Spring Liturgy Gathering
This year’s Spring Liturgy gathering will take place on Saturday 1 February 2014 in Clonliffe College. The format will be as usual with registration from 9.00-9.30 a.m. followed by the workshops. Six workshops are offered which will allow each participant to attend two workshops of their choice. Booking with pre-selection of workshops really helps the smooth flow of the day. Booking forms enclosed or available for download on our website.
1. Taking Care of Yourself
Those engaged in Liturgical Ministry often find themselves stressed and sometimes unable to benefit fully from the prayer which they have helped prepare or in which they have a role to play. The ancient practice of meditation and mindfulness offers a way each day to stand back from the business of our lives and to open ourselves to the Spirit within. Fionnuala Gill is a harpist and singer who leads sessions and workshops on mindfulness. She will give an experience of this way of taking care of ourselves with a blend of music, reflection and meditation.
2. Conducting Yourself in Holy Week
Roisín Blunnie will offer repertoire suggestions for Holy Week and will work on some of these during the workshop. As this is the most important week in the liturgical year it is good to plan early and make choices that suit the musical resources of the parish community. She will also give conducting tips for choir and music group leaders to help get the best out of their members.
3. Celebrating the Scrutinies
Damian McNeice, the Diocesan Co-ordinator of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, will show how the Scrutinies, which are an integral part of this process, can be celebrated in an interesting and thoughtful way in the Sunday Lenten liturgies. He will also give practical suggestions for the celebration of the Easter Vigil when there is a candidate for initiation.
4. Walking the Road of Reconciliation
Pat O’Donoghue will outline a programme for Lent that will culminate in a parish celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Beginning on Ash Wednesday people will be invited to ‘walk the road of reconciliation’ through the first five weeks of Lent. This journey will be marked by six short prayer, reflection and activity ideas drawn from the scriptures of Lent. The workshop will give the necessary resources including a draft Service of Reconciliation.
5. Keeping Up To Date
Ian Callanan will introduce the music of Emmanuel 2014, our Diocesan Programme of Liturgical Music for second level schools. This year’s content offers a variety of music from contemporary songs such as Lead Us To The Water (Tom Kendzia/Gary Daigle) to Vidi Aquam (Plainchant) also including music by Irish Composers featuring Lúireach Phádraig by Sr. Marie Dunne CHF and In God I Live, a new composition by Fr. Liam Lawton. Apart from offering music ideas for liturgies in second level schools the Emmanuel programme can be incorporated into parish celebrations.
6. Working for Justice
Kate McQuillan and her team will open up this year’s Trócaire Lenten Liturgy Resource Pack with its emphasis on the protection of the limited resource of water particularly in developing countries. Trócaire will partner with Emmanuel 2014 again this year and some of the music choices in that programme reflect the importance of water for life and its significance in the sacramental celebration of Baptism and the Eucharist.
Look Out For….
Each Sunday liturgy stands on its own with its scripture and texts. However special events and celebrations as those mentioned below can be reflected in the music, prayers, reflections and the sacred space on the relevant Sunday. Look out for these celebrations and plan in advance to show that the agencies of the Church are working together.
Christian UnityWeek 2014
The annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will take place from 17-25 January 2014. This year’s theme – Is Christ Divided ?/ An Amhlaidh Atá Críost Roinnte ina Choda? -was proposed and prepared by the churches of French Canada based on 1 Corinthians 1:1-17. This year’s inaugural service is being hosted by St. Fintan’s Parish, Sutton on Sunday 19 January at 8.00 p.m. Each parish is encouraged to mark this week in their own way. Though We Are Many by Bernard Sexton would be a very useful song to highlight the theme and the Taizé Chant – There Is One Lord would also be very fitting. Resource material is available at www.ctbi.org.uk/weekofprayer
Catholic SchoolsWeek 2014
Catholic Schools Week (CSW) will be celebrated between Sunday 26 January and 2 February 2014. The theme for CSW2014 is ‘Catholic Schools – Centres of Faith and Learning’. Resources are now available to download at www.education.dublindiocese.ie
You might use music from Emmanuel 2014 such as We Are One Body (Rosemary Scallon) or You Are Mine (David Haas) during the Sunday liturgy. If there is a school in your parish participating in the Emmanuel programme you might invite the students to be part of the liturgical music group on that day so that all will see how school and local community can work together.
Day for Consecrated Life 2014
World Day for Consecrated Life will be celebrated on Sunday 2 February 2014 – the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. The religious of the parish might be invited to play a special part in the Sunday liturgy by way of participation in the procession of candles, the readings and the prayers. It gives an opportunity at a local level to show appreciation for the gift of those who have consecrated their lives to the service of the Gospel. The procession of light could be accompanied by the song Christ be Our Light (Bernadette Farrell). Columba McCann OSB of Glenstal Abbey arranged this piece for the Episcopal Ordination of Bishop Denis Nulty with a harmonized verse 3 and a Prelude for Trumpet and Organ. The Dublin celebration will take place in the Chapel of Terenure College on Monday 3 February at 7.30 p.m.
World Day of the Sick 2014
The Dublin celebration for World Day of the Sick will be led by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin with the Eucharist and the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick in the Church of St. Thérèse,Mount Merrion on Sunday 9 February at 3.00 p.m. The Sunday liturgy might include some of the music repertoire from Lourdes since the World Day of the Sick is celebrated on 11 February – the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Sing the Mass includes the updated version of the Lourdes Mass incorporating the new translation.
Rite of Election 2014
The Rite of Election (for Catechumens) and the Call to Continuing Conversion (for candidates already baptised who wish to be received into the full communion of the Catholic Church) takes place as usual on the First Sunday of Lent, 9 March – at 3.30 p.m. in St Mary’s Pro Cathedral. If your parish has someone who you deem to be ready for Christian Initiation or Reception at this year’s Easter Vigil and have not yet submitted completed registration forms to the Diocesan Liturgy Resource Centre, please do so immediately. The registration forms can be printed off from the Downloads section off www.litmus.dublindiocese.ie. Otherwise, contact us at the Liturgy Resource Centre and we will post them out to you. Each parish could mark this significant occasion by including an initiation song in the liturgy. Ian Callanan’s You Have Been Baptised (Emmanuel 2014) would be very suitable and the refrain is also written as a sung setting of the Lamb of God.
Training of Church Musicians
For many years the training of organists in our diocese has been supported by a scholarship scheme in cooperation with DIT Conservatory of Music. Last year this was enhanced by the provision of organ tuition on a one to one basis at Clonliffe College for a small group of musicians. The National Liturgy Centre through the Department of Music at Maynooth also participate in a very well established Diploma in Church Music.We propose to pilot some occasional sessions on preparing music for liturgy, creatively using resources, animating groups etc. for those who may not want to commit to a full formal course. The first session focusing on Lent and Holy Week will be on Wednesday 12 February 2014 from 8.00-9.30 p.m. in Clonliffe College. Booking is essential and a form is enclosed with newsletter or available on download. A contribution of €5 per person is invited.
Emmanuel 2014
This year’s Emmanuel Concerts at the Helix will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 4, 5 and 6 March (note early starting time of 7.30 p.m.) Over 2,000 second level students (approx 700 per night) from 63 schools ranging from Arklow to Balbriggan and Clondalkin to Dalkey around the Diocese will sing their hearts out in the Helix in front of an orchestra. Tickets this year are only €10 so please give them your support by your presence. Book now at www.helix.ie or 01 700 7000 – the energy is infectious.
Musical Audit
Throughout 2014 music leaders from each parish will be invited to take part in a process of renewal and reflection on the liturgical music needs and hopes they have for their communities. This will be done deanery by deanery and will look at ways of sharing resources, creating a music plan on a seasonal basis and supporting each other in this important ministry. Each parish will be contacted to make the necessary arrangements.
Walking the Road of Reconciliation Evening
The Monastery of St. Alphonsus will host an evening of music, prayer and reflection on the call to reconciliation during the season of Lent on Monday 3 March at 8.00 p.m. This event will include an invitation to ‘walk the road of reconciliation’ in a concise programme of prayer, reflection and activity ideas for the first five weeks of Lent. This programme will also be outlined in a workshop at the Spring Seminar Day. Music will be led by the Dublin Diocesan Music Group.
Liturgy Groups
How is your Liturgy Group working? Do you want to set up one? Join us in an evening of review, planning and ideas on this topic. Wednesday 26 March 7.45-9.45 p.m. in Clonliffe College. Booking is essential and form is enclosed. A contribution of €5 per person is invited.
Funeral Ministry
Another developing aspect of Funeral Ministry is the role of Lay People in leading prayer in the home, hospital, funeral home or cemetery. Our next session for those engaged in Funeral Ministry will include exploration of this role and helpful guidance on preparing and leading prayer. This will take place on Wednesday 2 April 7.45-9.45 p.m. in Clonliffe College. Booking is essential and form is enclosed.Acontribution of €5 per person is invited.
Pope Francis and the Liturgy of the Word
Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (November 2013) touches upon different aspects of the liturgy including the Word. This has implications for Ministers of the Word and for all the assembly as he reminds us of the liturgical context of the Word of God as stated in Dies Domini (John Paul II).
It is worthy remembering that “the liturgical proclamation of the word of God, especially in the eucharistic assembly, is not so much a time for meditation and catechesis as a dialogue between God and his people, a dialogue in which the great deeds of salvation are proclaimed and the demands of the covenant are continually restated”. Pope Francis also addresses remarks about the importance and nature of the homily: ‘A preacher may be able to hold the attention of his listeners for a whole hour, but in this case his words become more important than the celebration of faith. If the homily goes on too long, it will affect two characteristic elements of the liturgical celebration: its balance and its rhythm.’ Responding to these words an evening of input and reflection on the Proclamation of the Word, the Preaching of the Word and the writing of Intercessions is offered in Clonliffe College on Thursday 13 February from 7.45 – 9.45 p.m. Contributors will be Sandra Cullen, Joe Mullan and Pat O’Donoghue. Booking is essential and form is enclosed. A contribution of €5 per person is invited.
Evening for Ministers of the Eucharist
Following our successful evening of prayer and practical input for Ministers of the Eucharist last May a similar session will take place on Thursday 20 March in Clonliffe College 7.45 – 9.45 p.m. The focus will be on bringing communion to those who are sick and housebound with practical suggestions and prayerful reflections on this important ministry. Booking is essential and form is enclosed. A contribution of €5 per person is invited.
A Final Thought from Pope Francis
‘In some peoplewe see an ostentatious preoccupation for the liturgy, for doctrine and for the Church’s prestige, but without any concern that the Gospel have a real impact on God’s faithful people and the concrete needs of the present time. In this way, the life of the Church turns into a museum piece or something which is the property of a select few.’ (Evangelii Gaudium)