Hopes Renew boosts liturgy

That's one of the effects that the director of the diocesan Office of Prayer and Worship hopes the Renew 2000 process has on liturgical committees in the Albany Diocese.

While the focus of Renew 2000 is the formation of small faith communities in parishes, she said, the process will also impact other areas of parish life.

Liturgy teamwork

"`Renewal' is the operative word," she stated. "We have been charged by the bishops of the world at the Second Vatican Council to renew our liturgies."

Three different kinds of parishes will be targeted at the workshops, she said: those without liturgy teams, those whose teams need a "jump-start" and those who already have well-organized liturgy teams.

Fundamental

"The liturgy is the foundation of our prayer experience," she explained. "It's important to gather as a faith community to celebrate communally. Renew 2000 will help [liturgy teams] to be rooted in prayer and Scripture, rather than just being task-oriented."

One benefit liturgy teams that take part in Renew 2000 may see, she said, is the focus that the process gives to liturgies. Each season of Renew focuses on a specific liturgical topic -- for example, the sacredness of gathering -- so teams will have a starting point for planning weekend Masses.

Results

* "ideal parish liturgy teams" that include presiders, committee coordinators and representatives of groups from Eucharistic ministers to youth. Subcommittees could also be formed on such topics as "arts and environment," she added.

* "Full, conscious, active participation of the assembly [at Mass]. "That will take well-done music, well-done liturgical environments," she said. "And to improve our ministry of hospitality cannot help but enliven our liturgies."

* Communal worship: Mass "is not a time of private, personal devotion," Ms. Lavender said, giving the example of music at Communion time. While the time for quiet meditation is supposed to be after everyone has received Communion, she said, parishioners often sit silently even as Communion songs are being sung, rather than participating.

* A stronger Liturgy of the Word: "Lectors will better embrace the concept that they're proclaiming the real, live Word of God, and not simply reading from a book," Ms. Lavender explained.

Enthusiasm

"I got a very strong feeling that they do intend to do some sort of reflection on the sacredness of gathering before being task-oriented," she said. "It's very encouraging to me. At some parishes, not much will be different: They'll sit down [at liturgy meetings] and get the work done. But some parishes will embark on a spirit of renewal."

(05-14-98) [[In-content Ad]]