Fifty years ago, the first document produced by the Second Vatican Council was promulgated and yielded the most visible changes the Catholic Church had witnessed in centuries. But how did the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, or Sacrosanctum Concilium, go from words on paper to the living liturgy we celebrate week to week?

 

Fr. Ken Simpson with past Office of Divine Worship Directors (from L to R): Fr. Ron Lewinski, Sheila McLaughlin, current director Todd Williamson, and Fr. Dan Coughlin.

Within a few years of the document's release, the Archdiocese of Chicago established the Office for Divine Worship (ODW). The purpose of the office was to guide parishes through the implementation of the changes and provide ongoing support for liturgy. As the document states, "Something more is required than the mere observation of the laws governing valid and licit celebration; it is [a pastor's] duty also to ensure that the faithful take part fully aware of what they are doing, actively engaged in the rite, and enriched by its effects" (SC, art. 11).

 

As part of that effort, Liturgy Training Publications was also established in partnership with ODW. It is because Chicago quickly "took the lead" as former ODW director Fr. Ron Lewinski says, "ODW became an international resource, receiving calls from across the world and offering not just intellectual responses, but pastoral and experimental."

 

On the evening of October 1, the four consecutive directors for ODW came together at Saint Clement to share their stories on the joys and challenges of the evolution of liturgy since Vatican II. Fr. Dan Coughlin, Fr. Ron Lewinski, Sheila McLaughlin and Todd Williamson each offered a description of the major issues and the culture during their tenure at ODW, followed by moving and often funny stories of what has surprised them over the years.

 

Fr. Coughlin joyfully expressed how because the assembly was now called to fully participate in the liturgy in their own language, Sunday Mass, Triduum, and sacramental celebrations helped the faithful to better "grasp the Paschal mystery." Along with language, recognition of the multicultural nature of the Church provided an exciting opportunity for local cultural expressions in the liturgical rites such as music. As some practical considerations gained more notice, he shared how Cardinal Cody approved the use of Extraordinary Ministers of Communion because in larger parishes, "communion took longer than Mass."

 

As the only woman on the panel, Sheila McLaughlin remarked that she "owes becoming director to Cardinal Bernadin. He had a commitment to supporting women in leadership roles." McLaughlin describes a "spirit of partnership between the Cardinal, bishops, and the ODW staff." She also relished having a person on staff dedicated to architecture and worship environment because buildings and renovations were being constructed to "facilitate the rituals" in a way they had not before.

 

Todd Williamson, the current director, inherited a different kind of office. During his 10-plus years in this role, funding for the office has been reduced and the staff has shrunk from 14 people to three. Much of his tenure has been spent on the Third Edition of the Roman Missal. On the practical front of liturgy, he has been asked to offer guidance on the use of hand sanitizers and the challenge of communion bread and food allergies. Yet looking toward the future, all four panelists expressed hope for the direction of the Church and for the leadership of Pope Francis.

 

Watch the panel discussion online.

The 75 people who gathered for the evening ranged in ages from 20-something to 80-something, making for fun and interesting exchanges during the Q&A part of the evening. The event also served as an unofficial reunion for people who had worked at ODW over the years and now serve at parishes across the diocese. Not only was the evening informative, but also inspiring as we reflected on how we celebrate our faith and recognize that, as Cardinal Bernadin wrote, "Liturgy is our communion, our strength, our nourishment, our song, our peace, our reminder, our promise... Liturgy is for me the bedrock of all my prayer and the measure of all my deeds."