The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1959-08-28
Liturgy Meeting
lCnntlnned frnm Dc

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Continued from Page ID
solution in the privacy of the
confessional, he continued, he
"actS by the authority the
Church bestowed upon him,
and he will depend upon the
Church's prayers and its mer-
It's 10 assist in the atonement
of the p%enitent.'
What is continuously and
essentially a community act"
the Cardinal stressed, can
not fail in its formative and
educational function for the
whole society. Because the
soul of this action and OF this
prayer is Christ, the Son of
God, who came TO be one of
our common family, unfortun-
ately broken up by sin and
poisoned by egotism: but by
Christ reconciled to God, and
recreated as the family of
God"
Observing that man is a
social being" who Cannot
even be conceived of apart
from society" the Cardinal
went on TO say that in the
supernatural order, roo, God
works His salvation within the
framework Of . society, which
10 the Church.
However, man has an in
dividual personality that
society may not and shall not
suppress; and even in the
realm of grace he preserves q
sphere of close communion
with God that cannot be eras-
ed. The wonderful history of
Christian asceticism scknow-
ledegs the fact of individual
devotion, with all its various
manifestations, as well as the
function of public worship.
Through asserting the SUI
periority of public worship,
the Church has never under
estimated individual devotion.
Indeed, even in the prayer of
the community, the sacred
liturgy, the Church not only
requests personal interior al
tention. but also authorizes
its individual expression"
When The Catholic learns
The language OF the liturgy,
with ifs social implications, he
declared, he feels the pre-
sence and the claim OF that
immense community which is
the Church, and of the small
er worshiping community that
actually represents the
Church.
And he feels at once that
ne must overcome the narrow
limits OF indivdualism, tinged
sometimes with egotism. He
must open his spirit and his
heart to this broader society"
The Cardinal emphasized
that community singing is
not a casual accessory or acct
dental detall-a mere orna-
ment of the liturgy"
Sacred song" he said, "is
a token and a pledge of union,
quite different from any kind
of common song. Singing pro-
duces and expresses the spiri-
tual union of the congrega-
ton"
He insisted that the sing
Ing must be mot merely the
performance of the schola or
choir. competent as they can
be. The congregation must
have its part"
The physical presence of
the faithful at lituSgical serv-
ices without any distinction
Of caste. special class. OF race
constitutes AN effective nour-
ishment of the spirit of Christ
ian society,"" the Cardinal de-
clared.
The common attendance
and participation of all in
the prayer, in the offering, in
fhe sacrament, is a sign, an
assurance, even warming,
that in the family of God
there are not children on one
side and foreign guests on the
other, but we are all children
introduced TO the intimate
family banquet Of the Father"
he said.
"One posture for all means
virtual victory over that
rebellious individualism which
prompts one to remain a
stranger to the others. to fol
low ones own lnclinatlons;
and besides. it is a significant