National Centre for Liturgy

 

News and Views for 2004

 

 

6 December 2004  

 

Visit of Leading Liturgical Scholar to Maynooth  

 

Professor Paul Bradshaw, professor of liturgy at the University of Notre Dame and director of undergraduate studies at Notre Dame’s London centre is visiting Maynooth College, 6-7 December 2004.   On the first day, he is giving a public lecture on “Eucharistic Sayings,” based on his latest book, Eucharistic Origins.  This lecture is being held under the auspices of the Faculty of Theology and the National Centre for Liturgy.  He is also giving a postgraduate seminar on the Apostolic Tradition, the subject of a major commentary written by Professor Bradshaw, Maxwell Johnson and L Edward Phillips.  

     
7 December 2004

 

Annual reports of National Commissions

The annual reports (October 2003-November 2004) placed before the Episcopal Conference for review at its 
December 2004 meeting and presented in summary to the meeting at Maynooth College on 25 November 
2004 included: Episcopal Commission for Liturgy/Irish Commission for Liturgy/National Secretariat for 
Liturgy, National Centre for Liturgy, Advisory Committee on Sacred Art and Architecture, Advisory 
Committee on Church Music, Coiste Comhairleach um an Liotúirge i nGaeilge, Schola Cantorum and Irish 
Church Music Association
 
The meeting on 25 November was attended by the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy, members 
of the various commissions and agencies and representatives from seventeen dioceses.  Bishop 
John Magee chaired the meeting.  He opened the meeting with the prayer said at each session 
of Vatican II, recalling that the 40th anniversary of the Liturgy Constitution, Sacrosanctum Concilium 
was celebrated on 4 December, at the beginning of the year of these reports.  In welcoming all to 
the meeting, he thanked the members of commissions for their work over the past year in the 
various aspects of liturgy, music, art and architecture, heritage and RCIA.  He asked for a 
remembrance in prayer for former members of commissions who had died in the past year:  Dr 
 Michael Wynne, Fr Noel Watson, Billy Fitzgerald and Sr Eileen McLoughlin.  

 
Special presentations
A major paper on Popular Devotions, their place in Ireland’s past, with reflections on the present 
and future was given by Dr Salvador Ryan, Dept. of Modern History, NUIM
 
Fr Hugh Kennedy gave a presentation on the Year of the Eucharist.  This paper is published in 
the winter issue of New Liturgy.
 
Reports
During the day the annual reports were presented by Fr Patrick Jones (Episcopal Commission 
for Liturgy/Irish Commission for Liturgy/National Secretariat for Liturgy and the National Centre 
for Liturgy), Sr Moira Bergin (Advisory Committee on Church Music), Mr Gerard Lillis ( Schola 
Cantorum),  Ms Rita Lacey ( Irish Church Music Association),  Mr Paul O’Daly  (Advisory 
Committee on Sacred Art and Architecture) and an Canónach Seán Terry (Coiste Comhairleach 
um an Liotúirge i nGaeilge).  Additional brief reports were given by Fr Willie Cleary (on the 
working group on worship and people with disabilities), Fr Hugh Kennedy (on the leaflet, 
Celebrating a Catholic Funeral, launched at last year’s meeting), Fr Pat O’ Donoghue and Mr John 
O’Keeffe (on projects in church music).  Ms Jane Ferguson gave an update on RCIA.   (The work 
of these commissions and agencies is reported regularly in New Liturgy).

Fr Allen Morris, liturgy secretary, England & Wales and Fr Andrew McKenzie, liturgy secretary, Scotland also spoke on some liturgical projects in their Conferences.  Canon Ricky Rountree reported on the publication of the new Book of Common Prayer, including its Irish language version.  It is the authorised prayer book of the Church of Ireland since Trinity Sunday, 2004.

 

Bishop John McAreavey was congratulated on his re-election as secretary of ICEL.  He gave a report on its current work on the translation of the Missale Romanum, the priority work for ICEL. 

 

Issues and events

  • A response from the Congregation for Divine Worship on the submitted translation of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal in English was received in July 2004. The text, with the Congregation’s amendments (both in the translation and in the adaptations) was resubmitted and is expected to be approved shortly.  The Irish version is before the Bishops’ Conference for approval in December 2004.  The translation of the Missale Romanum, 3rd edition, is a priority for ICEL and an Coiste Coiste Comhairleach um an Liotúirge i nGaeilge.

  • The draft  English translation of Ordo Missae, received by the Bishops in February 2004, was reviewed by the Conference, the Irish Commission for Liturgy and the Advisory Committee on Church Music. The Conference and most of the bishops individually responded to ICEL.  Many of the comments were very critical of the draft offered.

  • The difficulty in providing liturgical texts in Irish and the failure to receive the recognitio of the Congregation for Divine Worship were discussed with the Congregation at a special meeting in Rome in May 2004.  A positive response for Deasghnátha na Marbh and other texts is expected in the coming months.

  • The chapter on Architectural Heritage Protection of Places of Public Worship, agreed by the four main Churches with the Department for the Environment, was formally accepted on 12 November 2003.  There is an urgency to put in place Historic Churches Advisory Committees, which are the agencies of the dioceses in matters relating to churches that are on the Record of Protected Structures.  Guidelines on these Committees were provided to the bishops and a day for members was held on 22 May 2004.

  • New arrangements at the Schola Cantorum have been put in place, though the Bishops in March 2004 agreed to offer accommodation grants to some students.  This is subject to a review in four years time.

  • A statement on the remuneration of church musicians, issued through the Advisory Committee on Church Music had been widely welcomed.  Its update for 2005 will be a joint statement of the Advisory Committee and the Church Music Committee of the Church of Ireland dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough.

  • A successful 36th summer school of the Irish Church Music Association took place in July, with Mr Peter Sweeney as guest director.

  • A successful year was reported by the National Centre for Liturgy.  The M.Th. in liturgy was conferred on five students in October 2004, a total of 14 students since the first conferrals in 2002.  A one day a week course in pastoral liturgy is being conducted on 20 Mondays.

  • A meeting with the Congregation for Divine Worship in late May 2004 took place to discuss liturgical texts in Irish.  It is hoped that these texts will receive the Congregation’s recognition in the coming months.

  • RCIA and aspects of Christian initiation should be reviewed as a matter of urgency.

  • Liturgical formation requires a pro-active promotion at national and diocesan levels.

  • While structures are in place at a national level, they are of uneven quality –and sometimes absent- at diocesan level.

29th November, 2004

 

John O’Keeffe to be guest director for summer school

 

The Irish Church Music Association will hold its 37th annual summer school, Monday 4th July to Friday 8 July 2005.  The guest conductor will be John O’Keeffe. 

 

John O'Keeffe is Lecturer in Sacred Music at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, where his work involves the formation of seminarians in liturgical singing, the training of the Chapel Choir, organists and cantors and the composition and preparation of music for college liturgies.  

 

 John O'Keefe

A graduate of the Schola Cantorum at St. Finan's College Mullingar, he has served as organist at Westminster Cathedral, Dublin's Pro-Cathedral, St. Mel's Cathedral, Longford and St. Patrick's Church Portmagee. He is the founder director of the Chamber Choir of Maynooth University, where he also tutors in choral conducting as part of the Diploma in Church Music course recently established. He is the Editor of "Feasts and Seasons," a collection of liturgical music released last year.

 

26 November 2004

 

Death of Sr M. Colmcille Ní Chonáin

Sr Colmcille Ní Chonáin, a Sister of Mercy of the Westbourne community, Limerick, died on Friday, 26 November 2004. 

 

Sr Colmcille was a member of the Coiste Comhairleach um an Liotúirge i nGaeilge since its establishment in 1993.  Her particular contribution to its work was the collection of hymns and liturgical songs in the Irish language. 

 

Sr Colmcille was born in 1922 in the Aran Island, Co. Donegal.   The family moved to Kilnadeema, Loughrea, Co. Galway where her father was principal in the local school.  She qualifed as a primary teacher at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick and in 1941 joined the Limerick Sisters of Mercy.  She obtained her B.Mus and Higher Diploma in Education at U.C.C.  After teaching in Limerick, country and city, she was appointed to the Music Department of Mary Immaculate College.  She retired from this post in 1983.  She continued to compose liturgical music and to write poetry in Irish and English. 

 

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis.

 

25 November 2004

 

Music setting of Christmas Midnight Mass psalm

A setting of Psalm 95 –A Saviour has been born this holy night- that is used at the Mass at Night on Christmas has been composed by Ronan McDonagh.  A copy –it costs  5 euro- may be obtained from ronanmcdona@eircom.net

29th October 2004

 

Former member of Centre staff died

Sr. Eileen (Gerard) McLoughlin, Convent of Mercy, Enniskillen died today at a Dublin hospital. Though living with serious illness for several years, her death was unexpected. Sr Eileen, after teaching at Mount Lourdes Grammar School, Enniskillen for 25 years, joined the Centre, then called the Irish Institute of Pastoral Liturgy in Carlow, in 1980.  For the next 13 years, she taught liturgical music and encouraged students to see its essential role within liturgy.  Her teaching also included the Sundays when people attended Mass at the Centre and on day seminars throughout the year.  Sr Eileen served as a member of the Advisory Committee on Church Music, 1983-1993 and was also a member of the Irish Church Music Association.

After leaving the Centre in 1993, Sr Eileen worked at the Newman Centre in Toronto, returning to Ireland in 2000, the year of her golden jubilee as a Sister of Mercy.  

May she rest in peace.

17 October 2004

 

Spirituality Weekend  

Twenty-five Sisters of Mercy took part in a weekend on Celtic Spirituality at the National Centre for Liturgy. The weekend was conducted by Sr Anne Hannon, RSM.

Mass was celebrated in St Mary’s oratory.  The music used was by Sisters of Mercy (Margo Lombard, Colmcille Ní Chonáin and Moira Bergin) and people associated with the Centre and Maynooth (John O’Keeffe and Maire Ní Dhuibhir).  

      

10th October 2004

International Eucharistic Congress begins

 

The 48th International Eucharistic Congress began today at Guadalajara, Mexico. At its end on 17th October, the Year of the Eucharist will begin.

9 October 2004  

Five students who have studied at the National Centre for Liturgy for the past two years were conferred with the degree of M.Th., specialising in liturgy, at a ceremony today at the Pontifical University of St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth.

Sr Olive Cullen, Holy Faith sister, Celbridge, 

Co. Kildare.

Fr Michael Gilroy, diocese of Killala.

Fr Leonard Lexson, diocese of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Ms Anne O’Neill, Celbridge, Co. Kildare

Fr Mattthew Yitiereh, diocese of Tamala, Ghana

Fr Ignatius Varnakulasingham, diocese of Colombo, Sri Lanka, who completed one year of studies in December 2003, was conferred with the Higher Diploma in Pastoral Liturgy

       

6 September 2004

 

25th Anniversary of Pastoral Visit of Pope John Paul II to Ireland.  

Friday, 1 October has been suggested as a day of parish celebration to recall the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1979.  This is the feast of St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, declared a doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II in 1997.  Her feast serves as a reminder of our call to holiness and prayer.  Also, as patron of the missions, she reminds us of our call to be proclaim the Gospel through our lives.

 

Among the themes constantly stressed by Pope John Paul II is the need for a new evangelisation. It is a call to proclaim the message of the Gospel, a call to holiness, as God’s people, as Church as individuals, and a call to walk with God.

 

Readings may be chosen from the reading used in 1979, for example, the readings at the Phoenix Park in a Votive Mass of the Eucharist were 1 Kings 19:4-8, 1 Cor 11:23-36, Jn 6:51:58.  or elsewhere in the Lectionary, especially in the third volume, on various needs and occasions.  The reading from Eph 1:3-14 (Lectionary III, p 498) is a hymn in which we acknowledge that God has chosen us to be holy and spotless and to live through love.  The Gospel Mt 28:16-20 (Lectionary III, p 540) recalls the command of Christ: go, make disciples of all the nations.  An alternative is Jn 17:11,17-23 (Lectionary III, p 543) where Jesus sends the disciples out into the world but always journeying with his grace.

 

Prayers may be taken from the Missal, for example, Masses for various needs and occasions provide texts, for example, for the universal Church (Missal, p 791) or the spread of the Gospel (Missal, p 815).  There are texts for Masses for the Holy Father in the Missal (pp 794-796) and Lectionary (from the Common of Pastors (II p1472f) that are suitable

 

The Eucharistic Prayer for Masses for Various Needs and Occasions is very suitable. 

 

Some of the themes that Pope John Paul II has stressed should be included among the intentions of the Prayer of the Faithful.

 

-that we may respond generously to the call for a renewed teaching and living of the Gospel so that we live according to the mind of Christ and walk in his ways.

-that  the Gospel of Life may always guide us to respect life, from birth and before, to death and after.

-that peace may be established in the many places of war and violence.

-that all who are sick or distressed in mind, body or spirit may be comforted by their faith in Christ and the care of those who surround them.

-that all who have died may have eternal rest and peace, rejoicing with Mary and all the saints in God’s presence.

 

Prayer for the Holy Father should also be included.

 

Music used in 1979 was selected from many well known Masses and songs.  They are still part of our repertoire.  The Mass settings of Seoirse Bodley, T.C. Kelly and Fintan O’Carroll are widely known. To them can be added settings composed over the past 25 years, including the Eucharistic Prayer acclamations by John McCann and Sue Furlong, published in Seinn Alleuia 2000 as a Jubilee Year resource.   

 

From that resource we also have responsorial psalms like Lord, you are my shepherd (Ephrem Feeley), Mo grá thú, a Thiarna (Liam Lawton) and In you creation finds its joy (Ronan McDonagh) which can be added the Like the deer (Joseph Walshe), ‘Sé an Tiarna (Fionntáin Ó Cearrbhaill) and The Lord is my shepherd (Thomas Egan), used in 1979.

 

There is a good repertoire of songs from 1979 and 2000 that give good choices for entrance songs:  Christ be near at either hand, As one body, Lord of all hopefulness, All the earth proclaims the Lord, Hail Redeemer, king divine, Holy God and from Seinn Alleluia 2000: Christ be beside me, How great thou art, Let all the peoples praise you, o God, Christ be our light.

 

Communion songs include Come and taste the flesh of Christ, Gifts of finest wheat, Ag Críost an Síol and, from the Jubilee collection, Take and eat, Eat this bread. Ár nAthair (Seán Ó Riada) and other Irish music are suggested.

 

 

9 July 2004

36th Church Music Summer School of the Irish Church Music Association took place at Maynooth, 5-9 July 2004.  About 250 people, including full-time and day visitors, took part.  The theme was “Called to New Life” and each day there was reflection on RCIA which also was celebrated at the Mass.   Peter Sweeney, making his first visit to the summer school, proved to be a very popular guest director.  The tutors for the week were: Liam Lawton (parish and contemporary music), Marian Gaynor (schools), Gertie McCabe (sight reading), Nóirín Ní Riain and Martin Browne (chant and traditional Irish song), Majella Hollywood and Sarah Waldron (cantor rehearsal), Aisling Connolly and Gail McLoughlin (liturgical movement), Trevor Clarke, Regina Deacy, Cormac Brady, Eoin Tierney, David Connolly and Peter Jeffers (organ).

 

 

10 June 2004

Year of the Eucharist .   

At Mass on the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) in the square of the Basilica of St John Lateran before the procession to the Basilica of St Mary Major, Pope John Paul II announced a special Year of the Eucharist.  He said, “It will begin with the International Eucharistic Congress,  10-17 October 2004, in Guadalajara, Mexico, and will end with the next ordinary assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will take place 2-29 October 2005, on the theme ‘The Eucharist –source and summit of the life and mission of the Church.”

 

22 May 2004

Historic Churches Advisory Committees.   

The Advisory Committee on Sacred Art and Architecture conducted a seminar for members of these committees at Maynooth College on 22 May 2004.  Seventeen dioceses were represented.  Also present were delegates from the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches.  Members of the Advisory Committee’s working group addressed the seminar:  Richard Hurley –the planning legislation and its implications for church buildings; Paul O’Daly –the guidelines agreed by the Churches and the Department for the Environment; Patrick Jones and John Kernan –Historic Churches Advisory Committees, their membership and work.

 

13 May 2004

Schola ’04 is a CD of music from the students of the Schola Cantorum, St Finian’s College, Mullingar launched on 13 May 2004.  Commenting on the CD, Professor Gerard Gillen writes, “This CD gives us an opportunity to savour something of the musical talents and gifts of the boys and girls of the Schola Cantorum, now in its fourth decade of existence at St Finian’s College, under its third director, Gerard Lillis.  The Schola over that period of more than 30 years has been providing a first class music education to gifted youngsters, training them especially in the arts related to the musical needs of a modern liturgy.  Thus we have organ playing, singing (both solo and choral), music in traditional ethnic style, and music made in combination with the cathedral choir in Mullingar and performed in the splendid cathedral with its magnificent acoustic.”

 

23 April 2004 - Vatican instruction on the Eucharist published today  

Today, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments issued Redemptionis Sacramentum, an instruction on certain matters to be observed or be avoided regarding the Most Holy Eucharist. 

 

click here for document  

 

1 March 2004 - Peter Sweeney to be Guest Director of Church Music Summer School The annual Irish Church Music Association summer school will take place at St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth from 5 to 9 July 2004. The guest director will be Peter Sweeney. 

 

Peter is well-known as an adjudicator at the International Choral Festivals in Limerick, Sligo and Cork, at music festivals in Arklow, Drogheda, Dundalk, New Ross, Malahide (Young Musician) and festivals in England, Wales, Austria, Germany and Switzerland. He has also adjudicated at the Parish Conservatoire examinations. He is a key personality with the popular ‘Music in the Classroom’ and he also directs a children’s music workshop at the National Concert Hall. 

 

As a concert organist he has given recitals throughout Ireland and Europe, as well as North America. For six years he was artistic director of the Dublin International Organ and Choral Festival and for eleven years he was organist and director of music at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. Peter currently lectures at the D.I.T. Conservatory of Music and is curator of the organs at the National Concert Hall. 

 

23 February 2004 - Death of Archbishop Denis Hurley  

Archbishop Denis E. Hurley, OMI, former archbishop of Durban, South Africa, died on 13 February 2004, aged 88. He was a staunch opponent of apartheid and supporter of civil rights and justice. 

 

Born in Cape Town in 1915 to Irish parents, he entered the Oblate of Mary Immaculate congregation, doing his novitiate year at Cahermoyle, Co. Limerick in 1933. After studies in Rome, he was ordained priest in 1939. His first appointment was curate at the Emmanuel Cathedral in Durban –later he was Durban’s archbishop from 1951 until his retirement in 1992. He continued to serve as parish priest of the cathedral until January 2002. He was the youngest bishop in the world when ordained in 1947, aged 31. 

 

He served on the central preparatory commission for Vatican II and, afterwards, s a member of the consilium for the implementation of the Constitution on the Liturgy. He was a founding member of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL). He served on ICEL’s episcopal board for 38 years, its chairperson from 1975 to 1991. 

 

He is gratefully remembered for his vision and work for a renewed liturgy in which the vernacular would be the voice of God’s people at prayer. 

 

May he rest in peace. 

 

23 February 2004 - Centenary of Tra le sollecitudini  

On 22 November 1903, Pope Pius X issued the motu proprio Tra le sollecitudini, on sacred music. In a message to celebrate the centenary. Pope John Paul II issued a message which emphasises that “music used for sacred rites must have sanctity as its point of reference. Pope John Paul II indicates that “among the musical expressions that properly respond to the qualities required by the notion of sacred music, especially within liturgical music, Gregorian chant occupies an important place. The Second Vatican Council recognises it as ‘the distinctive music of the Roman liturgy’ (SC 116), which should be preserved in the first place for liturgies with music that are celebrated in Latin.” He also writes, “Since the Church has always recognised and promoted progress in the arts, it should not surprise anyone that, as well as Gregorian chant and polyphony, modern music has been allowed in liturgical celebrations, as long as it respects the spirit of the liturgy and the true values of art.” 

 

The full statement or chirograph is available on the Vatican Website www.vatican.va. 

Click here