

Devotional life of the Church

In addition to the sacraments, instituted by Christ, there are many sacramentals, sacred signs (rituals or
objects) that derive their power from the prayer of the Church. They involve prayer accompanied by the
sign of the cross or other signs. Important examples are blessings (by which praise is given to God and
his gifts are prayed for), consecrations of persons, and dedications of objects to the worship of God.

Popular devotions are not strictly part of the liturgy, but if they are judged to be authentic, the Church
encourages them. They include veneration of relics of saints, visits to sacred shrines, pilgrimages,
processions (including Eucharistic processions), the Stations of the Cross (also known as the Way of the
Cross), Holy Hours, Eucharistic Adoration, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and the Rosary.

In its devotion the Church makes a distinction (Catechism of the Catholic Church, s2132) between
respectful veneration on one hand and adoration or worship on the other. Adoration is due to God alone
- this includes the Eucharist, since Christ is truly present. Veneration of an image or relic of a saint is
defined as respect paid to what is represented in the image, not the image itself.

Liturgical time
Sunday, which commemorates the resurrection of Christ and has been celebrated by Christians from the
earliest times (1 Corinthians 16:2; Revelation 1:10; Ignatius of Antioch: Magn.9:1; Justin Martyr: I
Apology 67:5), is the outstanding occasion for the liturgy; but no day, not even any hour, is excluded
from celebrating the liturgy. The sole exception is for the Eucharistic liturgy on Good Friday and on Holy
Saturday before the Easter Vigil, when it is not celebrated.

The Liturgy of the Hours consecrates to God the whole course of day and night. Lauds and Vespers
(morning and evening prayer) are the principal hours. To these are added one or three intermediate
prayer periods (traditionally called Terce, Sext and None), another prayer period to end the day
(Compline), and a special prayer period called the Office of Readings (formerly known as Matins) at no
fixed time, devoted chiefly to readings from the Scriptures and ecclesiastical writers. The Second Vatican
Council suppressed an additional 'hour' called Prime. The prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours consist
principally of the Psalter or Book of Psalms. Like the Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours has inspired great
musical compositions. An earlier name for the Liturgy of the Hours and for the books that contained the
texts was the Divine Office (a name still used as the title of one English translation), the Book of Hours,
and the Breviary. Bishops, priests, deacons and members of religious institutes are obliged to pray at
least some parts of the Liturgy of the Hours daily, an obligation that applied also to subdeacons, until the
post VCII suppression of the subdiaconate.

Sacred space
New Testament worship "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24) is not linked exclusively with any particular
place or places, since Christ is seen as the true temple of God, and through him Christians too and the
whole Church become, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, a temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16).

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Nevertheless, the earthly condition of the Church on earth makes it

necessary to have certain places in which to celebrate the liturgy. Within
these churches, chapels and oratories, Catholics put particular emphasis on
the altar, the tabernacle (in which the Eucharist is kept), the seat of the
bishop ('cathedra') or priest, and the baptismal font.

"The mystery of Christ is so unfathomably rich that it cannot be exhausted

According to the
Catechism, Easter is not
simply one feast among
others, but the "Feast of
feasts", the center of the
liturgical year.
by its expression in any single liturgical tradition. The history of the
blossoming and development of these rites witnesses to a remarkable
complementarity. When the Churches lived their respective liturgical
traditions in the communion of the faith and the sacraments of the faith,
they enriched one another and grew in fidelity to Tradition and to the
common mission of the whole Church." (CCC 1201) As catholic or universal,
the Church believes it can and should hold within its unity the true riches of
these peoples and cultures.
"In the liturgy, above all that of the sacraments, there is an immutable part,
a part that is divinely instituted and of which the Church is the guardian,
and parts that can be changed, which the Church has the power, and on
occasion the duty, to adapt to the cultures of recently evangelized peoples."
(CCC 1205)

Personal prayer
Likewise, the great variety of Catholic spirituality enables individual Catholics to pray privately in many
different ways. The fourth and last part of the Catechism thus summarized the Catholic's response to the
mystery of faith: "This mystery, then, requires that the faithful believe in it, that they celebrate it, and
that they live from it in a vital and personal relationship with the living and true God. This relationship is
prayer." (CCC 2558)

See also
Catholic particular churches and liturgical rites

References
1. Catechism of the Catholic Church 1070 (https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p
2.htm#1070) In the New Testament the word "liturgy" refers not only to the celebration of divine
worship but also to the proclamation of the Gospel and to active charity.
2. "Sacrosanctum concilium (114)" (https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/doc
uments/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html.). Retrieved 2019-09-25.
3. "Musicam sacram (15)" (https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/v
at-ii_instr_19670305_musicam-sacram_en.html). Retrieved 2019-09-25.
4. "Musicam sacram (5)" (https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/va
t-ii_instr_19670305_musicam-sacram_en.html). Retrieved 2019-09-25.
5. "Musicam (16)" (https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_inst
r_19670305_musicam-sacram_en.html). Retrieved 2019-09-25.
6. "Musicam sacram (5)" (https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/va
t-ii_instr_19670305_musicam-sacram_en.html). Retrieved 2019-09-25.
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7. "Musicam sacram (9)" (https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/va

t-ii_instr_19670305_musicam-sacram_en.html). Retrieved 2019-09-25.
8. "Musicam sacram (10)" (https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/v
at-ii_instr_19670305_musicam-sacram_en.html). Retrieved 2019-09-25.
9. "Musicam sacram (19-20, 67)" (https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/docu
ments/vat-ii_instr_19670305_musicam-sacram_en.html). Retrieved 2019-09-25.
10. "How to get more people to sing at Mass: Stop adding new hymns" (https://www.americamagazine.or
g/faith/2019/05/08/how-get-more-people-sing-mass-stop-adding-new-hymns). America Magazine.
2019-05-08. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
11. "General Instruction of the Roman Missal (61, 86)" (https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregatio
ns/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20030317_ordinamento-messale_en.html).
www.vatican.va. Retrieved 2019-09-25.

External links
Dictionary of Catholic Liturgy (http://www.cattoliciromani.com/forum/forumdisplay.php/dizionario_litur
gico-10.html)
Institutum Liturgicum in Anglia et Cambria (http://web.mac.com/jleachman/IL/home.html)
Usuarium, A Digital Library and Database for the Study of Latin Liturgical History in the Middle Ages
and Early Modern Period (https://usuarium.elte.hu/)

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