Liturgical Studies

Introduction to Liturgy

Aim of the Course

This course is an introduction to the Liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church and has its foundation in the Catholic Church's documents on the liturgy.

The Liturgy of the Word, The Liturgical Year and the introduction to Eastern Liturgy emphasize the liturgical history of both the Western and Eastern rites. These courses embrace the history of Christian Liturgy from its beginnings and developments to the present post Vatican II framework.

Seminarians will be enlightened to discover and examine the various important liturgical sources. This course will be an introduction and foundation toward a deeper understanding of Liturgical practices in a faith lived community.

Course Content

A) Liturgy of the Word:
This Course focusses on the Liturgy of the Word in the celebration of Mass. It aims to assists the seminarian to grasp the importance of the Word of God whilst holding to its proper place the Word of God in the celebration of the Eucharist. The emphasis will be the Lectionary of the Roman Catholic Church. This course will help the seminarian understand the context, time, place, culture and history of which the texts were written. The objective of the course is to enable the Word of God to come alive in the seminarian and to those whom he proclaims it to.

B) Liturgical Year:
This course reflects on the dynamics of time, story, and history in the liturgical shaping of time. Seminarians will discover and understand the origins of practices of Times and Seasons in the Liturgical Calendar. They will be introduced to the development and importance of Sundays, Feasts and Seasons in the liturgy. Seminarians will learn to experience the rhythm of the Liturgical year in the life of the Church. The Liturgical Year also studies the origins and development of the Liturgical Year, with emphasis on contemporary Roman Catholic practices.

C) Eastern Liturgy:
This course emphasis the exploration, understanding and comparison of the inter-relationship between liturgy in the Western and Eastern traditions and its cultural influences. This course would examine the origins of the Eucharistic liturgy and its historical development in both the East and West.

The Seminarian will also:

Compare the history of the Catholic liturgy as it developed within the cultures of Judaism, the Roman Empire, medieval Europe, the Byzantine Empire, reformation Europe, and the modern world.

Have an exposure to Eastern Catholic liturgy and spirituality.

Compare symbols and rituals.

Assessment

Group assignment: 50%.

Written exam: 50%

Select Bibliography

To be confirmed

Lecture Hours

To be confirmed

Lecturer

Fr. Simon