LITURGY AND POPULAR PIETYIN A HISTORICAL

PERSPECTIVECONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP

AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENTSDIRECTORY

ON POPULAR PIETY AND THE LITURGYPRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES

Vatican CityDecember 2001

LITURGY AND POPULAR PIETY THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES 

The relationship between Liturgy and popular piety is ancient

Christian antiquity:

Christ Alone—and the ritual actions which He commanded in His memory

Yet, the signs of personal piety are already to be found among the first generation of Christians.

Inspired by the Jewish tradition, they recommended following the example of incessant prayer of Jesus and St. Paul (cf. Luke 18,1; Rm 12,12; 1 Thes 5,17),

Of beginning and ending all things with an act of thanksgiving (cf. 1 Cor 10,31; 1 Thes 2,13; Col 3,17).

It must be recalled that it was a common usage of the faithful to use biblical phrases such as :

"Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me"

"Lord if you wish, you can heal me"

"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom"

"My Lord and my God"

"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit"

Innumerable prayers to Christ have been developed by the faithful of every generation on the basis this piety.

The cult of martyrs, which was of great importance for the local Churches, preserves traces of popular usages connected with the memory of the dead

Some of the earliest forms of veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary also reflect popular piety

the fourth century--the question of the relationship between liturgy and popular piety begins to be raised consciously in terms of adaptation and inculturation (rather than solely in terms of spontaneous convergence).

In the fourth and fifth centuries, a greater sense of the sacredness of times and places begins to emerge.

Many of the local Churches, in addition to their recollection of the New Testament data concerning the Easter festival and fasting (cf. Mark 2,18-22), began to reserve particular days for the celebration of Christ's salvific mysteries

(Epiphany, Christmas and Ascension),

or to honor the memory of the martyrs, Pastors, or to make a solemn undertaking in life

The Church grew more metropolitan

Pope St. Gregory VII (590-604), an exemplary reference for fruitful relationship between the Liturgy and popular piety.

The Stations of the Cross and Rogations

Liturgical reform with regard for cultural traditions

THE MIDDLE AGES: IN THE EAST-ICONS IN THE WEST-POLITICAL AND CIVIL NEW CULTURES

A decisive differentiation between Liturgy and popular piety began to emerge (handout)

dualism, however, prevailed between Liturgy and popular piety.

In popular piety, because of the lack of adequate catechesis, deviations and exaggerations threatened the correct expressions of Christian worship.

THE MODERN PERIOD: (LATE 15TH CENTURY)

Promoted the development of meditative and affective pious exercises based principally on the humanity of Christ –

Liturgy no longer appeared as the primary source of the Christian life in the eyes of men and women advanced in the spiritual life

The De Imitatione Christi is regarded as a tyical expression of the devotio moderna.

Evangelizing Missionaries –Preaching the Word and celebrating the Sacraments

The fifth Lateran Council (6 March 1517): provisions for the instruction of youth in the Liturgy

The Council of Trent (1545-1563), convoked to resolve the situation facing the People of God as a result of the spread of Protestantism, addressed questions relating to the Liturgy and popular piety from the doctrinal and cultic perspective (mostly doctrinal)

the Liturgy entered a static period of substantial uniformity while popular piety entered a period of extraordinary development. (prayer manuals/books)

THE CONTEMPORARY TIME

The Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium of the Second Vatican Council finally defined, in proper terms, the relationship obtaining between the Liturgy and popular piety, by declaring the unquestionable primacy of the Sacred Liturgy and the subordination to it of pious exercises, while emphasizing their validity

1) a weakened awareness or indeed a diminished sense of the Paschal mystery, and of its centrality for the history of salvation, of which the Liturgy is an actualization. Such inevitably occurs when the piety of the faithful, unconscious of the "hierarchy of truths", imperceptibly turns towards other salvific mysteries in the life of Christ, of the Blessed Virgin Mary or indeed of the Angels and Saints;

2) weakening of a senses of the universal priesthood in virtue of which the faithful offer "spiritual sacrifices pleasing to God, through Jesus Christ" (1 Pt 2,5; Rm 12,1), and, according to their condition, participate fully in the Church's worship. This is often accompanied by the phenomenon of a Liturgy dominated by clerics who also perform the functions not reserved to them and which, in turn, causes the faithful to have recourse to pious exercises through which they feel a sense of becoming active participants;

3) lack of knowledge of the language proper to the Liturgy –

as well as its signs, symbols and symbolic gestures - causing the meaning of the celebration to escape the greater understanding of the faithful.

Such can engender a sense of being extraneous to the liturgical action, and hence are easily attracted to pious exercises whose language more easily approaches their own cultural formation, or because certain forms of devotions respond more obviously to daily life.

THE SACRED CONSTITUTION ON THE LITURGY

The question of the relationship between popular piety and the Liturgy not be posed in terms of contradiction, equality or, indeed, of substitution

The Church's understanding of her mystery, and her worshipping and saving actions, constantly affirms that it is through "the Liturgy..., especially in the divine sacrifice of the Eucharist, [that] 'the work of our redemption is accomplished'". This affirmation, however, does not deny the importance of other forms of piety.

Popular piety is also consciously aware of the person of the Holy Spirit in the mystery of God. It professes that "through the Holy Spirit" the Son of God "became incarnate of Virgin Mary and was made man"(95) and that the Spirit was poured out to the Apostles at the beginning of the Church (cf. Acts 2, 1-13).

the Holy Eucharist begins “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit"; and that all prayer in the Christian community, and the invocation of divine blessing on humankind and all creatures, is done in the name of the three Divine Persons.

PREPARING A PRAYER EXPERIENCE/SESSION/SERVICE

Focus of the Prayer

The task of those preparing and leading prayer is to transform the text for prayer into an experience of prayer

A Step-by-Step Guide The Setting The Sacred Space The Introduction and Focusing Music Readings(s) and/or Reflection(s) Quiet Time/Silence Movement/Gesture Shared Prayer/Reflections Intercessions Concluding Prayer

THE SETTING: THE ATMOSPHERE CREATED BY THE SETTING;LIGHTING, HEATING, CIRCLE OR SEMI-CIRCLE

The Sacred Space:Visual or focus for the group;A reminder that the presence of the Lord is with them;Candle, cloth, flowers, branches, icon, painting, season of the Church year

THE INTRODUCTION/FOCUSING

What happens at the beginning sets the tone for what is to follow!

Introduce the prayer (mentioning of the theme or giving an outline of the prayer)

Allow a few moments of quiet

+ Sign of the Cross/Scripture phrase: Leader: Give thanks to the Lord for He is good,All: His love is everlasting!

MUSIC/PSALM

Music on a CD to set the tone before beginning;

Someone prepared to lead the song

A Song or Refrain or Psalm

READING(S)/REFLECTION(S)

Scripture Reading (someone who will proclaim it/pray it)

Other Reading/Reflection(From a Saint/the Holy Father/Spiritual Writer…)

The readings and reflections are not to be hurried. They need to be slowly and carefully read.

QUIET TIME/SILENCE

A very necessary element within prayer.

Without silence we have a hard time hearing God speak to us.

The silence may feel longer or more tension-filled than it actually is.

As a prayer leader one should try to gwrow more and more comfortable with silence where it is appropriate.

MOVEMENT/GESTURE/RESPONSE Depending on the content and context of

the prayer the group may be invited to:

Light a candle, hold a symbol, share a sign of peace, stand, kneel…

After the silence there needs to be a clarity for the next part of the prayer

A simple response/refrain/indication/invitation…

SHARED PRAYER/REFLECTIONS No one should ever feel that they have to

share either a prayer or their own reflections;

Depending on the prayer, an invitation to share one’s thoughts or inspiration after some quiet time can deepen the prayer

INTERCESSIONS When provided, the intercessions

normally have a response for the group

Hear us O Lord; Father of Mercy hear our prayer;We ask in faith;

The prayer leader may lead the intercessions or a member of the group

Liturgical order for intercessions:

1) The Holy Father/Church leaders

2) Government leaders

3) The poor and needy/the sick

4) Specific local intentions

5) Reason for the prayer time

6) Spontaneous intentions

The Our Father

CONCLUDING PRAYER/BLESSING/SONG The Concluding Prayer may be

prayed by the leader or invite all to pray it together.

Close with the Sign of the Cross +

and then have a closing song (if so desired)

CHECKLIST Arrive early to allow plenty of time to set up

Attend to the setting, making sure that the lighting, heating, seating arrangement will enhance rather than impede group prayer,

Create the sacred space

If using taped music, have the music set and check that the machine works;

Delegate the tasks within the prayer to other members of the group

Distribute the prayer guides to the group and introduce the prayer

Once the prayer begins, trust, let go, and let the Spirit work!