Georgia Bulletin

The Newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta

  • Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, standing at the podium, was the first of two plenary session speakers, Oct. 3, at the 49th annual National Meeting of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions. The three-day meeting, cosponsored by the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions and the Bishops’ Committee On Divine Worship, was held at the Atlanta Omni Hotel. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • (Front to back) Father Dan Fleming, pastor of St. Andrew Church, Roswell, Susanna Weatherholt, a member of the liturgy committee at St. Andrew Church, and Philip Barreca, St. Andrew Church director of music, join others for morning prayer during day two of the 49th annual National Meeting of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Kathy Leos of Dallas, Texas, left, and Father Glenn LeCompte, from the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux (Louisiana), converse before the Oct. 3 study day begins at the National Meeting of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Sister of St. Joseph Sandy DeMasi, director of worship at St. Rose of Lima Church, Short Hills, N.J., works at her computer between plenary sessions on study day during the National Meeting of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions at the Atlanta Omni Hotel. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Father Donald J. Rooney, pastor of St. Bernadette Church, Springfield, Va., and director of the Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs for the Diocese of Arlington (Virginia), was the second plenary session speaker at the National Meeting of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions, Oct. 3. Father Rooney spoke to the attendees about Christian unity. Photo By Michael Alexander

Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, standing at the podium, was the first of two plenary session speakers, Oct. 3, at the 49th annual National Meeting of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions. The three-day meeting, cosponsored by the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions and the Bishops’ Committee On Divine Worship, was held at the Atlanta Omni Hotel. Photo By Michael Alexander

Atlanta

‘Body of Christ’ the unifying theme of national liturgical meeting

By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer | Published October 19, 2018

ATLANTA—Some 130 members of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions attended its national meeting recently held in Atlanta.

It was the 49th meeting of the organization, based in Washington, D.C. The theme of the gathering at the Omni Atlanta Hotel from Oct. 2-4 was “The Body of Christ: A Prophetic Sign of Unity and Concord.”

Rita Thiron, executive director of the organization, said its mission is focused on working with bishops and others to ensure the Mass is an authentic celebration. There are some 750 members of the organizations, she said.

Created after Vatican Council II, each diocese in the United States is expected to have a liturgical commission to assist bishops and pastors with the public prayer of the church, Thiron said.

“A lot of the things we’ve been doing at Mass we’ve been doing for 2,000 years,” said Thiron. Catholics should know and be proud of the church’s rich heritage of prayer, she said.

Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory gave a keynote speech as he shared information about the translation of the 2011 Roman Missal and the use of language. Other presenters spoke about ecumenical relations between the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations, issues faced by members of Eastern Orthodox churches seeking to join the Catholic Church, and the use of prayer psalms to spotlight issues of poverty and justice.