MGO::Liturgy

The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy
Solemnly Promulgated by His Holiness, Pope Paul VI
December 4, 1963

Here, you will find the landmark “Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,” of the Second Vatican Council in the early 1960’s. Musicians, artists, priests, and lay faithful are always encouraged to return to this historical document. I have provided a Glossary of Terms to assist readers who may be unfamiliar with church lingo.

INDEX

INTRODUCTION

1. This sacred Council has several aims in view: it desires to impart an ever increasing vigor to the Christian life of the faithful; to adapt more suitably to the needs of our own times those institutions which are subject to change; to foster whatever can promote union among all who believe in Christ; to strengthen whatever can help to call the whole of mankind into the household of the Church. The Council therefore sees particularly cogent reasons for undertaking the reform and promotion of the liturgy.

2. For the liturgy, "through which the work of our redemption is accomplished, “ (1) most of all in the divine sacrifice of the eucharist, is the outstanding means whereby the faithful may express in their lives, and manifest to others, the mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church. It is of the essence of the Church that she be both human and divine, visible and yet invisibly equipped, eager to act and yet intent on contemplation, present in this world and yet not at home in it; and she is all these things in such wise that in her the human is directed and subordinated to the divine, the visible likewise to the invisible, action to contemplation, and this present world to that city yet to come, which we seek.( 2 )While the liturgy daily builds up those who are within into a holy temple of the Lord, into a dwelling place for God in the Spirit,( 3 ) to the mature measure of the fullness of Christ ( 4 ), at the same time it marvelously strengthens their power to preach Christ, and thus shows forth the Church to those who are outside as a sign lifted up among the nations ( 5) under which the scattered children of God may be gathered together ( 6), until there is one sheepfold and one shepherd ( 7 ).

3. Wherefore the sacred Council judges that the following principles concerning the promotion and reform of the liturgy should be called to mind, and that practical norms should be established.

Among these principles and norms there are some which can and should be applied both to the Roman rite and also to all the other rites. The practical norms which follow, however, should be taken as applying only to the Roman rite, except for those which, in the very nature of things, affect other rites as well.

4. Lastly, in faithful obedience to tradition, the sacred Council declares that holy Mother Church holds all lawfully acknowledged rites to be of equal right and dignity; that she wishes to preserve them in the future and to foster them in every way. The Council also desires that, where necessary, the rites be revised carefully in the light of sound tradition, and that they be given new vigor to meet the circumstances and needs of modern times.

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Glossary of Terms

Abbot - The elected head of a monastery of men called an Abbey. Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, California is one example. Visit their website

Anointing of the Sick - One of the Seven Sacraments celebrated in the Church to assist the sick or the dying in their spiritual and physical journey with the Lord.

Altar - The table on which the presiding priest consecrates the eucharist.

Apostolic See - (Holy See) The Vatican or papal court.

Baptism - A dying and rising with Christ through a ceremonial washing with water. For more on why it is necessary to be baptized, go here.

Baptistery - The font in which adults, children, or infants are baptized.

Bishop - The overseer and Pastor of a diocese. The Bishop of San Diego Robert Brom. He is considered the Ordinary. Auxiliary Bishops often assist the ordinary. The auxiliaries of San Diego are Bishop Salvatore Cordileone and Bishop Gilbert Chavez. All Roman Catholic bishops are successors of the Apostles by the laying on of hands.

Canonical - Legal matters within the Church. The Code of Canon Law contains all of the rules and laws of the Roman Catholic Church. Visit this great site on Canon Law.

Catechesis - The teaching (passing on) of our faith.

Catechumenate - Adults and/or children who are being catechized. Those who are preparing for their Sacraraments of Initiation - Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation.

Cathedral - The Bishop’s church or principle church of the diocese.

Christian Initiation - Through the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation, a child or adult is initiated in the Christian faith.Chrism Mass - The liturgical celebration on or before Holy Thursday. The Bishop and priests join in prayer over the sacred oils to be used in the year. The Holy Oils are for the Anointing of the Sick, the Rite of Catechumenate, and the Anointing at Baptisms, Confirmation, and Ordination.

Christ’s Faithful - Normally refers to the laity of the Church.

Clergy - Bishops, priests, and deacons in the Roman Catholic Church.

Clerics - One who is of an order (such as a priest) which is essentially distinct from that of the laity.

Concelebration - When at least two priests join in the celebration of Mass.

Confirmation - The rite by which youth or adults are admitted to full communion in the Church.

Consecration - The act of making a bishop through the laying on of hands.

Council of Trent - In the mid 1500’s this 19th ecumenical council of bishops worldwide was a response to the Protestant Reformation. Among the many items promoted in this council was the reform of ritual.

Council - In this sense, the Council refers to the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) in the 1960’s.

Deacon - A member of the clergy who promotes the ministerial/service mission of Christ’s Church. A transitional deacon is one who later becomes a priest. A permanent deacon is one who remains a deacon. Most permanent deacons are also married.

Devotions - popular pieties; such as, the praying of the rosary, the Divine Mercy prayer, etc.

Diocese - The jurisdiction of a bishop. The Diocese of San Diego, under the pastoral care of Bishop Robert Brom, includes San Diego and Imperial Counties. For more information and statistics on the San Diego Diocese, visit the Diocesan Website

Divine Office - The prayer of the Universal Church. It includes prayers from morning to night and is recited by priests and religious. Laity are highly encouraged to pray the Divine Office. Our parish has evening prayer every Wednesday night at 5:15 pm in the parish office chapel.

Doctors of the Church - There are thirty-three Doctors of the Church, of whom eight are Eastern and twenty-four Western. They are spiritual writers from the past who have continually inspired present day Catholics in their spiritual journeys. Just a few doctors are St. Cyril of Alexandria, Teresa of Avila, Catherine of Siena, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

Doctrine - A principle of belief which is formed by Sacred Scripture and Tradition.

Eastertide - The season of Easter - 50 days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost.

Eastern Rites - Rituals celebrated by Catholics in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. You may find the Byzantine, Chaldean, and Maronite rites celbrated here in San Diego.

Ecclesiastical - Refering to church (ecclesia) matters.

Episcopal - Belonging to the bishops. From the greek word episcopes - meaning overseerer.

Epistle - A letter sent to an individual or church in the early Church by Paul or other Apostle.

Eucharist - From the Greek eucharistia, meaning “thanksgiving“. Refers to the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass. Also refers to the entire celebration and sacrifice of the Mass which includes the prayers of the ministerial and lay priesthood.

Eucharistic Species - The Body and Blood of Christ under the ppaearnce of bread and wine.

Extreme Unction - Also known as Anointing of the Sick.

Feasts of Obligation - Days of Obligation, including Sundays, on which the faithful are required to attend Mass and should refrain from work.

Godparents - Sponsors of children or adults in the Catholic Faith. Godparents must be fully initiated in the Church through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. If they are married, there marriage must be in the Catholic Church.

Gospel - The inspired writing and proclamation of the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are the Gospels found in the New Testament of the Bible.

Gregorian Chant - tones or chant attributed to Pope Gregory I. Sometimes called plainsong.

Homily - A spiritual reflection or discourse offered by a priest or deacon at Mass. Sometimes called the sermon.

House of God - The church building which holds the worshipping Church community.

Lector - One who proclaims the Word of God from the Lectionary. The Lectionary is a book of Old and New Testament scriptures for weekday and Sunday Masses. A lector stands at the ambo (or lectern or pulpit).

Lent - Forty Days leading up to the Easter Season. A time of purification and renewal for Catholics and those seeking to become fully initiated in the Church at Easter.

Liturgy - Literally means “a public work.” For Christians, a public work of praise to God.

Liturgical Year - The Church year is divided into seasons, beginning with Advent, then Christmas, Ordinary Time, Lent, the Sacred Triduum, Easter (to Pentecost), and Ordinary Time again.

Lord's Day - Sunday

Lord’s Supper - The celebration of the once for all, never to be repeated sacrifice, of our Lord at all Masses.

Last Supper - Jesus with his disciples in the upper room on the night before he died. Holy Thursday is the Church’s particular remembrance of this event.

Laying on of Hands - A form of blessing handed down from the beginning of Christianity.

Lauds - A traditional word for “morning Prayer.”

Liturgical Color - Each Season and Feast day of the year has a particular color. Advent and Lent are purple. Christmas and Easter are white. Ordinary time is Green. Pentecost is Red. The feast days of martyrs are red, while the feasts of other saints may be white or red.

Mass - From the Latin - Ite, missa est - meaning “Go, the congregation is dismissed.” Refers to the celebration of the Eucharist.

Nuptial Mass - A wedding Mass.

Old Testament - The first of a collection of books in the Bible. Hebrew (and Greek Scriptures) that tell of the saving power of God over a chosen people.

Ordinaries - Bishops of dioceses. The ordinary bishop of San Diego is Robert Brom.

Ordination - Admission to a particular Christian ministry in the Church by the laying on of hands. Bishops, deacons, and priests are ordained in the Catholic Church.

Paschal Fast - The fasting from food on Good Friday.

Paschal Mystery - The redemptive death and glorious Resurrection of the Messiah as celebrated by the Church on Easter and at every Mass.

Penance - An external act or acts performed to show sorrow for sins committed. The Sacrament of Penance (better referred to as the Sacrament of Reconciliation) is the confession of sins, a firm purpose to amend one’s life, some act of penance, and absolution by the priest.

Pontiff - The pope.

Pontifical, Roman - A bishop’s book of prayers and blessings used at confirmations, ordinations, and other sacred events.

Pontificals - Insignia or certain vestments worn by bishops alone.

Prayer of the Faithful - The collective prayers of a congregation at Mass or other liturgical gatherings. The common response to each prayer is, “Lord, Hear our prayer.”

Presider - The main celebrant at Mass or other liturgy.

Presider's Chair - The chair for the priest or bishop during Mass or other liturgy.

Priests - A minister in the Church who celebrates Mass. Priestly people (minister and laity), actively participate in the sacrifice of the mass.

Psalms - 150 prayers and songs found in the Old Testament.

Psalter - The book of psalms

Relics - Articles of clothing, bones, etc., of a Saint or holy person in the Church. Veneration of relics (see the Acts of the Apostles, 19:12) promotes deeper faith and, in some cases, healing. A relic of Saint Rose of Lima is found in our parish church, next to the statue of St. Rose.

Religious - In this sense, “religious” refers to priests who take a vow of poverty, chastity, and obedience and who often live in community. There are religious priests, brothers, and sisters in the Catholic Church. Some religious communities are Franciscans, Jesuits, Benedictines, and Dominicans. There are many others.

Roman Missal - The Prayer book and guidelines for proper liturgical celebrations in the Roman Catholic Church.

Roman Rite - The Roman Rite is the manner of celebrating the Mass, administering Sacraments, reciting the Divine Office, and performing other church functions as used in the city and Diocese of Rome. It differs from the ritualistic practices of the Eastern churches in union with the Catholic Church.

Rubrics - The guidelines for celebrating Mass or other liturgy.

Sacrament - The traditional definition goes something like this: “Sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification.“ Christ Himself is the Sacrament through which all grace flows to His Body, the Church. The seven sacraments in the Church are Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Matrimony, Holy Orders, Anointing of the Sick.

Sacramentals - Often refers to the tangible signs, and spiritual tools, as aids in prayer. A rosary, holy water, etc.

Sanctification - To make holy, through Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture - The collection of Divinely inspired Hebrew and Greek writings found in the Bible (or Canon of Scripture).

Secular Priests - Priests ordained for a bishop to serve in a particular diocese. Usually called diocesan priests. The pastors of Saint Rose of Lima parish in San Diego have all been diocesan priests for the Diocese of San Diego.

Seminaries - A school for men studying for the priesthood. Up until recently, the Diocese of San Diego had a seminary for the formation of priests. Now, the seminary is called, St. Francis de Sales Center (located at the University of San Diego). The process for formation is different than the traditional seminary model, but the goal is the same; to assist men who are discerning their call to priesthood for the Diocese of San Diego. More information on St. Francis de Sales Center

Sermon - Often called a “homily” in the Catholic Church, it is the spiritual reflection or discourse offered by a priest or deacon at Mass.

Synod - An church council or meeting to consult on church matters. Often this will include the bishop of a diocese or a collection of bishops.

Theological - A matter pertaining to the study of God.

Veneration - Honor or respect due to a holy person or thing. For example, We “venerate” Mary, while we “adore” her Son, for adoration belongs to God alone. We also venerate (give honor) to the cross of Christ, while we “adore” the one died on it. The act of veneration (or respect) can include a bow or kiss. We genuflect when we “adore” the Lord at Mass or in front of the tabernacle.

Vernacular - The language of the people. The Mass was changed from Latin to the vernacular after the Second Vatican Council.

Vespers - Another word for Evening Prayer.

Vestments - Garments worn by priest, bishops, deacons and other ministers.

Viaticum - Holy Communion given to a person in danger of death. The word means, “food for the way.”

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