By Marie Mulvenna

DETROIT—The prayer life of the Church, the vital necessity for liturgical catechesis and preparation, wider use of permitted adaptations available in liturgy, the fight against retrenchment and misunderstanding and the duty to forward pastoral leadership in liturgy were among the many topics covered in depth here last week at the national convention of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions.

Delegates from around the country strongly supported a resolution calling for the Bishops Committee on the Liturgy to communicate to the National Conference of Catholic Bishops the importance and concern which liturgical commissions attribute to the prayer life of the church. Citing prayer as a “priority issue” the liturgists stated that their action was “in response to a felt need in all dioceses for appropriate action by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in its capacity as the collective voice of episcopal leadership in the country.”

Father Henry Gracz, Atlanta delegate to the convention and member of the board of directors of the Federation, stated that “there was an almost surprising concern shown for the quality of workshop and the deepening of faith on the part of the commissions throughout the country. This was evident in the amount of time spent on the deep concern for prayer instead of merely rubrics.” Father Gracz who also serves as chairman of the southeast region for the Federation, said he viewed an emerging “stability in change” which was indicative of those attending the session.

Father Frederick McManus, director of the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy (BCL) addressed the delegates on the “State of the Liturgy,” making a strong plea for liturgical catechesis and preparation for good celebration. Father McManus cited outstanding American leaders in liturgy, especially the late Archbishop Paul Hallinan of Atlanta and his major contributions to the Constitution on the Liturgy of Vatican II.

Father McManus noted the 10^th anniversary of the Council which he said “opted for a dynamic church life, rather than a static one.” He added that the Council did not invent reform but merely responded to the community of Christian believers in which the Church must constantly reform. “We must employ what we have to the best advantage,” he said, adding that reform or revision “is only a fraction of our concern.”

Father McManus made a strong plea for more use of the “open door” for liturgical adaptations, noting that individual bishops may employ permitted adaptations over a three year period. To date, Father stated, no diocese, Bishops or commission has taken advantage of the wider option, a fact he hoped would be corrected.

Chairman of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions, Father Joseph Cunningham of Brooklyn, N.Y., told the scores of delegates that there was “a new dawn on the horizon for liturgical commission.” Father Cunningham stated that the Church had “passed through the negative phase of leadership, the so-called ‘safe’ commissions, and had progressed beyond ‘canonical verbiage’ to a state of action, communicating to the parishes and leading the people in ritual signs, letters and words.” He issued a forceful plea for diocesan commissions to forward pastoral leadership in liturgy in the country, calling for honest, positive and trustful leadership on the part of the hierarchy.

“No area in the Church has had greater impact on people than the liturgy,” Father Cunningham said, urging strong efforts to improve parochial education and celebration. “People must be re-trained to understand the why of a funeral without a ‘Dies Irae’ (Latin funeral dirge), first communion without first confession, a chancery office without a monsignor.” He stated there must be adjustments in many areas including spirituality and ritual and parochial ministers must respond, “re-routing popular piety into liturgical reality.”

“People don’t know what worship’s all about until they’re told,” he said, adding that commissions must cope with the situation on the local level as it is today, giving direction and thrust to liturgical leadership. Father Cunningham voiced his opinion that “almost all of our priests are ineffective as celebrants” nothing that few seminaries, even today, properly prepare the priest as celebrant.

Father Cunningham concluded his opening address to the convention, urging delegates to let the bishops of the country know the needs of the commissions and the people. “In the words of the late Archbishop Paul Hallinan of Atlanta,” Father Cunningham said, “don’t ask the bishops, tell them.”