Dear Friends,

These later weeks of Ordinary Time are an opportune time to focus our attention on needed preparations that we often do not have time to attend to during the other seasons of the liturgical year. As the United States marks National Preparedness Month (September), Jennifer Dyer (in “Emergency Preparedness in the Liturgy and Parish”) invites parishes to work together to develop a plan for handling emergencies that may arise in their community. Parish staff, liturgists, and other ministers will find practical resources for ensuring the safety of the assembly at Mass.

In light of the upcoming implementation of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (first use of the new rite is December 1, 2024), Donna Eschenauer gives parish initiation ministers, pastors, and liturgists helpful insight about some of the changes in the new rite. Her article also offers ideas for formation to help prepare parishes and initiation teams for their implementation of the OCIA.

As the universal Church gets ready to celebrate the Jubilee year in 2025, Fr. Stephen Wilbricht, csc, invites us to reflect on the theme of hope in the liturgy. “Awaiting the Blessed Hope of the Lord’s Coming” breaks open the embolism at Mass and explores our call to bring hope into our divided world.

Lisa Bierer explores the ways that liturgical arts can lift our hearts to the Lord. “Look Around and Look Up: Art for Vertical Spaces” offers practical ideas for ministers of the liturgical environment who wish to add a new visual element to enhance the assembly’s prayer during the different seasons of the liturgical year.

Preparing individuals for baptism,confirmation, or Eucharist involves many tasks. In “Sacramental Record Keeping,” Elizabeth Kabacinski points out the importance of maintaining records related to these celebrations, and offers specific guidance for how to do effectively, while addressing common questions that come up in the process. This article would be helpful for anyone responsible for maintaining these essential parish records.

Continuing this focus on welcome and hospitality, Kathy Kuczka’s article “Welcoming Children’s Participation at Mass” invites the whole parish community to consider their role in helping children feel wanted and included in the worshipping assembly at Mass. In “Christ’s Gift of Healing in the Anointing of the Sick,” Kathryn BallBoruff offers ideas for helping children to understand and appreciate the gift of this beautiful sacrament.

In “Celebrating God’s Blessings,” Kathryn Ball-Boruff reflects on the sacramentality of our everyday life while inviting us to make greater use of the Church’s rich repository of blessings. Her piece offers practical ideas that families can use to incorporate this form of prayer into their spiritual practice. Finally, Kathy Kuczka (“Observing the Parish Feast Day”) gives parishioners some practical ideas for celebrating the parish’s feast day in the home as well as with the wider community. May your preparations be blessed.

Bishop Joseph N. Perry
Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago

Using the liturgy as its source, Pastoral Liturgy^® has been intentionally designed to be of service to the whole parish with resources for leaders and parishioners, those who are just beginning to learn about liturgy, and those who are seasoned volunteers and professionals.

The six 32-page, full-color issues follow the course of the liturgical year to provide guidance for liturgy preparation, faith formation, liturgical art and architecture, and the many areas of parish ministry that flow from the liturgy to witness the Gospel and build the kingdom of God.

Pastors, parish staffs, liturgy committees, catechists, musicians, architects, and everyone seeking to learn more about how the liturgy forms and informs all of parish life will find this resource a valuable support to understanding the liturgy more fully and incorporating it as the source for all they do. That's why Pastoral Liturgy^® magazine is the liturgy magazine for the whole parish!