Prayer Vigil for Peace in Eastern Europe 

LITURGY COMMISSION 

When I lived in Burkina Faso, I was always amazed by the vibrancy and the communion of our liturgies. They were places of great joy. Whether the liturgy was celebrated in a great city parish with hundreds or even thousands participating, or in a humble Basic Christian Community in a ramshackle hut-like village chapel with the catechist and his family and a few catechumens, these liturgies always gave me energy and encouraged my faith.

This was especially true on the days of great feasts like Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, at weddings, funerals (oh how we celebrated funerals!) and parish feast days. On these days, the liturgies attracted people of all faiths, not just the baptised and catechumens. They would be on the other side of the wall, peering over, joining in the dancing and the joy of the People of God, gathered in God’s name. The choirs, the readings, the communal meals afterwards where all were welcome, were great moments in the lives of many. By the liturgy, many would be called to Christ and would find themselves one day full members of the Christian Community.

These liturgies call people to God, they celebrate God, they teach God’s word and bring it alive for all to hear and adopt.

The Vatican Council, in its teaching on the Liturgy, seeks in its own formal wording the same effect:

“Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that fully conscious and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy. Such participation by the Christian people as a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people (1 Peter 2:9; cf. 2:4–5), is their right and duty by reason of their baptism.^{[2]  “}

Let the choir raise the roof in praise and joy!

Let the readers proclaim the Word of God to gladden the hearts of all!

Let the Eucharistic Ministers carry succour to the homebound and sick!

Let the servers assist in the name of all with child-like dignity and humility!

Let the priest preside a community which gathers in the Name of the Lord to celebrate God’s love and presence among us!

Eucharistic Ministers