Articles
by
the Reverend Charles E. Singler, D.Min. Rector
Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral
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One of the challenges
sound-bite technology does not provide
is a wider context to understand issues
that are offered for public reflection.
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One of the aspects serving as a motivation
for the review of parishes in the Toledo
diocese is the effective and adequate
service provided by our priests.
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One of the foundational
goals of the revised General Instruction
of the Roman Missal (GIRM) and
Redemptionis Sacramentum (RS) is a
clarification of roles undertaken in the
liturgy.
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Recent liturgical changes not
only express a spiritual and theological
reality, but also possess a practical
purpose.
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Postures and gestures we make
in the celebration of Mass and other rites
of the Church are not intended to serve a
secondary role in ritual protocol.
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If the various threads
woven throughout Pope John Paul II’s
encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia,
the revised General Instruction of the
Roman Missal and Redemptionis
Sacramentum, one of great concern is the
reverence shown toward the Blessed
Sacrament.
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I remember years ago as a seminary student one of
my instructors observing that directives issued by the Catholic
Church at a world-wide Council would normally take 100 years to
fully implement. If that observation is true in any way, then
the on-going renewal and the implementation of the Second
Vatican Council are still a work in progress.
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One of the frequent comments I hear from a number
of parish liturgists and liturgical coordinators diocesan-wide
is the struggle encountered in their work to plan prayer that is
meaningful.
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I read in a liturgical publication some months
ago the observation of one author that Christmas was a feast
having the potential to express the very best and the very worst
in our liturgical practice.
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As Catholics world-wide are immersed in the devotional practices
of Lent this time of year, we are reminded of the theme that
resides at the heart of all we do and pray these days:
forgiveness.
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One of the unique liturgical traditions included during specific
segments of the Roman Catholic celebration of Easter, its octave
(eight days following) and the culminating solemnity of
Pentecost, is the sung dismissal which incorporates a “double”
alleluia.
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While it may be a personal bias, it seems a good number of
conversations I overhear in public places about the Catholic
faith often result on some liturgical or devotional topic.
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In addition to the more solemn liturgical feasts and seasons in
the Catholic Church, the celebrations of First Holy Communion
and Confirmation have taken on a great importance in parish life
today.
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Many adult Catholics may remember the days when
the word and thought of “cremation” was never discussed or
permitted in the Catholic Church. Those days have given way to
the inclusion of this option and a full ritual for the final
disposition of deceased Christians.
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Many of our readers may wonder at times if there
is any rhyme or reason to some of the ritual behaviors we
Catholics experience in our worship. One such mystery is the use
of incense.
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Throughout the liturgical year certain feasts
warrant a more joyous spirit and attention. In particular, those
feasts that are ranked as “solemnities” and are at the same time
designated as “holy days of obligation” follow a protocol all
their own.
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Some of the Catholic faithful may notice an added
ritual gesture immediately following the proclamation of the
Gospel reading while watching a televised papal Mass on EWTN, or
while attending a diocesan Mass with Bishop Blair at Rosary
Cathedral.
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Two additional feasts related directly to
Christmas that are often overlooked in their importance are the
Feast of the Presentation (February 2) and the Feast of the
Annunciation (March 25). Many liturgical theologians refer to
these two observances as Incarnational feasts outside the cycle
of Christmas. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Often, but not totally excluded to the
penitential season of Lent, the Way of the Cross spiritually
assists those who follow the way of our Lord’s passion and death
to look more closely and deliberately at this mystery of the
faith.
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The word itself means “darkness” in reference to
the darkness held in the heart of the church during the days and
hours of our Lord’s passion, death and resurrection.
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This holy time following the feast of Easter should give us the
opportunity to reflect on the ritual aspects that marked our
observance of Holy Week and the culminating rites celebrated
during the solemn Easter Vigil Mass. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanking God for Jesus’ triumph over death now manifested in the
life and death of the deceased, entrusting our beloved dead to
God’s eternal care and finding hope and consolation in the
passion, death and resurrection of Jesus – these are the reasons
and the purpose of celebrating the funeral rites of the Church. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music within our liturgical
celebrations aims to support and affirm the ritual actions,
gestures and language we use in our praise of God. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
