Hajja Salesjana

“Living Liturgical Action Fully,” at the Pontifical Institute of Liturgy. Pope Francis also warned against the liturgical master of ceremonies assuming too central a role during Mass. “The more hidden a master of ceremonies is, the better,” he said. “It is Christ that makes the heart vibrate, it is the meeting with him that draws in the spirit. Beyond a “deep knowledge” of religious celebrations, the pope said that experts on liturgy must have a strong pastoral sense to improve a community’s liturgical life, and that religious celebrations must foster the “fruitful participation of the people of God” and not just of the clergy. A pastoral approach to the liturgy allows religious celebrations to “lead the people to Christ, and Christ to the people,” which the pope said is the “principal objective” of liturgy and an essential principle of the Second Vatican Council. In the Catholic Church, the pope said, “in general, the homilies are a disaster.” “If we neglect this, we will have beautiful rituals, but without vigor, without flavor, Pope Francis: Long homilies are ‘a disaster’ keep it under 10 minutes Speaking off the cuff to diocesan liturgical directors last January, the pope said homilies are not academic conferences. “I sometimes hear people say, ‘I went to this parish, and yes it was a good philosophy lesson, 40, 45 minutes,’” he said. Pope Francis encouraged priests to keep their homilies to “no more than eight to 10 minutes” and always include in them “a thought, a feeling and an image,” so that “the people may bring something home with them.” Homilies are “sacramentals” to be “prepared in prayer” and “with an apostolic spirit,” he said. But, in the Catholic Church, he said, “in general, the homilies are a disaster.” A pastoral approach to the liturgy allows religious celebrations to “lead the people to Christ, and Christ to the people,” which the pope said is the “principal objective” of liturgy and an essential principle of the Second Vatican Council. The liturgical directors were in Rome to participate in a formation course on liturgy, by Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Photo by Ocean Ng - Unsplash.com 28 Lulju-Settembru 2023 hajja