1. Sacrosanctum Concilium
The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy

2. Background to Vatican II Liturgical Reform

3. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Background Reform of Liturgy:
Liturgical reform occurs in Church early history Leo the Great - established Roman Calendar for Feast and Saints Days – in used until 1970
Gregory the Great 6th Century– known as Father of Christian worship; placed the “Our Father” immediately after the Eucharistic Prayer where it still is today! Introduced the Kyrie at the opening of Mass, standardized the chant used in liturgies, today known as the “Gregorian Chant”
Council of Trent there had liturgical reforms such as a standard Roman Missal. The prayers said at the Mass until the Council of Trent varied between diocese & region
Holy Sprit works liturgy works as liturgy is something alive and through the liturgy the Holy Spirit draws us closer to God

4. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Background to Vatican II Reforms:
Grassroots of reform began with de-Christianization of Europe & influence of Enlightenment putting Catholics in chaos combined with Gallicanism
Enlightenment creates clash between Faith(Liturgy) & Reason (Enlightenment)
Gallicanism is term given that supports national authority of Church over Universal authority of Papacy
Effects of Enlightenment & Gallicansim isolate Scripture and Tradition & Pastristics with increasing emphasis to externals
French Church taken over by Gallanistism condemns processions such as Eucharistic Processions; veneration of Holy Images; restrict & limit public worship of Blessed Sacrament
Emerging Protestant view & thought of society invading Church!
Timeline of this is 18th Century!

5. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Background to Vatican II Reforms
Reaction sees a return to romanticism and middle ages; great glories of Church past & the Fathers of the Church
The Didache 2nd Century Document
On the Lord's own day, assemble in common to break bread and offer thanks; but first confess your sins, so that your sacrifice may be pure.
Church focuses on liturgy as the repository of tradition
Connection with Tradition is key to understanding the source of liturgical spirit & reform
Vatican II reforms part of Holy Spirit; council is faith event

6. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Some Major Contributors to Liturgical Reform – France 1800’s
France seen restoration Dom Ganger and monastic liturgy; established monastery in France
Sought to reform liturgy through the Early Church Fathers – approach taken to counter Enlightenment & Gallicanism
Liturgy is the gateway to the mysteries of Church
Writing of Church Fathers understand liturgy as visible world reflecting the invisible of world
Approach to liturgy is rooted in Fathers; symbols pointing to higher reality; liturgy found it in traditions of Early Church
Changes sought: Gregorian chant which by the 18th century nearly lost! Create awareness of the significance of the liturgical cycle and year in mysteries of liturgy (Holy Week; Christmas, Feast Days such as Corpus Christi found in time and in a perfect cycle
Dom Ganger sees liturgy expresses dogmatic understand of faith
Therefore, liturgical texts should be in hands in faithful so they come to know, learn & experience faith more fully (participation)

7. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Some Major Contributors to Liturgical Reform – Germany 1800’s
Dom Walter from Catholic South Germany, sees connection between Mass and Divine Office
German noted for the ecclesiastical theology with emphasis of belonging to & involvement in the Church
Liturgy helpful means of restoration as liturgy communal action
Did not favor the saying of the against rosary during liturgical functions or private Masses
Dom Walter advocated communion under both species & emphasis on the interior presence of person at Mass to have the right disposition
Places emphasis on importance of clergy to educate the faithful
His ecclesiastical understand lay foundations as new source of understanding to liturgy

8. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Some Major Contributors to Liturgical Reform – Popes
Pius X focus on liturgy as brings issues being discussed into center of Church
Pope has great love of Gregorian chant & saw importance of music in house of God; 1903 restores sacred music with understanding active participation in liturgy;
Reforms Divine Office & seeks revision of Church calendar to give preference to Sundays and Lent over feast days that fell on Sundays;
Pius X started daily communion and lowered age of those who could receive
Pius XI is next pope who did a lot on liturgy with emphasis on teaching role of liturgy; gives more directives on restoring sacred music & sacred art
Pius XII wrote much on liturgy - mystery of Church revealed in liturgy; dealing with liturgy as public worship, not private prayer
Pius XII see liturgical prayer addressed to Christ

9. Vatican II Document Constitution on Sacred Liturgy

10. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Some Comments on Vatican II Reforms
Liturgy is repository of tradition & liturgy in first fruit of Vatican II as there was much discussion on liturgical reform in last 100 years.
Extraordinary synod held on 25th anniversary of Vatican II called reform the liturgy as the most visible & most associate change identified with Vatican II
There is debate since the Vatican II concerning the liturgy – there are very strong opinions in regard to liturgy; some seeing it was misguide & failed to appreciate & guard against rituals influenced by Enlightenment; other argue that there was not need to reform & blame to be lay at bishops at Council!
Council a faith event & guided by the Holy Spirit, therefore hold that liturgical reforms guided by Holy Spirit & something needed and necessary for the Church under guidance of Holy Spirit
Does not excuse the abuses stemming from misreading and influence of trends from late 60’s and 70’s & that can still occur

11. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Some Comments on Vatican II Reforms
Changes happened so quickly without proper educated of clergy & laity
There is even today, a lacking of understanding & awareness of purpose of liturgy & aims of why changes occurred
New approaches can be misguided in modes of worship, music, art and buildings; in opening door to new forms, there is going to be a period of maturity needed that may be decades or centuries
It took hundreds of years to have Gregorian chant, art or Gothic architecture mature & become what it is today – it takes a long time for a heritage to form
Council is faith event & need to trust in Holy Spirit; there are legitimate and different expression of liturgy
Need to have Catholic charity & tolerance where liturgy becomes divisive rather than source of unity!
Need to have faith in Holy Spirit and in each other seeking best.

12. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Purpose of Liturgy:
Article 1 states that purpose of liturgy is to foster union to all those who believe in Christ; to invigorate and adopt to our age are the reasons to do something with liturgy
Article 2: “For it is with the liturgy through which, especially in the divine sacrifice of the Eucharist, “the work our redemption is accomplished” as the faithful gathered express real nature of Church and encounter Christ
Liturgy is work of redemption as the sacrifice of Christ is made present in liturgy which is the source of our salvation
Source of Salvation – Christ’s Passion, Death & Resurrection; Christ’s victory over sin & death
Liturgy builds & forms us & brings the human & divine together; the visible & invisible realties
Article 7: Christ is always present in Church especially in liturgical celebrations; Christ is present in many different ways – Christ is present in the Eucharist; in assembly, in minister; in Scripture

13. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Christ Presence In Liturgy -
Christ present in Sacraments; God is present in His Word, in Scripture, it is His voice that speaks when Scripture is read; God is present where people gather – two or three gather; Christ present in the people of God; in our midst
Liturgy is exercise of priestly office of Christ and the sacred action of the Body, His Church – priestly office of Christ is mediating between God and us; we take part in that priestly office of Christ when we participate in the liturgy.
Liturgy is celebrated with Christ as head and all members who celebrate & participate!
Liturgy is an action surpasses all others as encounter the Sacred
This understanding of what liturgy is; is the reason behind the call of participation by the laity
Art8: The call to full participation is to take part in the heavenly liturgy, in fellowship with saints in heaven, drawn from book of revelation
Liturgy gives a taste and sense to the mystery of the celebration of heavenly and divine celebration – it is important to recover this sense of mystery of liturgy
Liturgy is foretaste of heaven; where we will be in God’s pressence; in Mass – we are in Gods’ presence in the Eucharist, in Scripture, in minister, in people – foretaste of heaven!

14. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Loss of Mystery in Liturgy?
Liturgy is a Sacred mystery; not about entertaining, but called to enter into and participate in divine work
Many say since Vatican II, there is a loss of the sense of the Sacred; loss of reverence
Theological foundation of Liturgy – in liturgy we encounter the presence of Christ
So how is lost of mystery due to loss of language? Was language or music the essence of our encountering mystery?
The mystery is presence of Christ, not language or song is essence of liturgy – key to mature understanding of liturgy
Article 9: When coming to liturgy , we are called to faith and conversion, we touch that mystery; the faithful then need to come with proper dispositions where their thoughts match their words
When we think of Mass before the Council; people came to church, did not know what was taking place or understand it; prayed while Mass was celebrated such as the Rosary; did not see or hear or understand the minister as spoke in Latin; there would be little or no assembly music

15. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Art 10: “Nevertheless the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; it is also the found from which all her power flows”.
Liturgy is most important and highest activity of Church – charity, loving your neighbor, serving the poor, to witness and evangelize & evangelization are important but all such activity of the Church is directed to liturgy
Liturgy is the summit that gives meaning to what Church does– does not mean only activity of Church
Liturgy is source of our meaning & existence since liturgy celebrates the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ;
In liturgy we participate in this mystery, LG34, lay people participate share in priestly office of Christ, anointed by Holy Spirit through baptism and confirmation
All activities of life acceptable to God and given meaning to the liturgy; liturgy is not detached from day to day things – work, family, living and even hardships of life contribute to the spiritual experiences acceptable to God
Art 10 makes sense – encounter with God is source of our meaning, our purpose, our reason for living, doing things.
Life gives meaning to liturgy; liturgy not separate from day to day living; encoutner God source of our meaning; who we are, how we are to live our lives; the valves we strive to follow;
Source of our existence; we can do nothing without God; without grace of God; this encounter with God is source then that makes us go out and share the good news with others; to live our lives more closely to Gospel valves; Mass is like a rally – we come to get inspired, not by how good music is or how good liturgy is but by encountering God! Now good liturgy helps us to encounter God, experience God more;

16. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Chapter II – Promotion of Liturgical Instruction & Active Participation
Art 14: “Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be lead to that full, conscious and active participation in liturgical celebrations”.
Active would better understood is “real active” not just activity in that everyone must be doing something, real participation which can be communal or silence sometimes
Art 21: Liturgy has unchangeable & changeable elements
Some elements that are changeable, not just may but ought to be changed if not suitable to modern world
Fuller expression of liturgy reform going back to primitive & what were essential elements of Early Church not just middle ages,
Example: liturgy in Early Church was in their own language, so people could understand and follow the liturgy
Art 22 Authority to change liturgy rests on bishop, no other person not even priest can change liturgy, liturgy is not personal opinion
Art 26: Liturgy is not private act but public worship of Church & sign of unity
Laity called to participate in liturgy by very nature of liturgy and also by virture of baptism and confirmation; full and active participation is prime source of reform of liturgy in Vatican II, tradition remains but open to legitimate processes – element of trail and error! Sacred Scripture is to be given prime importance in liturgy as word of God

17. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Nature of Liturgy Art 28: Servers, readers, commentators, choir member exercise a genuine liturgical functions Art 30: To promote active participation, people should be encouraged to take part by means of acclamations, responses, hymns, as well as actions, gestures & bodily attitudes – standing, kneeling, sign of peace Art 33: Liturgy principally worship of the divine mystery, but contains instruction for the faithful since God speaks to the people in liturgy Art 34: Liturgy should be simple, avoid repetitions; suitable readings for various liturgies be restored; Art 36 & 37: Use of Latin language is preserved in the Latin Rites; but uses of vernacular “weather in the Mass, the administration of the Sacraments… may frequently be of great advantage to the people… these norms being observed for the competent territorial ecclesiastical authority… to decide whether, and to what extent, the vernacular language is to be used.
Art 36/37 is how the vernacular is introduced into the liturgy; purpose of reform is to allow active participation in the liturgy; latin used for 1000 years recognition given to it; but Jesus did not use Latin nor does the Eastern Church

18. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Chapter VI – Sacred Music Art 113: Liturgical worship is given a more noble form when… celebrated in song with assistance of sacred ministers & active participation of the people Art 114: treasure of music to be taken & sacred music should be given pride of place Art 116: Gregorian Chant should be employed where the whole body of faithful can contribute to active participation Art 119: So long as they accord with liturgical action; other kinds of sacred music may be employed; Council fathers open door to other forms; religious celebration, voices , of faithful may be heard; whatever form of music - encourage active participation Art 120: Pipe organ is held in high esteem as traditional music instrument; yet other instruments be admitted in judgment of relevant authority & are suitable for sacred use

19. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Sacred Scripture & Lectors (Dei Verbum)
Two parts constitute Mass – Liturgy of Word & Liturgy of Eucharist
Paul VI restores lector to official status of ministry; no longer did a person need to be a student for the priesthood
Scripture is Living Word & God speaks in the spoken word of the Lector
God’s Word – creates, is effective & endures & Word becomes Flesh
Lector brings God’s Word to the people & necessities understanding & awareness of background to the Scripture
Lector to personal grow in knowledge of Scripture
Word becomes Flesh through lector means accepting responsibility, duties and privileges of their baptism & confirmation
All ministries are a privilege and should not be taken for granted; a lector, an Eucharistic minister, a choir member means accepting the privilege, duties and responsibilities for that ministry; anyone involved in liturgical should be awareto act and behave in a way that does not disrupt the liturgical celebration; a lector should not read if no preparation for the reading has been done; a EM should not act in a manner that causes distraction or disturbance; a choir or music member should not act in manner the causes undue focus and attention on what they are doing.

20. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist
Extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist introduced by Paul VI in his Instruction of Facilitating Sacramental Eucharistic Communion – lack of sufficient clergy
Way of exercising baptismal (called) & confirmation (sent)
Bread & Wine brought to altar to become the Body & Blood of Christ
Extraordinary Ministers are called to be examples of Christian living & conduct; called to strive in greater understanding of the Eucharist
The Eucharist forms our communion with God & each other; Extraordinary Ministers should not noticeable separated from assembly
Extraordinary Ministers can conduct Liturgy of Word with Eucharist in absence of ordain minister

21. The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
Some Comments on Vatican II Liturgical Reforms
Document starts a process of discussions on liturgy, & failures have occurred; it may take centuries to develop treasure such as the Gregorian chant, but that should not stop but rather engage the process
Liturgy reform not struggle or without failure; there is basic affirmation in Extraordinary Synod of direction liturgy is taking
There are more post council documents in regard of liturgy; call for revision of rites of baptism and other sacraments have taken a lot of effort
With translation of liturgy, possible lost some meaning as some meaning lost and not the best;
Some argue that therefore must return to Latin
Yet Council is a faith event – called to follow the Holy Spirit
Call is to develop and work to make liturgical changes & reforms beautiful – participate, spiritual and theological
Challenge to develop vernacular; within these traditions

22. Where to Find Information about what is allowed in Liturgies?
General Instruction of the Roman Missal
GRIM