Parish Liturgies

“... liturgy is not the only function of a parish. It is the principal function, but even to operate as well as it should, it must be joined with relevant and effective ministries.”

Perhaps, the most popular and successful of the reforms initiated in the Roman Catholic Church by Vatican Council II was the reform of the Mass. This is a reform that is experienced on the parish level by most Catholics, regularly and,  increasingly, willingly.

Catholics experience the Mass, their regular form of worship, on several levels. They experience it through participation in its actions and words  --  directly now and not simply by the actions and words of the priest-celebrant,. They now experience the full Mass in both its essential parts – the Service of the Word and the Eucharistic Service. And, they do so with the help of Music.

Practically all parishes work hard to help people experience the Mass on all three levels. Not all are successful in these efforts. The fact that some do is encouraging, a sure Sign of Hope in today’s Church.

St. Edward’s Parish in Dana Point, CA., is one of the parishes that is successful in these efforts. It is a large community as are most of the parishes in this geographically limited but populous diocese. Moreover , it is an upscale beach community in one of the most affluent sections of the nation, and, it, consequently, commands enormously rich resources in terms of talent and money.  As a result, the erroneous impression can readily form in people’s minds that it is easy for such a parish, but not for most parishes. It is not easy, and was not easy, for St. Edward’s parish. Most similar communities in the area cannot claim, even remotely, to have produced liturgies of like caliber.

Why is St. Edward’s parish so successful in this area, when similar parishes are not? This writer believes it is a combination of a pastor who can think outside of the box, in other words, be creative, and a lay minister of music who is ‘on fire’ with his opportunities. The pastor’s role is, perhaps, the more indirect role, while the minister of music’s role is the more direct one.

The pastor here does understand the vital role of the Sunday liturgy in the life of the people, as a pastor must. It is he who must lead the congregation, must proclaim ‘the saving message,’ and must assemble the vital components for good liturgy. It is the role of the director of music to direct the lectors and musicians and cantors and choirs, as well as the congregation, in such a manner as to make the liturgies ‘come alive.’

This combination is not the only one possible for the creation of good liturgy in a parish, but it the only one presently available in many parishes. The principal reason why we do not have better liturgies in our parishes today is the lack of pastors with these qualities and the lack of ministers of music who are professionally competent and afforded the necessary opportunities. Again, it is the combination of such pastors and such ministers of music that offers the possibility for good liturgy in a parish.

Of course, liturgy is not the only function of a parish. It is the principal function, but even to operate as well as it should, it must be joined with relevant and effective ministries. For example, in St Edward Parish the production of today’s liturgies was made possible by a vibrant youth ministry, anchored by an excellent elementary school. The youth ministry was first rate in previous years thanks to a youth minister who performed exceptionally well. After some years of disintegration this ministry is now in the process of rebuilding. Meanwhile, the parish school has been awarded ‘blue ribbon’ status nationally, the only Catholic elementary school in the area to be so honored.

Other parish ministries are supported and enlightened by the parish’s liturgical celebrations. These include bereavement and social action ministries, among others. Further, they are coupled with a number of inter-parish and diocesan ministries in which members of the St. Edward Parish community participate.

There are serious obstacles that stand in the way of a parish developing superior liturgies. While the essential ingredients for good liturgy are now available to all within the Catholic Church efforts in this direction demand priests that are effective shepherds and leaders and lay ministers that are highly competent and sufficiently motivated. Unfortunately, these two classes of people are in short supply at the present time. When they are in place, however, very good things can happen. The problem is rather easily diagnosed, and the solution is quickly obvious.