By Marie Mulvenna

DETROIT—Intensely frank discussion and open voting by delegates characterized the recent convention here of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions, resulting in resolutions which may bring new accomplishments in liturgy in the coming months. Among many resolutions analyzed and ultimately approved by the national delegates were those calling for a new national hymnal, an in-depth study of the sacrament of penance, and the anticipated establishment of a national office of Christian worship by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB).

Six major resolutions entitled “Ministry and Orders” and covering far-reaching proposals on various and expanded forms of ministry, the use of laicized priests in ministries open to other laymen, and the full use of women in the ministry including their ordination, were tabled for the session with the stipulation that they be made priority matters at next year’s convention. Father Henry Gracz of Atlanta proposed tabling discussion on the resolutions, explaining that debate on the vital topics was extremely limited by the schedule of the convention. Father Gracz stated that the resolutions had not come to the floor until the last 45 minutes of the final session and many delegates had already been required to leave the proceedings to meet transportation commitments. Father Gracz’ motion to table the resolutions was supported by the delegates along with his amendment that a continuing study of the area of ministry and orders be undertaken during the year.

The remaining 22 resolutions, which had resulted from earlier regional gatherings, were subject to considerable debate and discussion by the liturgists in two open-forum sessions. Participation in the forums, a first for the national meetings, was enthusiastic and open. At one session, Cardinal John Dearden, host of the convention, likened the delegates’ frank discussion over phrasing, content and applicability of the resolutions to the tasks faced by participants in the Second Vatican Council ten years ago. He commended them for their dedication and efforts to forward liturgical renewal in the U.S.

The approval for a national hymnal will result in a resource book including some 500 songs of varied styles as well as chords and harmony. The proposed hymnal would be revised every five years and is seen as a major contribution to national liturgical advancement and a “vehicle to cause our celebrations to come alive.” Considerable concern was voiced by delegates that the hymnal would exclude new music, thus stifling growth of new sources of liturgical music. Father Gracz proposed that the Federation establish a process of consultation with all diocesan liturgical commissions. It is anticipated that the forthcoming hymnal will provide for the addition of local supplements.

Four strong resolutions on penance called for American bishops to petition Rome for the release of the revised rite of penance currently under study. A resolution noted that “the faithful find the present rite of the sacrament of penance to be an inadequate sign of the Church’s reconciliation.” Citing a “grave pastoral problem” with regard to penance, delegates sought a catechesis on penance from the Federation which would collect and make available ideas, guidelines or models for a variety of penance services.

An additional resolution requested the NCCB to initiate within six months an in-depth study of penance and the nature of sin and reconciliation “as understood by the people of our time.” Included in the study would be: penance and penitential services as acts of prayer; current attitudes toward penance; ministerial roles of priest, penitent and community; individual responsibility in sin; social nature of sin; historical and theological basis for granting communal absolution.

In addition to the open-forum discussion of penance, several lengthy workshops were available for delegates. Careful study was made of private and communal penance and resulting reports from small conferences underlined the prime factor of much needed education to combat “the loss of the sense of sin.” Confusion and a lack of credibility were found to be some reasons for the decline in confessions. One session leader reported his group felt the situation was a grave one that had not received adequate attention from the hierarchy. He told delegates: “It seems some bishops are more concerned with their reconciliation with Rome than they are with the reconciliation of their people to Christ.”

Father John Rotelle of the Bishop’s Committee on the Liturgy told delegates that penance seemed to play an insignificant role today and supported the need for massive education on the awareness of sin in the believing community. Father Rotelle termed penance “the celebration of the forgiveness of our sinfulness.”

Convention delegates urged the creation of a national office of Christian worship by the U.S. Bishops. The anticipated office would serve as a central agency in liturgy and liturgists. A strong vote also went to three resolutions calling for continuing education programs for priests and more seminary training. The Federation was asked to provide positive direction for local worship teams and asked that each diocese furnish a full-time person for liturgy with a corresponding office of worship. Also requested was formal continuing education for a member of the diocese in liturgical theology.

A somewhat unexpected outcome resulted from lengthy debate on including Scriptural texts, presidential prayers (collect, prayer over the gifts and prayer after communion) and rubrics in widely-used participation aids (missalettes). A resolution calling for their exclusion from the booklets was heatedly discussed and amended resulting in the exclusion of only the presidential prayers and rubrics. Initially, the thrust of the group was felt to overwhelmingly favor the omission of all but the peoples’ responses from the missalettes.

Several possible ages for the reception of confirmation were discussed in detail, both at the open forums and in special workshops. Delegates voted that the U.S. bishops allow three years usage of the new rite of confirmation before attempting to determine a specific age for its acceptance. This proposal followed the policy of ritual adaptations established by the bishops at their Atlanta meeting in April. During the three year period, educational processes would be initiated by local commissions to help in the understanding of the sacrament. A collection and correlation of various faith statements for experimental use in the confirmation rite at different age levels was requested of the Federation.

In the area of art and architecture, delegates, in four resolutions, called for a written paper on art and architecture as well as the recommendation that church buildings of the future reflect more simplicity as well as Christian attitude toward the needs of the community. It was further recommended, in a close vote, that future churches be multi-purpose in style and use, while maintaining worship as the priority.