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Liturgy & Worship

The Office of Worship fosters the full, conscious and active participation of the faithful in the celebration of liturgy.

News from the Office of Worship

September 28 Pastoral Ministries Conference: The Annual Pastoral Ministries conference is a day of networking, prayer, and formation for Catholics around the diocese, especially for those who work and volunteer in any variety of parish ministry. The keynote speaker will be Ron Huntley from Divine Renovation who will focus on helping us and our parishes move from “maintenance to mission.” Breakout sessions will be offered in the morning and afternoon focusing on areas of pastoral ministry, religious education, youth ministry, marriage and family life, liturgy, and communications. Of particular interested to those involved in liturgical or music ministries are the following breakout sessions:
– Morning Breakout option: Energizing You Parish with the RCIA
– Afternoon Breakout option: Getting Started with the “R”CIA
– Afternoon Breakout option: Engaging Youth in Liturgical Practices and Prayer Activities.
More information about the conference and online registration can be found here.

Lector Training 2.0: As a follow-up to the Lector Training that was offered throughout the diocese last year, the Worship Office offers Lector Training 2.0. This skills-based training is offered at individual churches and cover issues such as pacing, vocal energy (volume), tone, inflection, body posture, and microphone use. The material in this session is meant to build on the previous training session which focused preparing the readings for proclamation. Churches that wish to schedule this follow-up session are urged to contact Josh Perry in the Office of Worship.

A Cause for Sainthood – Burlington’s First Bishop: In collaboration with the Diocesan Archivist, Kathleen Messier, a presentation titled A Cause for Sainthood – Burlington’s First Bishop is being offered to parishes this fall. The presentation includes:
– The path to sainthood – Who? Why? What? How? When? Exploring the process of canonization in the Catholic Church
– A biographical sketch of Burlington’s first Bishop, +Louis de Goësbriand
– A curated display of artifacts belonging to or used by Bishop de Goësbriand
– Comments, questions, and answers
Parishes interested in hearing more or scheduling this presentation should contact the Archives at archives@vermontcatholic.org.

Virtual Workshops – Cantors: These virtual workshops are hosted by Liturgy Training Publications in collaboration with the National Association of Pastoral Musicians. Utilizing an interactive platform, these Virtual Workshops engage participants in 90 minutes of training, dialogue, and prayer. Participants are invited to interact with the presenter and one another in discussion and discuss strategies for increased engagement in their ministry. Three workshops are offered in the Cantor series:
– The Cantor’s Tune-Up: Vocal Skills for the Liturgical Singer. Tuesday, October 15. Order Code: VWCTU
– The Cantor as Psalmist: A Spiritual and Technical Approach to Preparing the Psalms. Tuesday, October 29. Order Code: VWCPS
– The Cantor as Animator of the Assembly: Bringing the Liturgy to Life. Tuesday, November 12. Order Code: VWCAA
All sessions are from 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm. Sessions are $15.00 each or $40 for all three sessions (Order Code: VWCANP for all three). For more information, visit the LTP Virtual Workshop Page.

 

Diocesan Liturgical Policies and Guidelines

The Diocesan Office of Worship and the Diocesan Worship Commission have been charged with working to update various diocesan policies and guidelines concerning liturgy, including guidelines for liturgical ministers, music, the celebration of matrimony and funerals, art and environment and Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. As these policies are approved, they will be posted here.

Liturgical Guidelines for the Diocese of Burlington

Liturgical Ministry Guidelines for the Diocese of Burlington

  • Diocesan Guidelines for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
  • Diocesan Guidelines for Lectors
  • Diocesan Guidelines for Altar Servers

Forms

Online Resources

Liturgical Catechesis & Formation

Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy: The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy was the first formal document issued by the Second Vatican Council. The document lays out the vision the council had for the reform of the liturgy which is still being realized today. 

General Instruction of the Roman Missal: This detailed document contains the directives for how to celebrate the Mass. 

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship: The Bishop’s Committee on Divine Worship is the national committee of bishops responsible for all things having to do with the liturgy in the United States and assists the bishops, both collectively and individually, in liturgical matters. They also have a helpful and extensive Prayer and Worship Page that links to many articles on the Mass and other liturgical celebrations of the Catholic Church.

Resources for Lectors: The preparation that occurs in the week prior to one proclaiming the Word of God at Mass is an essential part of the Lector ministry and is as important as the proclamation itself. Throughout 2018, regional workshops on Preparing, Praying with, and Practicing the readings have taken place throughout the diocese. A video of this two hour workshop is available; email Josh Perry for instructions on how to access the video. A list of additional Lector Resources are also available to download.

Funeral Resources: During the month of November, the Church traditionally remembers in a special way those who have died. This is an opportune time to learn more about the Funeral Liturgy the Church offers to the faithful when they die. The articles below provide some initial background on these liturgies. Please contact the Office of Worship or your local pastor if you have particular questions.

A Personal Reflection on the Funeral Mass

November as a Month of Remembering

The Funeral Rites: Three Stages of Prayer

Symbols in the Funeral Mass

Gathering in the Presence of the Body – A model prayer service when the family first gathers before a wake or funeral service.

Order of Visiting a Cemetery – A model prayer service that can be used when visiting a grave.

Various Prayers for the Month of November

Liturgical Music and Musicians

Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship is a document that provides guidance for the use of music in the liturgy. The document was approved by the U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops in 2007 and is a helpful resource for clergy and liturgical musicians, especially those responsible for coordinating the music at Mass and other liturgical celebrations. A study guide, published by the National Pastoral Musicians group, is also available.

Liturgical Art and Environment

Built of Living Stones, published by the United States bishops in 2000, is a guide that helps parishes plan for the building and renovation of a church. Also included in the document are guidelines and reflections on the use and place of sacred art in worship as well as preparing the church environment for the different liturgical seasons. 

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