A Liturgical Reading Program
from a theological perspective
Pontifical North American College
Rev. Kurt Belsole, OSB
2016
This liturgical reading program aims to assist the seminarian in an acquisition of a basic theological knowledge of the sacred liturgy as presumed and presented in Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council. In an historical-critical sense, one could certainly say that Sacrosanctum Concilium grows out of the great theological liturgical movement that precedes it and is best read in the philological, social, theological, and ecclesiological contexts in which it is written—rather than simply in light of what has come after it. A necessary and fundamental understanding is also that liturgy does not consist of ceremonies in the sanctuary. Ceremonies are part of the sacred liturgy, but liturgy is a theological action, an action of the Mystical Body of Christ, and living and acting within that mystery.
To understand the theological vision of the liturgy in Vatican II and subsequent liturgical teaching based on it, it is helpful to read the texts in the following order. The most important/essential texts are given in bold. A more thorough understanding can be had by reading the other texts as well.
Finally, this bibliography also has a section that deals precisely with the sacred liturgy and priestly formation (V. The Sacred Liturgy and Priestly Formation).
I. The Twentieth Century Liturgical Movement before Vatican II
Pius X. Tra le sollecitudini. This was published in 1903 at the beginning of the pontificate of Pope St. Pius X who was already an ardent promoter of the sacred liturgy. It is especially helpful for an understanding of the beginning of the expression participatio actuosa/active participation.
Beauduin, Lambert. Liturgy the Life of the Church. Translated by Virgil Michel. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1929 (3rd edition, Saint Michael’s Abbey Press, Saint Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough, Hampshire, 2002). This remarkable work has lost little of its applicability after almost a century. It makes practical applications regarding liturgy and asceticism, liturgy and prayer, liturgy and preaching, and liturgy and the science of theology.
Guardini, Romano. The Spirit of the Liturgy. Translated by Ada Lane. New York: Benzinger Brothers, 1931. This short work deals with the liturgy and prayer, fellowship, style, and symbolism, as well as the playfulness and seriousness of the liturgy. It also has a chapter of the primacy of Logos over the Ethos. It contributed significantly to the initial liturgical thought of Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger) who wrote a book with the same title.
Pius XII. Mystici Corporis Christi (June 29, 1943). Although it is not a liturgical text, this encyclical develops an ecclesiology that is particularly appropriate for what was at the time a developing liturgical understanding of the activity of the Church.
Casel, Odo. The Mystery of Christian Worship and Other Writings. Edited by Burkhard Neunheuser. Translator not named. London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1962. The preface to the English edition by Charles Davis as well as the preface by the editor and the first half of this book, pp. 1-93 are a cohesive presentation by Casel of: the mystery and modern man; the mystery of worship in the Christian cosmos; the ancient world and Christian mysteries; the Church’s sacred year; and the Church’s sacred day. The first half of this book is essential reading and provides a theological framework for an understanding of Christian worship as understood by the Second Vatican Council.
The present edition that is in print from Herder and Herder is entitled The Mystery of Christian Worship and omits the “other writings.” It contains the first half of this book and an introduction by Aidan Kavanagh that puts the work in perspective and is essential reading for anyone not familiar with the theological liturgical movement before Vatican II. It is important to read Kavanagh’s introduction in order to understand Casel’s section.
Pius XII. Mediator Dei (November 20, 1947). This serves as the liturgical encyclical of Pius XII. Some of the topics that it deals with are: interior worship in the liturgy, objective piety, and interior devotion.
Davis, Charles. Liturgy and Doctrine: The Doctrinal Basis of the Liturgical Movement. New York: Sheed and Ward, 1960. This short work is an excellent summary of how the sacred liturgy and the doctrine of the Church are interrelated.
Davis, Charles. “Odo Casel and the Theology of Mysteries.” Worship 34 (1960) 428-438. This short article provides a good summary of Odo Casel’s teaching on the theology of the Christian mysteries.
Howell, Clifford. Of Sacraments and Sacrifice. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press. 1952. This is a very accessible and comprehensive condensation of the theology of the liturgy and the action of the Mystical Body of Christ.
Bouyer, Louis. Introduction to the Spiritual Life. Translated by Mary Perkins Ryan. Notre Dame, IN: Christian Classics, Ave Maria Press, 2013. This book was originally published under the title Introduction to Spirituality by Desclée, New York. It was reprinted as part of the Christian Classics series by Ave Maria Press in 2013. Louis Bouyer in many ways anticipated Vatican II. Pope Paul VI appointed him as a member of the International Theological Commission in 1969. Bouyer along with Joseph Ratzinger, Henri de Lubac, and Hans Urs von Balthasar and others founded the international journal Communio. The 2013 edition of this work contains a short foreword by David Fagerberg and a longer introduction by Michael Heintz. Central to Bouyer’s theology is the Pauline concept of “mystery” or mysterion. As Fagerberg writes, Bouyer did not care about being progressive or conservative. He wished to be traditional. In the words of Heintz, Bouyer agrees with Pope Pius XI that the principal instrument of the ordinary magisterium is the liturgy.
II. Vatican Council II
Vatican Council II. “Sacrosanctum Concilium: The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy” §§1-14.19.21-39.41-43.47-62.83-87.102-111.112-113.122. The theological sections of the document are given here. They provide the theological foundation of the liturgical reform of the Council.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html
Bouyer, Louis. The Liturgy Revived: A Doctrinal Commentary of the Conciliar Constitution on the Liturgy. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1964. This short work deals principally with the paschal mystery, the mystery of Christian worship, the mystery of the Church, the situation of the liturgy in the life of the Church, and the life in Christ as an objective gift.
III. Official Documents on the Sacred Liturgy Which Flow from Sacrosanctum Concilium
Congregation for Divine Worship. General Instruction on the Liturgy of the Hours (February 2, 1971). Translation and commentary by William A. Jurgens (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1975). The translation by Jurgens contains both the Latin and English texts of the General Instruction as well as the apostolic constitution Laudis Canticum (November 1, 1970) by Pope Paul VI which promulgated the divine office after Vatican II. The commentary is very practical and pastoral. The principal theological section of the General Instruction is §§1-20.
Congregation for Sacraments and Divine Worship. General Introduction to the Lectionary (Second Edition) (January 21, 1981). This document deals with the elements of the Liturgy of the Word, offices and ministers, and the general arrangement of readings for Mass.
Catechism of the Catholic Church. (1993) Part Two: The Celebration of the Christian Mystery 1066-1690. This is a rich summary of the teaching of the Church in regard to the sacred liturgy in general, the seven sacraments, sacramentals, and Christian funerals.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Directory on Popular piety and the Liturgy: Principles and Guidelines. (December 2001). This directory provides the official understanding of the Holy See in regard to the relationship between the sacred liturgy and devotions. The document stresses the primacy of the liturgy over devotions not only in the lives of the faithful, but also in the formation of priests. Beyond the extensive introduction, the directory contains sections on liturgy and popular piety in the Church’s Magisterium, theological principles for an evaluation and renewal of popular piety, and a list and explanation of various devotions throughout the liturgical year.
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20020513_vers-direttorio_en.html
John Paul II. Ecclesia de Eucharistia. (April 17, 2003). This encyclical deals with the mystery of faith, how the eucharist builds the Church, the apostolicity of the eucharist and the Church, the eucharist and ecclesial communion, the dignity of the eucharistic celebration, and the Blessed Virgin Mary and the eucharist.
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/special_features/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_20030417_ecclesia_eucharistia_en.html
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. General Instruction of the Roman Missal, Including Adaptations for the Dioceses of the United States of America (March 17, 2003). The principal theological sections are contained in the preamble and Chapter I: The importance and dignity of the eucharistic celebration §§1-26.
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20030317_ordinamento-messale_en.html
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Redemptionis Sacramentum: On certain matters to be observed or to be avoided regarding the Most Holy Eucharist (March 25, 2004). Redemptionis Sacramentum was issued during Francis Cardinal Arinze’s tenure as prefect of the Congregation. Although this is not a theological document as such, §§1-13, which serve as a preamble, provide a background for the practical instructions that follow.
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html
Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger). Sacramentum Caritatis: Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation (February 22, 2007). This post-synodal apostolic exhortation provides fundamental teachings and perspectives on topics regarding the eucharist, e.g., ars celebrandi, the structure of the eucharistic celebration, actuosa participatio, and interior participation.
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20070222_sacramentum-caritatis.html
Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger). Verbum Domini: Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation (September 30, 2010). This post-synodal apostolic exhortation deals with the liturgy as the privileged setting for the word of God in §§52-71. http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20100930_verbum-domini.html
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Homiletic Directory. Vatican City State: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2015. Part I of this document in §§4-36 deal with the homily as a liturgical act and its place in the celebration of the Christian mysteries.
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20140629_direttorio-omiletico_en.html
IV. The Sacred Liturgy in the Writings of Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI)
(Joseph Ratzinger served as the theological expert or peritus for Cardinal Frings of Cologne, Germany at the Second Vatican Council.)
Ratzinger, Joseph (Pope Benedict XVI). Feast of Faith: Approaches to a Theology of Liturgy. Translated by Graham Harrison. San Francisco: Ignatius, 1986. This is an excellent place to begin to understand Pope Benedict XVI’s liturgical theology and liturgical theology in general. Here he considers both basic considerations of a theology of liturgy as well as practical applications.
Ratzinger, Joseph (Pope Benedict XVI). A New Song for the Lord. Translated by Martha Matesich. New York: Crossroad, 1996. This book is a selection of lectures on liturgical topics that Ratzinger gave at various places on specific occasions. It deals with Jesus Christ the center of faith and foundation of Christian hope, worship in accord with the Logos (Romans 12:1), and liturgy and Christology. A helpful section for priesthood candidates is essay ten: “Preparation for Priestly Ministry.”
Ratzinger, Joseph (Pope Benedict XVI). The Spirit of the Liturgy. Translated by John Saward. San Francisco: Ignatius, 2000. This book deals with the essence of the liturgy, time and space in the liturgy, art and liturgy, and liturgical form. With this text, Ratzinger wishes to assist in the renewal of the understanding of the liturgy.
V. The Sacred Liturgy and Priestly Formation
Oster, Henri. The Paschal Mystery in Parish Life. New York: Herder, 1967.
Congregation for Catholic Education. Instruction on Liturgical Formation in Seminaries. June 3, 1979.
Belsole, Kurt. “The Formation of Priests in ‘The Spirit and Power of the Liturgy’ (Sacrosanctum Concilium 14)—Observations on the Implementation of the Constitution and Proposals for the Liturgical Formation of Priests in the Twenty-First Century” in Liturgy in the Twenty-First Century: Contemporary Issues and Perspectives. Edited by Alcuin Reid. London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2016. This article is a text of the author’s contribution to the Sacra Liturgia USA 2015 conference. Most of the article deals with fourteen proposals for the liturgical formation of priests in the twenty-first century. In these proposals, the author deals with the theological liturgical movement before Vatican II as well as the later writings of Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger), beauty in the liturgy, and the third edition of the Roman Missal.
VI. Other Topical Reading
Philosophical Understanding of Festivity
Pieper, Josef. In Tune with the World: A Theory of Festivity. Translated by Richard and Clara Winston. South Bend, IN: St. Augustine’s Press, 1999. This text was first published by Kosel-Verlag in 1963 under the title of Zustimmung zur Welt: Eine Theorie des Festes. Although it is a philosophical rather than a theological work, without a basic philosophical understanding of festivity, one cannot appreciate liturgical feasts.
The Liturgical Year
Adam, Adolf. The Liturgical Year: Its History and Its Meaning after the Reform of the Liturgy. Translated by Matthew J. O’Connell. New York: Pueblo, 1981. This one volume work covers cosmic time, the Jewish festal calendar, the paschal mystery as the heart of the liturgical year, the temporal cycle, the sanctoral cycle, and the liturgical year in the liturgy of the hours.
The History of the Liturgical Movement in the United States of America
Pecklers, Keith. The Unread Vision: The Liturgical Movement in the United States of America 1926-1955. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1998. The author makes his doctoral dissertation available here in book form and provides a thorough presentation of the liturgical movement in the United States between 1926 and 1955. A particular relationship is noted between the liturgical movement and Catholic social action.
The Transition from before Vatican II to after Vatican II
Botte, Bernard. From Silence to Participation. Translated by John Sullivan. Washington, D.C.: The Pastoral Press, 1988. This book provides a helpful understanding of the transition that was made from the earliest days of the 20th century to the reforms of Vatican Council II.
Music in the Liturgy
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship. Pastoral Liturgy Series #4. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2007. This is the most recent document from the USCCB on music in the sacred liturgy.
Source: Rev. Kurt Belsole, OSB, Saint Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, PA
www.liftupyourhearts.church