In these pages Archbishop Piero Marini reveals the Vision, courage, and faith of the pastors and scholars who struggled to implement the Second Vatican Council's teachings on the liturgy. While in some circles it is fashionable to propose a reform of the liturgical reform, any such revision needs to take into account the history of the consilium 'the organism established by the Holy See to carry out the initial liturgical changes. This story of the work of the consilium offers a fascinating glimpse into the struggles and tensions that accompanied the realization of the council's dream to promote the full, conscious and active participation" of the faithful in Roman Catholic worship.

"Piero Marini was ordained on June 27, 1965. He became the personal secretary for Archbishop Annibale Bugnini in 1975 and in 1987 was appointed the head of the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, a position he currently holds. In 1998, Marini was appointed Titular Bishop of Martirano, Italy, and was ordained bishop the following month. In 2003, Marini was appointed Titular Archbishop of Martirano. He also served as the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations from 1987-2007.""

"2009 Catholic Press Association Award Winner "

A decade after the untimely death of renowned Scripture scholar Father Raymond E. Brown, SS, he continues to inspire and inform scholars and preachers, students and pastoral ministers, lay and ordained. It was only days after Father Brown's death that his final book was published by Liturgical Press. That book, "Christ in the Gospels of the Ordinary Sundays, " completed his six-volume series on preaching the Scriptures, a series that had begun in the mid-1970s with the publication of his popular "An Adult Christ at Christmas." Those six volumes are collected here in one convenient commemorative edition to mark the tenth anniversary of Brown's death. Brown's work is left largely untouched, and readers will find that his wisdom is lasting. Yet Brown, being a scholar's scholar, would recognize the need for some enhancement in a work being republished some thirty years after the first volume appeared. Appropriately, then, this edition contains introductory essays by Brown's colleagues and friends John R. Donahue, SJ, and Ronald D. Witherup, SS, as well as useful indexes and a bibliography of resources for preaching the word of God in the context of the lectionary.

As Witherup notes in his preface, Brown had the rare capacity to simplify complex biblical studies in a manner that did not 'dumb down ' the material but allowed it to be understood by a wide audience. . . . He did this in a fashion that was both inspiring and educational. That very broad audience 'those who grew up with Brown, so to speak, as well as a whole new generation of readers and preachers of the word 'will find this book to be a source of inspiration and knowledge that they will turn to again and again.

"Raymond E.Brown, S.S., (1928 -1998) was the Auburn Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He was author of some forty books on the Bible and past president of three of the most important biblical societies in the world. By appointment of two popes (Pal VI in 1972, John Paul II in 1996) Brown was a member of the Roman Pontifical Biblical Commission. "Time" magazine called him probably the premier Catholic Scripture scholar of the U.S."

In this collection of weekly reflections on the Sunday Lectionary for Year B, Verna Holyhead draws us into the inspired texts of both the Old and New Testaments. Through a rich tapestry of literary forms, historical contributions, and life experiences, Holyhead gives us surprising perspectives and carefully constructed contexts, which are sure to enrich our appreciation for the Word of God. In addition to following St. Benedict's admonition to glean a harvest by attending mindfully to the pages and passages of the inspired books of the Old and New Testaments, Holyhead generously layers her commentary with insights distilled from the Rule itself. As a sourcebook for pastoral ministry or a reference for personal or communal reflection, this volume will assist believers who desire to engage more deeply with the Word. Verna Holyhead, SGS, is an Australian Sister of the Good Samaritan of the Order of St. Benedict. She leads retreats, lectures, and writes, all with an emphasis on biblical scholarship, liturgical insight, and pastoral challenge.

From the rich tradition of the Anglo-Saxon Church of the sixth, seventh, and eighth centuries, Benedicta Ward has selected prayers and passages for meditation from both Latin and Anglo-Saxon sources. The mixture of Latin and Celtic Christian cultures, distilled and appropriated by the Germanic Anglo-Saxons, produced a distinctive English spiritual tradition which embraced kings and princesses, abbesses and monks, cowherds and poets, soldiers and beggars, and birds and animals. It is possible through these passages to walk with these men and women as friends and see how their lives became filled with the life of Christ, in pain and desolation as well as in wonder, love, and praise. '

"Benedicta Ward is Reader in Spirituality at Harris Mansfield College Oxford, and a member of the Community of the Sisters of the Love of God. Among her many books are "The Venerable Bede, "and"High King of Heaven, Aspects of Early English Spirituality.

This is a probing study on the history and meaning of the liturgy that also questions how Christian worship will change in the future.The publication by Benedict XV1 of the motu proprio has put the question of the history and meaning of the liturgy back into centre stage, not just for Catholics but for many Christians as well. Dr Hemming seeks to provide an intelligent background to the Pope's decision, addressing himself to a number of questions about the nature and character of Catholic worship that opens a wide-ranging historical discussion which will inform and persuade a wide audience.The chapter on liturgy and revelation is the turning point in the book and shows how an understanding of time that is presumed in all modern philosophical thought is challenged by the understanding of divine self-revelation. This is something the young Fr Joseph Ratzinger focussed on early on in his career. This forces us to ask what our relation to liturgical events are and how we experience them. Dr Hemming therefore advocates a 'high' theology of the liturgy with the profoundest understanding of the numinous and the mysterium of faith. How will Christian worship change now, asks Dr Hemming in his concluding chapter? He offers a sketch of what may happen in the coming decades and long after the Papacy of Benedict XV1.

This title presents a detailed study of the development of Thomas Cranmer's theology of the Eucharist in context of his sacramental theology and the reform of the liturgy.The development of Thomas Cranmer's theology of the Eucharist has often been studied and debated. This book places that development in the context of his sacramental theology and overall policy towards the reform of the liturgy. The first part of the book describes the traditional practice and perceptions of the Eucharist and Baptism (a somewhat different picture from that presented e.g. by Duffy's Stripping of the Altars). It then follows the evidence for liturgical reform and the development in Cranmer's thought through the reign of Henry VIII and the beginning of Edward VI's reign leading up to the two Prayer Books.Detailed examination of the 1549 Prayer Book confirms scholarly consensus that its theological standpoint is identical to that of 1552, the fullest and clearest liturgical expression of Cranmer's standpoint; however there are sections in it which (along with the Order of Communion of 1548) suggest the influence of a less radical sacramental and Eucharistic theology. It is suggested that the 1549 Prayer Book was originally drafted as a liturgy to accompany the King's Book of 1543 but was hurriedly changed as Cranmer's thought developed through 1548.

In Peculiar Crossroads, Farrell O'Gorman explains how the radical religiosity of both Flannery O'Connor's and Walker Percy's vision made them so valuable as southern fiction writers and social critics. Via their spiritual and philosophical concerns, O'Gorman asserts, these two unabashedly Catholic authors bequeathed a postmodern South of shopping malls and interstates imbued with as much meaning as Appomattox or Yoknapatawpha. O'Gorman builds his argument with biographical, historical, literary, and theological evidence, examining the writers' work through intriguing pairings, such as O'Connor's Wise Blood with Percy's The Moviegoer, and O'Connor's A Good Man Is Hard to Find with Percy's Lancelot. An impeccable exercise in literary history and criticism, Peculiar Crossroads renders a genuine understanding of the Catholic sensibility of both O'Connor and Percy and their influence among contemporary southern writers.

The definitive guide to the meaning of today s most popular praise and worship songs.
Few things influence Christians understanding of the faith more than the songs they sing in worship. The explosion of praise and worship music in the last fifteen years has profoundly affected our experience of God. So what are those songs telling us about who God is? In what ways have they made us more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ? In what ways have they failed to embody the full message of the gospel?
Working with the lists of the most frequently sung praise and worship songs from recent years, the authors of this book offer an objective but supportive assessment of the meaning and contribution of the Christian music that has been so important in the lives of contemporary believers.

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Based on the Revised Common Lectionary and broadly ecumenical, this addition tothe Just In Time " "series provides creative liturgies, sermon helps, and prayers for Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday, and the 40 days of Easter."

As Christianity has boomed in the non-Western world, several significant questions have emerged regarding how worship and culture relate. Charles Farhadian here presents a timely investigation of the interaction between culture and worship.

Leading scholars ? experts in history, mission, culture, and liturgy ? offer diverse essays addressing worship in the context of worldwide Christianity. At the heart of Christian Worship Worldwide are several case studies from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific that explore the contours of particular nations, cultures, and liturgical actions. These essays show how Christian plurality is most vividly exemplified in the context of worship, where language, song, culture, and indigenous theology come together.

Contributors: M. L. Daneel
Samuel Escobar
Charles E. Farhadian
C. Michael Hawn
Seung Joong Joo
Ogbu U. Kalu
Thomas A. Kane
Miguel A. Palomino
Robert J. Priest
Dana L. Robert
Lamin Sanneh
Bryan D. Spinks
Andrew F. Walls
Philip L. Wickeri
John D. Witvliet

This book provides ready-to-use worship and preaching resources for themes related to Advent and Christmas. It offers ready-to-use worship and preaching resources for the four Sundays in Advent including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It includes biblically-based sermon briefs, suggested Scriptures, hymns, prayers, and litanies for lighting the Advent Wreath. It intends to help pastors minister more effectively during this important church season. The contents include: Introduction: The Ways We Know Jesus; First Sunday in Advent: Emmanuel; Second Sunday in Advent: Son of Man; Third Sunday in Advent: Example; Fourth Sunday in Advent: Lord; Christmas Eve: Son of God; and Christmas Day: Word of God.

Many churches today are caught in the worship war. Services are split into styles--contemporary, traditional, liturgical. Discussions and sometimes arguments arise over whether or not to have a pulpit, use drums, sing hymns, or use movie clips for illustration. These varying styles and preferences have caused many to change churches or even skip worship all together. This division of the Body of Christ is a cause for great concern and is jeopardizing the true meaning of worship for future generations. In The Worship Plot, Dan Boone exposes the distorted motives of battling over worship styles. Instead, he attests we should strive to combine our diversity to celebrate our common story. Boone explains that worship is not about personal preference or platform performance. Worship flows from the heart of God through His Son and His Spirit. Worship invites us to step into this flowing stream of celebration, thanksgiving, and love--a stream that connects us to God and to each other. Boone encourages churches to use the differences of their people to tell and celebrate the story God has plotted for us--the unifying story of the love of Christ. He affirms that when we move through worship together, through specific stages that have been plotted out to follow, we can go out with blessing and boldness, empowered by grace--ready to serve the people of the world and share with them God's amazing story.

When we think about the intersection of religion and politics, few people think of liturgy. Yet it is the contention of many theologians that our liturgical texts and rituals have important implications for our public life together. The latest volume in the Radical Traditions series, Liturgy, Time, and the Politics of Redemption advances a timely conversation about the place of religious reasoning in public discourse by attending to the way the scriptures are liturgically performed in Jewish and Christian communities. It includes diverse examinations of liturgy, from Peter Ochs's contention that reciting Jewish Morning Prayer can reorient our view of the world to Oliver Davies's illumination of the silence of the cross through two Russian words for silence. Of interest to theologians, philosophers, and clergy, Liturgy, Time, and the Politics of Redemption brings Jewish and Christian thinkers into conversation, showing parallels in these traditions' liturgical reasoning and opening new possibilities for Jewish-Christian relations.

Although originally intended for use by Catholics, "Preaching the Lectionary" has become truly ecumenical in intention and tone. It is based on the "New Revised Standard Version" and integrates the Revised Common Lectionary to enhance the versatility of the preacher's task of proclaiming the Word of God as effectively and as broadly as possible.

This third edition of "Preaching the Lectionary" will appeal to homilists and others who have a ministerial or preparatory role in the Sunday liturgy. Written with the needs of the active pastor, homilist, and liturgist in mind, it offers brief, technical discussions balanced with practical insights and reflections. This new edition of a classic approach to the Lectionary has been updated to reflect the thinking of a wide range of biblical scholars and theologians.

"Reginald H. Fuller, STD, DD, a former parish priest and seminary professor with a specialty in New Testament literature, has written numerous books. He lives in Richmond, Virginia."

"Daniel Westberg, D Phil, is a former parish priest who teaches moral theology and Christian ethics at Nashotah House Episcopal Seminary in Wisconsin. He is the author of "Right Practical Reason," a book on the ethics of Thomas Aquinas."

Personal preparation before receiving Holy Communion was seen as an essential spiritual discipline for centuries, but has been lost sight of in recent years. "Common Worship" reminds all Anglicans at least of its importance and encourages a revival of this practice: this resource is specifically for that purpose.

Looking for homily suggestions that faithfully represent the Scripture readings and offer hearers of the text practical applications for Christian life? "Homilies for Weekdays," the final of two volumes by Father Don Talafous, OSB, contains creative suggestions of what a homilist might say about the daily readings following the Lectionary cycle.

This extensive compilation for each day is a result of Father Talafous ' many years of experience in preparing homilies. Written on both a popular and pastoral level, these homily ideas may also serve as daily reflections or meditations on the Scriptural texts for readers interested in nourishing their Christian lives with Scripture.

Also available "Homilies for Weekdays: "Three-volume set

"Don Talafous, OSB, PhD, serves as alumni chaplain for Saint John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota, and is the author of "The Risk in Believing" and "A Word for the Day," published by Liturgical Press. ""

In this volume of weekly reflections on the Sunday Lectionary for Year C, Verna Holyhead moves deftly between the Old and New Testament readings, providing theological context and tying the texts to contemporary concerns. Rich in references to poetry and history, these reflections are infused with the spirit of the Rule of St. Benedict, which invites Christians to take the two Testaments as the truest guides for human life. The supplementary series of conversations between the Liturgy of the Word and the Rule extend the weekly reflection.

As a sourcebook for pastoral ministry or a reference for personal or communal reflection, this volume will assist believers who desire to engage more deeply with the Word.

"Verna Holyhead, SGS, is an Australian Sister of the Good Samaritan of the Order of St. Benedict. She leads retreats, lectures, and writes, with an emphasis on biblical scholarship, liturgical insight, and pastoral challenge."

Liturgiam Authenticam, issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in 2001 has resulted in wide coverage in the Catholic press, largely lamenting its lack of historical accuracy and clarity in legislating the use of liturgical texts. Translating Tradition includes four essays by Peter Jeffery, Obl.S.B., that appeared in Worship in 2004. The articles comment on Liturgiam Authenticam, point out its inconsistencies, lack of being mindful of church tradition, and problematic directives. Essays are "A Chant Historian Reads Liturgiam Authenticam 1: The Latin Liturgical Traditions," "A Chant Historian Reads Liturgiam Authenticam 2: The Bible in the Roman Rite," "A Chant Historian Reads Liturgiam Authenticam 3: Languages and Cultures," and "A Chant Historian Reads Liturgiam Authenticam 4: Human and Angelic Tongues." The English translation text of Liturgiam Authenticam is published as an appendice to the book.

Liturgy in a Post-Modern World grapples with the future of liturgy at a time of exceptional uncertainty in the Christian Churches. In the summer of 2002 a conference in Rome met to look at liturgical renewal and this book is the result. Cardinal Danneels set the tone of the conference and thus of the book. After evaluating the liturgical reforms of Vatican II, he tackles the problem of incomprehensibility in a world whose symbolic system has been lost. Includes a international scholars such as Timothy Radcliffe OP, Robert F. Taft SJ, Peter C. Phan, Francisco F. Claver SJ and is edited by Keith Pecklers SJ. An Anglican perspective is contributed by Canon Donald Gray. 'Liturgy in a Post-Modern World' will be essential reading for anyone concerned with the future of liturgy.