News and Views for 2005

18 November 2005

Annual Reports of National Commissions

The annual reports (dated 1 November 2005) placed before the Episcopal Conference for review at its December 2005 meeting and presented in summary to the meeting at Maynooth College on 26 October 2005 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 26 October was attended by the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy, members of the various commissions and agencies and representatives from twenty-two dioceses. Bishop John Magee chaired the meeting. He opened the meeting with the prayer said at each session of Vatican II. 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 those who have died since the last annual meeting including Pope John Paul II, Sr Colmcille Ní Chonáin and an t-Oll. Séamus Ó Mórdha, former members of An Coiste Comhairleach um an Liotúirge i nGaeilge, Fr Tim O'Connor, former member of the Irish Commission for Liturgy and the Advisory Committee on Sacred Art and Architecture and a member of the panel of lecturers at the National Centre for Liturgy, Fr Paul O'Donnell, OSB, a member of the music panel which became the Advisory Committee on Church Music, Fr Vincent Ryan, OSB and Very Reverend John Paterson, former lecturers at the National Centre for Liturgy.Special presentationsFr Liam Walsh, Irish Dominican province and former professor of sacramental theology at Fribourg, Switzerland, gave a paper on the Holy Spirit and the Sacraments of Initiation.

The meeting also included a panel discussion on worship with people from different ethnic and language backgrounds with Fr Gerry Kane, Fr Brian Moore and Fr Liam Tracey, chaired by Fr Tom Whelan.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), Sr Moira Bergin (National Centre for Liturgy), Prof. Gerard Gillen (Advisory Committee on Church Music), Mr Gerard Lillis (Schola Cantorum), Fr Paul Kenny (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 Turlough Baxter (organ tutorial programme), Sr Olive Cullen (RCIA in the parish), Sr Mary T O'Brien (Intercom) and Sr Emmanuel Leonard (liturgy courses in Cloyne).Canon Ricky Rountree reported on the publication of the new Book of Common Prayer and subsequent work on the Ordinal.

Issues and events

• The General Instruction of the Roman Missal in English was approved by the Congregation for Divine Worship at the end of January 2005 and published in March 2005.

  Celebrating the Mystery of Faith, prepared by the National Centre for Liturgy, was published as a guide to the Mass based on the new edition of the General Instruction in early October 2005 and was formally launched at the annual meeting.

  The translation of the Missale Romanum, 3rd edition, is a priority for ICEL and an Coiste Coiste Comhairleach um an Liotúirge i nGaeilge.

  A revised draft  English translation of Ordo Missae, dated February 2005, was received by the Conference in early summer 2005.  Bishops have been asked to forward their comments and these, with a review from the Irish Commission for Liturgy requested by the bishops, will be before a meeting of a working group of bishops in early November to prepare a Conference response. 

  The difficulty in providing liturgical texts in Irish and the failure to receive the recognitio of the Congregation for Divine Worship, though discussed with the Congregation at a special meeting in Rome in May 2004, remains a major issue.

  The chapter on Architectural Heritage Protection of Places of Public Worship, agreed by the four main Churches with the Department for the Environment, formally accepted on 12 November 2003, was published in Architectural Heritage Protection in February 2005. 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.

  New arrangements at the Schola Cantorum have been put in place enabling students from outside the Mullingar area to receive accommodation grants.

  A statement on the remuneration of church musicians, issued through the Advisory Committee on Church Music has been widely welcomed. Its update for 2005 is agreed by the Advisory Committee and the Church Music Committee of the Church of Ireland dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. (The 2006 recommended rates are included in "documentation" on this website).

  A successful summer school of the Irish Church Music Association took place in July, with Mr John O'Keeffe as guest director.

  A successful year was reported by the National Centre for Liturgy. The M.Th. in liturgy will be conferred on four students in November 2005, a total of 18 students since the first conferrals in 2002. A one day a week course in pastoral liturgy is being conducted on 20 Mondays.

  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.

18 November 2005

Recommended fees for Church musicians

The update of recommended fees for Church musicians for 2006 has been published jointly by the Advisory Committee on Church Music and the Church Music Committee of the Church of Ireland, Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. 

Click here for the full statement, with an introduction by the Advisory Committee

3rd October, 2005

Celebrating the Mystery of Faith publishedThe study book on the Mass prepared by the National Centre for Liturgy, Celebrating the Mystery of Faith, a guide to the Mass is now available. The writing team included Moira Bergin, Séan Collins, Jane Ferguson, Patrick Jones, Julie Kavanagh,  Columba McCann, Liam Tracey and Tom Whelan. It is published by Irish Liturgical Publications and costs €10.

Liturgical Calendar for Ireland 2006The Liturgical Calendar or Ordo for 2006 is now available. Published for the National Secretariat for Liturgy by Veritas, it is edited by Patrick Jones

30 August 2005 Celebrating the Mystery of Faith, a guide to the Mass The National Centre for Liturgy has put together Celebrating the Mystery of Faith,  a guide to the Mass, based on the new edition of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal published for Ireland in March 2005. After a general introduction to the Mass and its structure, it includes a guide to the ministries exercised at Mass, the music of the Mass, and then a commentary on the parts of the Mass all with the purpose of promoting good and better practice. A five-session parish-based liturgical catechesis on the Mass is also given. Celebrating the Mystery of Faith is a study book for priests, on their own or in groups, for liturgy teams, for ministers of the Word, music and communion, for parishes, and for all who want to understand better this mysterium fidei. Celebrating the Mystery of Faith is due for publication by Irish Liturgical Publications at the beginning of October.

1 August 2005 At the Breaking of Bread A book of homilies on the Eucharist, reflecting many of the scriptural themes contained in the Apostolic Letter Mane nobiscum Domine (the letter inaugurating  the Year of the Eucharist) has been published by Veritas in At the Breaking of Bread. The book is edited by Patrick Jones, director of the National Centre for Liturgy.

4 July 2005

Church Music Summer School.

Almost 300 people, including day participants, took part in the 36th annual summer school of the Irish Church Music Association, held at Maynooth College, 4-8 July 2005. John O'Keeffe, director of sacred music at Maynooth, was the very popular guest director. The usual range of tutorials was available: schools (Marian Gaynor), cantor (Majella Hollywood, Sarah Waldron), sight-reading (Gertie McCabe), chant and traditional Irish song (Nóirín Ní Riain, Martin Browne), liturgical movement (Aisling Connolly, Gail McLaughlin), parish and contemporary music (John O'Keefe, Liam Lawton). Organ tutors were Regina Deacy, Cormac Brady, David Connolly, Eoin Tierney, Derek Verso and Peter Jeffers. John O'Keeffe also took charge of the special choir.

The summer school was formally opened by Dom Christopher Dillon, OSB, Abbot of Glenstal

The theme of the week, marking the Year of the Eucharist, was "Stay with me." A feature of the week was the adjudication of a competition for composition on psalms and anthems of a Eucharistic theme. The winner was Dublin composer, Bernard Sexton. The second and third prize winners were Ephrem Feeley and Pádraig de Barra.

29 June 2005

Death of Fr Vincent Ryan, osb

Vincent Ryan, OSB a member of the panel of lecturers at the Centre from its beginning, died 29 June 2005, aged 75. A native of Dublin, in 1951 he entered Glenstal Abbey, where he had received his secondary education. He studied philosophy in U.C.D. and theology in Glenstal. After ordination as priest in December 1957 he undertook post-graduate studies in liturgy in Paris and Trier. Involved in the Glenstal Liturgical Congresses, he edited volume 2 of Studies in Pastoral Liturgy, the papers of the 1960-62 congresses on anointing of the sick, participation in Mass and church architecture.

His trilogy on the liturgical seasons Advent to Epiphany, Lent and Holy Week and Eastertime and Feasts of the Lord (originally Pasch to Pentecost) remains standard reading for students of pastoral liturgy. Fr Vincent also wrote on the meaning of Sunday in Welcome to Sunday and more recently in 1997, The Shaping of Sunday, Sunday and Eucharist in the Irish Tradition. These topics were the subject of his lectures at the Centre over a period of almost thirty years. He is remembered as a soft-spoken and popular lecturer, happy to engage with students on matters of liturgical scholarship as well as the pastoral issues. He is, above all, remembered as a kind friend and staunch supporter of the work of the Centre from its beginnings.

May he rest in peace.

16 June 2005

New Commissions appointed

The Episcopal Commission for Liturgy, at its June 2005 meeting, appointed new consultative commission for liturgy, music, art and architecture. The full membership is given on Irish Episcopal Commission for Liturgy and Agencies.

The Episcopal Commission paid tribute to retiring members: Mr Richard Hurley, who has been a member of the Advisory Committee on Sacred Art and Architecture from its establishment in the late 1960s and its chairperson for the past nine years; Mr John Kernan, another long-serving member of the same committee; two members of the Irish Commission for Liturgy: Mgr Willie Cleary and Fr John McGoldrick; Mr Pádraig McIntyre (Advisory Committee on Church Music); Ms Anne Murphy (Advisory Committee on Sacred Art and Architecture) and Dr Aoibheann Nic Dhonnchadha (Coiste Comhairleach um an Liotúirge i nGaeilge).

31 May 2005 36th annual summer school

The Irish Church Music Association's 36th annual summer school takes place at St Patrick's College, Maynooth from after lunch on Monday, 4 July and concludes with lunch on Friday, 8 July.

The summer school's theme in this the Year of the Eucharist is "Stay with us, Lord." The guest director is John O'Keeffe, director of sacred music at St Patrick's College, Maynooth. John will also work with the special choir, formed by participants.

Other tutorials are:

• Schools –Marian Gaynor, with some input from  Maeve Mahon on the schools programme,  "Do this in memory"

  Cantor  training –Majella Hollywood and SarahWaldron

  Sight reading –Gertie McCabe

  Organ –Regina Deacy, Eoin Tierney, Cormac Brady, David Connolly and Peter Jeffers

  Chant/Irish –Noirín Ní Riain (Wednesday and Thursday)

• Liturgical Movement –Aisling Connolly and Gail McLoughlin

There will also be tutorials on "Music in the Parish, given by John O'Keeffe on Tuesday and Thursday and by Liam Lawton on Wednesday.

Day participants are welcome. The day rate is €70. Resdient course fees –ICMA members: €285; non-members: €320; student members: €230. Non-resident –ICMA members: €220; non-members: €255.

(Fees include music books and meals).

Booking forms available from: Irish Church Music Association, National Centre for Liturgy, St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Co. Kildare. They should be returned to Fr Turlough Baxter, Dublin Road, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, not later than Wednesday, 22 June 2005.

25 May 2005 Leading the Prayer of God's People In 1991 the Association of National Liturgy Secretaries of Europe issued a document on the role of presider at liturgy. It was prepared at their meeting in Bruges in June 1990 and finalised by their executive at two meetings, in Liège (December 1990) and Carlow (March 1991) and approved by all the Secretaries. Leading the Prayer of God's People, liturgical presiding for priests and laity has been out of print for many years. But it remains "a very valuable document," to use Cardinal Daly's words in its foreward. Cardinal Daly also noted the involvement of the National Centre for Liturgy (then based in Carlow) in the preparation of the text. Leading the Prayer of God's People is available on the web by courtesy of the Liturgy Office in London. Available at http://www.catholic-ew.org.uk/liturgy/Documents/Leading.pdf

19April 2005 Election of Pope Benedict XVI

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope and has taken the name Benedict XVI Elected Pope -19 April 2005
Solemn Inauguration of Pontificate - 24 April 2005

Father of providence, look with love on Benedict our Pope your appointed successor  to Saint Peter on whom you built your Church. May he be the visible centre and foundation of our unity in faith and love. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Prayer for the Election of a Pope

Lord God,

you are our eternal shepherd and guide.

In your mercy grant your Church a shepherd

who will walk in your ways

and whose watchful care will bring us your blessing.

We ask this through Christ our Lord,

Amen.

The Roman Missal provides texts for Mass for the Election of a Pope –pp 798-799. See Lectionary vol. III, pp 425-430. On the election of a Pope, the Mass for the Pope may be used – Missal pp 794-796. See Lectionary, III, p 425.

Death of Pope John Paul II

18 May 1920 - 2 April 2005

Mass for the late Pope John Paul II

Masses on Sunday, 3 April and Monday, 4 April are taken from the Missal and Lectionary for the 2nd Sunday of Easter and the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, respectively. From Tuesday, 5 April onwards, Scripture readings may be taken from Masses for the Dead in volume III of the Lectionary. The readings chosen for the funeral are: Acts of the Apostles 10:34-43, Philippians 3:20-4:1 and John 21:15-19. The responsorial psalm is Ps 22 (23). The Missal contains prayer texts for Masses for a deceased Pope: pp 889-891. The intentions of the Prayer of the Faithful might include reference to themes from the life and work of Pope John Paul II such as the continuation of the vision of the Second Vatican Council in the light of the new evangelisation proclaimed by John Paul II; the Gospel of Life which calls for the respect for life, from its beginnings to its end in death and beyond; prayer for healing and reconciliation.

O God,  from whom the just receive an unfailing reward, grant that your servant, John Paul, our Pope, whom you made vicar of Peter and shepherd of your Church, may rejoice for ever in the vision of your glory, for he was a faithful steward here on earth of all the mysteries of your forgiveness and grace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

11th March 2005

General Instruction of the Roman Missal published

The edition of the revised General Instruction of the Roman Missal   for the dioceses of Ireland is published today (see Liturgy News item, 

31st January 2005)