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Church Documents: Roman Catholic

PAUL VI, Address on liturgical reform

PAUL VI, Address to bishops at a plenary meeting of the assembly of Italian bishops, excerpt on liturgical reform, 14 April 1964: AAS 56 (1964) 378- 387 (Italian). [Documents on the Liturgy, 1963-1979, (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1983) Document 21, p. 87f.]

[…] The first point clearly is religion in life. This must be our dominant interest, taking precedence over every merely civil issue, however relevant, of our nation's life. "Seek first the kingdom of God." Mt 6:33. The liturgical reform provides us with an excellent opportunity in this regard: it calls us back to the theological view of human destiny that the action of grace, and thus of the life of the sacraments and prayer, has primacy. The liturgical reform opens up to us a way to reeducate our people in their religion, to purify and revitalize their forms of worship and devotion, to restore dignity, beauty, simplicity, and good taste to our religious ceremonies. Without such inward and outward renewal there can be little hope for any widespread survival of religious living in today's changed conditions. We take it on ourself to make but two pertinent recommendations. The first is that you take the greatest pains over the sanctifying of days of precept, devoting all your energies to the end that the celebration of the Sunday and holyday Mass with the word of God and the participation of the people will be an occasion of the most intense involvement for all. The second is that you promote sacred song, the religious, congregational singing of the people. Remember, if the faithful sing they do not leave the Church; if they do not leave the Church, they keep the faith and live as Christians.

A present-day phenomenon calling for a particular pastoral concern is ever-increasing travel on holydays of obligation. As a consequence there is a need to provide adequate religious services for the faithful in the more frequented centers. It therefore seems necessary to make appropriate plans and arrangements on both the diocesan and national levels. It would be extremely useful to have any suggestion that, after an accurate investigation and evaluation of the general facts, could point to helpful measures that would more effectively ensure for all the fulfillment of their religious obligations on holydays.

The fact of these periodic movements of people is also a reminder to us of another needy category of the faithful, those who emigrate in order to find work. Far from their former surroundings, their families and friends, they are often exposed to the danger of letting their religious obligations slip away or even of embracing ideas and organizations that would alienate them even further from the faith. For these also the hierarchy must take the steps necessary so that the different groups of these people may have the possibility and the means to join and take an active part in the life and the organizations of their host dioceses.