An even more accessible “official” document for your committee’s reading is Cardinal Roger Mahony’s 1997 pastoral letter Gathered Faithfully Together: A Guide for Sunday Mass. Written to prepare his Archdiocese of Los Angeles for the year 2000, it’s a wonderful introduction to the kind of Sunday celebration our church’s tradition calls for.
So central are “the documents” to our liturgical life that many committees turn to them as a group’s first reading and self-education project. Warning: You may find that this falls flat. They are primarily official documents, strong on theological principle but not intended to help people understand what makes for good liturgy, the role of rituals or symbols or tradition, or other basics. Everyone should know and live by the documents, but for a starting point in group education, some of the books listed below may be more effective and enjoyable.
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