Position Statement 2006/B
On Lay Ecclesial Ministry
Vote: 124 votes
cast: 102 yes, 17 no; 5 abstain. Passed by 82.26% (2/3 of the Yes/No
vote required to pass).
Preamble
Whereas Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord was
published by the USCCB in December 2005;
Whereas the number of trained and
professional lay ministers has increased by 53% from 1990 to 2005 and
“30,632 lay ecclesial ministers now work at least twenty hours per week
in paid positions in parishes” (Co-Workers, p.13);
Whereas many lay ministers serve in
parishes and dioceses as directors or coordinators of liturgy, music,
and the catechumenate while others serve in related positions, as
directors or coordinators of religious education, youth programs, etc.;
Whereas “working in the Church is a
path of Christian discipleship to be encouraged by the hierarchy.”(Co-Workers,
p.8)
and the next generation of lay ministers may benefit from a degree of
affirmation and encouragement to pursue a vocation as a lay ecclesial
minister;
Whereas contributions and charisms of
the laity are to be recognized “so that all in their separate ways, but
of one mind, may cooperate in the common task” of the Church’s mission;
(Lumen Gentium #30);
Whereas the laity, “incorporated into
Christ’s Mystical Body through Baptism and strengthened by the power of
the Holy Spirit through Confirmation,” … “are consecrated into a royal
priesthood and a holy people in order that they may offer spiritual
sacrifices …and may witness to Christ throughout the world.”
(Lumen Gentium
#31);
Whereas “the ministry of the priest
…aims at promoting the exercise of the common priesthood of the entire
people of God.”
(Co-Workers,
p.24);
Whereas the bishops in Co-Workers in
the Vineyard and Called and Gifted call “both lay and
ordained ministers to learn the skill of collaboration, to value the
benefit it brings to Church life and ministry and to commit themselves
to practice it in their places of ministry”;
Whereas the term “ecclesial lay
ministry” remains only partially defined;
Whereas the “best organization
practices are consistent with Gospel values” (Co-Workers,
p. 61);
Statement
It is the position of the delegates to the 2006 National Meeting
of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions that: the FDLC
membership affirm the work of the bishops on Co-Workers in the
Vineyard of the Lord and their position of support for appropriately
trained, competent and spiritually mature laity who serve the church. We
ask that the chair of the FDLC contact Most Reverend David A. Zubik,
chair of the USCCB Committee on the Laity on behalf of the Federation to
encourage continued research and reflection within the USCCB on the
role, formation and management of lay ecclesial ministers; to pursue a
discussion on the theology of vocation, proposed by Co-Workers in the
Vineyard of the Lord, as it pertains to lay ecclesial ministry; to
create and encourage initiatives by the bishops of the United States
that foster an atmosphere of collaboration and recognition of the
charisms and gifts of lay ministers in the church; to encourage the use
of “best organizational practices” as outlined in the document,
Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord (pages 61-64), in human
resource management in the hiring, evaluation, and management of lay
ministers.
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Position Statement 2006/C
The Necessity of Formation for Music
Ministers
Vote: 123 votes cast:
97 yes, 24 no; 2 abstain. Passed by 78.86% (2/3 of the votes required to
pass).
Preamble
Whereas the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 29, states that
“members of the choir also exercise a genuine liturgical function. They
ought to discharge their office, therefore, with the sincere devotion
and decorum demanded by so exalted a ministry and rightly expected of
them by God’s people. Consequently, they must be deeply imbued with the
spirit of the liturgy, in the measure proper to each one, and they must
be trained to perform their functions in a correct and orderly manner”;
Whereas the General Instruction of
the Roman Missal, 2002, states that “The Bishop should therefore be
determined that the priests, the deacons, and the lay Christian faithful
grasp ever more deeply the genuine meaning of the rites and liturgical
texts, and thereby be led to an active and fruitful celebration of the
Eucharist. To the same end, he should also be vigilant that the dignity
of these celebrations be enhanced. In promoting this dignity, the beauty
of the sacred place, of music, and of art should contribute as greatly
as possible.” (no. 22);
Whereas “good celebrations foster and
nourish faith, poor celebrations weaken and destroy it” (Music in
Catholic Worship, 6) and “music is of preeminent importance” (Music
in Catholic Worship, 23) in achieving good celebrations;
Whereas the Lectionary for Mass:
Introduction, 55, delineates the basic preparation for lectors that
includes spiritual, biblical, liturgical and technical aspects, and
similar preparations are implied for the psalmist or cantor;
Whereas in many parishes across the
United States of America resources, both musical and economic, are
limited, poor, or non-existent;
Whereas the level of musical skills and
the ministerial posture of those who exercise this role is of uneven
quality from parish to parish;
Statement
It is the position of the delegates to the 2006 National Meeting
of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions that the FDLC ask
the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy to dedicate one issue of the
BCL Newsletter, and to post it on their web site in question and
answer format, to reaffirm the importance of on-going liturgical
formation of music ministers, in order that such ministers develop:
basic technical skills necessary for musical leadership; a knowledge of
the scriptures and an understanding of the Liturgical Year; a
spirituality of ministry through music; and a knowledge of the basic
elements of the liturgical rites and of the role of music in the
liturgy.
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Position Statement 2006/D
The Liturgical Formation of the
Deacon
Vote: 123 votes cast:
121 yes, 0 no; 2 abstain. Passed by 98.37% (2/3 of the votes required to
pass)
Preamble
Whereas “for the Church gathered at worship ... the ministry of
the deacon is a visible, grace-filled sign of the integral connection
between sharing at the Lord’s Eucharistic table and serving the many
hungers felt so keenly by all God’s children (National Directory for
the Formation, Life and Ministry of Permanent Deacons in the United
States, 33);
Whereas that “in the context of the
Church’s public worship, because of its centrality in the life of the
believing community, the ministry of the deacon in the threefold
diakonia of the word, of the liturgy, and of charity is uniquely
concentrated and integrated.” (NDFLMPM, 2004, no. 34);
Whereas, in the pastoral formation of
the deacon, leaders “need to pay particular attention to” the
Church’s ministry of the Word; the
Church’s ministry of Liturgy, and the Church’s ministry of Charity and
Justice... (NDFLMPD, 130);
Whereas, the theological content of his
formation must include “Liturgy and its historical, spiritual, and
juridical aspects, with particular attention to the Rite of Christian
Initiation of Adults (NDFLMPM, 124.f);
Whereas, the “diaconia at the altar,
since founded on the Sacrament of Orders, differs in essence from any
liturgical ministry entrusted to the lay faithful and ...is also
distinct from the ordained priestly ministry (Directory for the
Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons, 1998, no. 28);
Whereas, the deacon has been ordained
for the nurture and increase of the people of God, it belongs to him to
lead the prayers, to proclaim the gospel, to preach the homily and give
Communion” (SCAP, Introduction, 18);
Whereas, the deacon may assist at Mass;
preside at marriages, baptisms, funeral liturgies outside Mass; and
invoke various blessings;
Whereas, current norms and directories
do not provide detailed guidelines for the liturgical formation of a
deacon;
Statement
It is the position of the delegates to the 2006 National Meeting
of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions that the FDLC Board
ask the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy to form a task force,
consisting of a BCL Secretariat member, representatives from the
Bishops’ Committee for the Diaconate, the National Association of
Diaconate Directors, and representatives from the FDLC, that will
dialogue on the effective liturgical formation of permanent deacons in
the USA. It is our sincere hope that this dialogue will produce
guidelines and identify resources that will enable (arch)dioceses to
better prepare deacon candidates for their role in the liturgy and to
provide for the ongoing liturgical formation of permanent deacons.
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Position Statement 2006/E
Transition Assistance for
International Priests
Vote: 124 votes
cast: 91 yes, 27 no; 6 abstain. Passed by 73.39% (2/3 of the Yes/No
votes required to pass).
Preamble
Whereas the Church in the United States is in need of priests
from other countries to minister to the growing number of Catholics and
to respond to the declining number of clergy available for ministry in
parishes;
Whereas priests from other countries
engaging in parochial ministry in the United States are faced with
cultural differences, which can result in experiences of isolation and
culture shock, wherein they suffer a loss of support systems, the
regular access to familiar resources and relationships;
Whereas parish communities are often
unaware of the elements necessary to truly welcome a priest from another
culture and land (e.g., intercultural communication skills);
Whereas the arrival of a priest from
another country and culture can often challenge parish communities to be
open to new cultural experiences and concerns;
Whereas the presence of priests from
other lands and cultures brings a rich diversity reminding the local
Church of the universal nature of the Church to which they belong;
Whereas the USCCB’s Guidelines for
Receiving Pastoral Ministers in the United States notes that “the
need for orientation of the missionary to the local church and society,
and an understanding of the cultural contexts, are vital for effective
ministry, both for the minister and the community to which he or she
ministers” (p.5);
Whereas the faith of a parish community
finds expression in the liturgical customs and traditions born out of
the local culture, i.e. language, music, liturgical and presidential
style, etc.;
Whereas priests from other countries
may lack knowledge and awareness of these customs and traditions, which
can lead to tension and conflict;
Whereas the General Instruction, nos.
111 and 352 remind us of the importance of the priest-celebrant’s
fruitful collaboration with the faithful and that to this end a fairly
common cultural understanding is needed by priest-celebrant and the
faithful;
Whereas recent literature on this topic
raises concerns regarding the necessary preparation time and process for
the acculturation of priests from other lands and cultures, supporting
the work of established cultural orientation programs for international
priests (e.g., the Cultural Orientation Program of International
Ministries [COPIM], the Vincentian Center at St. John’s University, the
International Priest Internship, the Southeast Pastoral Institute, the
Maryknoll Cross-Cultural Services, the Institute for Black Catholic
Studies at Xavier University);
Statement
It is the position of the delegates to the 2006 National Meeting
of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions, that the Board of Directors of the
FDLC, through the standing Ministry Committee, support the liturgical
formation and acclimation of international priests and seminarians
coming to the United States by exploring ways to interact with the
centers for acculturation of priests and seminarians through dialogue
and collaboration, and that the Members of the FDLC take steps in their
own (arch)dioceses to promote these centers with appropriate (arch)diocesan
agencies which have the charge of working with international priests and
seminarians.
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Position Statement 2006/F
Professional Formation in Roman
Catholic Music Ministry
Vote: 100 votes cast:
94 yes, 5 no; 1 abstain. Passed by 94%. (2/3 of the Yes/No vote required
to pass).
Preamble
Whereas Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963) calls for the teaching and
practice of music in seminaries, novitiates, and houses of study of
religious, and for higher institutes of sacred music to be established…
(SC #115);
Whereas Musicam Sacram (1967)
calls for territorial authority to approve texts for songs…(MS #42);
Whereas Music in Catholic Worship
(1972, 1982) recognizes the needs for qualified Musicians… (MCW #77);
Whereas Liturgical Music Today
(1982) calls for colleges and universities as well as regional and
diocesan centers to develop musical skills and impart a thorough
understanding of the liturgy… (LMT #65);
Whereas Dies Domini (1998) calls
for ensuring the quality both of texts and melodies… (DD #50);
Whereas The General Instruction of the
Roman Missal (2002) affirms the need for the psalmist to have the
ability for singing and a facility in correct pronunciation and diction
(GIRM #102) and that the choir, organist, and other musicians properly
carry out and foster the active participation of the faithful through
the singing… (GIRM #103);
Whereas Liturgiam Authenticam
(2001) called upon Conferences of Bishops to complete a directory or
repertory of texts intended for liturgical singing with the assistance
of the Committee on the Liturgy and other experts by March 28, 2006;
Whereas the USCCB Commission on
Certification and Accreditation (USCCB/CCA) has approved standards of
the National Association of Lay Ministry Formation initiative (NALM),
(refer to June-July 2005 issue of Pastoral Music, letter from
President J. Michael McMahon, p. 2);
Whereas the National Association of
Pastoral Musicians is setting standards by developing certification for
musicians…(The USCCB Commission on Certification and Accreditation has
approved the NPM's Director of Music Ministries Division (DMMD)
certification standard modeled by NALM; again refer to McMahon letter
listed above);
Whereas the Music Education Division of
the National Association of Pastoral Musicians issued a statement about
the centrality of music for the life and worship of the Church (Catholic
Connections to Music, www.npm.org);
Statement
It is the position of the delegates to the 2006 National Meeting
of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions that the FDLC affirm the National
Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM) in their work of recently
developed standards for certification and formation for pastoral
musicians and ask NPM to further address the continued need for
formation in Roman Catholic Music Ministry by calling together diocesan
personnel, academic institutions, and ministry formation programs to
identify structures, personnel and resources.
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Position Statement 2006/G
Technology and the Liturgical Life
of the Church
Vote: 101 votes cast:
66 yes, 31 no; 4 abstain. Passed by 68.04%. (2/3 of the Yes/No votes
required to pass).
Preamble
Whereas the use of electronic technology is increasingly a fact
of life;
Whereas such technology provides a
powerful means of communication and formation;
Whereas these means of outreach &
evangelization are used to great effect by significant numbers of
religious groups (both inside and outside the Roman Catholic Church);
Whereas the Catholic Church has
traditionally been quick to use new means of technology;
Whereas many of us are unaware of the
existence, basics, and potential of the technologies such as 'Godcasts',
blogs, interactive websites, video conferencing, instant messaging, etc.
Statement
It is the position of the delegates to the 2006 National Meeting
of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions that the FDLC Executive Committee
suggest to the National Meeting Planning Committee that the next several
national meetings include presentations addressing ways of harnessing
electronic technology for the promotion of the liturgical reform, as
well as the dissemination of information on those issues which may
affect the celebration of the liturgy.
We request that a time-line and
procedure for implementation of this resolution be set by the FDLC Board
of Directors by 31 January
2007.
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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
RESOLUTION
2006/ECR-1
Vote: 101 votes cast:
94 yes, 4 no; 3 abstain. Passed by 95.91 %.
(2/3 of the Yes/No vote required to pass).
It is a matter of
immediate concern to the delegates of the 2006 FDLC National Meeting: to
reaffirm the importance of the BCL documents, Music in Catholic
Worship and Liturgical Music Today, to support the BCL
Sub-Committee on Music and Liturgy in retaining the basic principles of
these documents in any revisions.
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