Q: Teachers in Catholic and public schools thankfully and skillfully design and lead a range of prayer services and rituals for students, including one for National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week in Australia.
At times these occasions are liturgies.At other times they are prayerful moments, such as a weekly staffroom prayer.
Please outline a simple check list for teachers, and others to ensure that what they they are designing and leading is actually liturgy, and not simply a prayer service or ritual celebration.
For example, the Liturgy of the Hours is structured, public worship, in the name of the Catholic Church, scripturally based, structured in a way that allows for full, concious and active participation, and has a noble simplicity to it. It does not require an ordained minister to preside, but if one is present he can take a public role, including offering a final blessing.
I trust the above example is correct, albeit incomplete.
I presume the notion of a paraliturgy is no longer acceptable as was 40 plus years ago?
Thanks Paul. Your expertise is much appreciated.
Blessings from Downunder.
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A: This is a long document to read, but it’s a good one: https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20020513_vers-direttorio_en.html .
There is a place for non-liturgical prayer in the Church—as long as the liturgy does not lose its place.