Liturgical Liturgical Principles for Lay Principles for Lay

LeadersLeaders

PreamblePreamble Does a Sunday Does a Sunday

celebration of celebration of God’s word God’s word without without Eucharist Eucharist deserve the deserve the same attention same attention as the Eucharist as the Eucharist itself? itself? Yes, it does!Yes, it does!

The Paschal MysteryThe Paschal Mystery

Since all the of the Church’s Since all the of the Church’s liturgy is a celebration of the liturgy is a celebration of the Paschal Mystery, the Church Paschal Mystery, the Church must have the same concern must have the same concern

about the liturgy celebrated when about the liturgy celebrated when the Eucharist is not possible as it the Eucharist is not possible as it

does for the Eucharist itself.does for the Eucharist itself.

Principles of Good Principles of Good LiturgyLiturgy

Knowing the Knowing the principles of principles of good liturgy good liturgy certainly certainly helps.helps.

Ritual Creates the Ritual Creates the Encounter with GodEncounter with God

Keep in mind Keep in mind that liturgy is that liturgy is first of all ritual, first of all ritual, the ritual that the ritual that makes the makes the encounter with encounter with God in its prayer God in its prayer possible. possible.

Ritual Creates the Ritual Creates the Encounter with God.Encounter with God.

As ritual, the liturgy belongs to As ritual, the liturgy belongs to the community, to the Church.the community, to the Church.

Ritual Creates the Ritual Creates the Encounter with GodEncounter with God

Its elements that Its elements that are repeated and, are repeated and, thus, familiar, allow thus, familiar, allow the community to the community to enter fully into enter fully into worship. These worship. These elements are not elements are not changed unless changed unless there is a very good there is a very good reason for doing so.reason for doing so.

Ritual Creates the Ritual Creates the Encounter with God.Encounter with God.

Good ritual needs Good ritual needs no explanation; it no explanation; it has many valid has many valid layers of meaning, layers of meaning, and will mean and will mean something something different to different to different people at different people at different times.different times.

First PrincipleFirst Principle

Be AuthenticBe AuthenticBe yourself, in the Be yourself, in the presence of God, presence of God, that is be human. that is be human. Be authentic and Be authentic and not phony, and do not phony, and do not adopt not adopt

a a “pulpit voice”“pulpit voice” or or an an “obviously “obviously

religious”religious” affected style.affected style.

Be AuthenticBe Authentic

Be so well Be so well prepared that prepared that you truly own you truly own what you do what you do and say; only and say; only then can you then can you serve the serve the assembly.assembly.

Be AuthenticBe Authentic When prayer is When prayer is

your prayer, the your prayer, the community can community can more easily more easily make it their make it their prayer. Fear prayer. Fear and nervousness and nervousness will not get in will not get in the way and call the way and call attention to attention to yourself.yourself.

Second Second PrinciplePrinciple

Every Little Thing Every Little Thing CountsCounts

Everything you do:Everything you do: Walking Walking BowingBowing GesturesGestures Sitting etc.Sitting etc.

expresses the prayer of the expresses the prayer of the community. Whatever you do gives community. Whatever you do gives a signal that either supports the a signal that either supports the prayer of the community or hinders prayer of the community or hinders it.it.

Every Little Thing Every Little Thing CountsCounts

Being leader of prayer means being a Being leader of prayer means being a model of prayer; a priest participates model of prayer; a priest participates in all of the community’s prayer:in all of the community’s prayer:

SingingSinging ListeningListening Reflective silenceReflective silence Spoken responsesSpoken responses

Do this without dominating, fully Do this without dominating, fully aware of what your own gifts are, and aware of what your own gifts are, and with respect for the leadership of with respect for the leadership of those in other roles.those in other roles.

Third PrincipleThird Principle

ReverenceReverenceReverence is an essential quality of Reverence is an essential quality of prayerful liturgy. A celebration of prayerful liturgy. A celebration of

the liturgy that gives a sense of the liturgy that gives a sense of reverence is:reverence is:

unhurried and deliberateunhurried and deliberate The words are said or sung with The words are said or sung with

carecare Even simple actions like walking Even simple actions like walking

from one place to another are from one place to another are carried out carefully.carried out carefully.

ReverenceReverence

Reverence has Reverence has everything to everything to do with the do with the right place, right place, the right the right timing.timing.

ReverenceReverence

When Liturgy is When Liturgy is the work of the the work of the whole person, whole person, the spirit with the spirit with the body, then the body, then the beauty of the beauty of praying makes praying makes for this reverent for this reverent pace.pace.

ReverenceReverence

The liturgical The liturgical way of doing way of doing something is something is not efficient.not efficient.

Hurrying Hurrying liturgy can liturgy can only make it only make it seem foolishseem foolish

ReverenceReverence

Reverence in the Reverence in the liturgy is also liturgy is also evident in how evident in how the ministers the ministers handle liturgical handle liturgical objects, such as:objects, such as:

BooksBooks VesselsVessels CandlesCandles The crossThe cross

ReverenceReverence

Hold these Hold these liturgical liturgical objects up in objects up in both hands as both hands as you would you would carry any carry any precious precious object.object.

Ritual GesturesRitual Gestures

When using ritual gestures, When using ritual gestures, perform each gesture perform each gesture

deliberately and with full and deliberately and with full and bold expression.bold expression.

Ritual GesturesRitual Gestures Performing these Performing these

gestures with gestures with care and care and attention is attention is important. If you important. If you are praying on are praying on behalf of the behalf of the community join community join your hands. your hands. Carry books Carry books reverently.reverently.

Fourth Fourth PrinciplePrinciple

The Role of SilenceThe Role of Silence Silence is a Silence is a

necessary necessary ingredient to ingredient to celebrating celebrating with reverence. with reverence.

Silence is not Silence is not optional; it optional; it must be taken must be taken seriouslyseriously

The Role of SilenceThe Role of Silence Not only does Not only does

observing silence observing silence at the places at the places called for prevent called for prevent us from rushing us from rushing the liturgy; but it the liturgy; but it also allows the also allows the words or actions words or actions to reach more to reach more deeply into our deeply into our minds and minds and hearts.hearts.

Fifth PrincipleFifth Principle

The Whole Body at The Whole Body at WorshipWorship

Use your whole Use your whole body to give body to give the message the message that what you that what you are doing is are doing is important. important.

The whole Body at The whole Body at WorshipWorship

Eye contact is essential; after all it is Eye contact is essential; after all it is the community’s prayer and not your the community’s prayer and not your own, and looking at those assembled own, and looking at those assembled

is both respectful and hospitable.is both respectful and hospitable.

The Whole Body at The Whole Body at WorshipWorship

Very ordinary human body language Very ordinary human body language can convey your reverence for the can convey your reverence for the

presence of Christ in this community presence of Christ in this community and your reverence for the prayer of and your reverence for the prayer of

this community.this community.

Sixth PrincipleSixth Principle

Necessary FormalityNecessary Formality

Being hospitable does not mean Being hospitable does not mean being familiar and casual. Because being familiar and casual. Because

liturgy is ritual action, there is a liturgy is ritual action, there is a certain level of formality needed to certain level of formality needed to give it dignity, but that dignity does give it dignity, but that dignity does

not mean that the priest is aloof, not mean that the priest is aloof, cold, unfeeling.cold, unfeeling.

Necessary FormalityNecessary Formality Warmth and Warmth and

sincerity can be sincerity can be appropriately appropriately conveyed through conveyed through one’s manner, one’s manner, facial expression facial expression and tone of voice and tone of voice than through a than through a chatty flow of chatty flow of words.words.

Necessary FormalityNecessary Formality

Liturgy is Liturgy is intended to intended to celebrate the celebrate the good news of good news of God’s gifts, God’s gifts, creation and creation and redemption, and redemption, and is, therefore, a is, therefore, a joyous occasion.joyous occasion.

Necessary FormalityNecessary Formality But the liturgy But the liturgy

is not is not entertainment, entertainment, and the leader’s and the leader’s role is not that role is not that of an of an entertainer. A entertainer. A talk-show- host talk-show- host kind of style is kind of style is not appropriate.not appropriate.

In SummaryIn Summary

SummarySummary Observing liturgical principles Observing liturgical principles

will help liturgical leaders lead will help liturgical leaders lead the community in prayerful the community in prayerful

worshipworship

SummarySummary A sense of reverence can more easily A sense of reverence can more easily

be projected by an unhurried and be projected by an unhurried and deliberate manner and observing deliberate manner and observing

appropriate times of silence.appropriate times of silence.

SummarySummary To celebrate the liturgy, you will To celebrate the liturgy, you will

need to balance warmth and need to balance warmth and hospitality with dignity and hospitality with dignity and

formalityformality