Vocation: Sister Disciples Of The Divine Master

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A Pauline Centenary Pastoral Tool: Alberione and the Liturgical Movement n. 2

ALBERIONE AND THE LITURGICAL MOVEMENT:

A Doctoral Thesis Presented at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute ***

THE PAULINE FAMILY'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE LITURGICAL MOVEMENT: Part II

INTRODUCTION

The expression "Liturgical Movement" was used for the first time in 1851 by Prosper Gueranger in the third volume of the Institutions liturgiques to describe the revival of liturgical studies and general interest in understanding and improving liturgical practices. In the past there were various historical periods characterized by a strong attachment to liturgy which, with its highly charged spiritual character, have contributed to new liturgical forms to the point of conditioning the liturgical attitudes of entire epochs. Nonetheless, the "Liturgical Movement" understood as a current or movement at work in a vast range of milieus, in view of the spiritual renewal of people's lives through the power of the liturgy and/or the renewal of the liturgy itself on the basis of a deeper understanding of it and the laws governing it, is a historical-cultural phenomenon proper to our own time.

Our Founder, Blessed James Alberione, was shaped and imbued with the liturgical spirit. The natural and inevitable consequence of the liturgical spirit upon him was the liturgical apostolate. Indeed he had done much for the Liturgical Movement in Italy. Today, we can no longer ignore the hidden but vital contribution he gave in the fields of the liturgical apostolate and pastoral liturgy.

I. BLESSED ALBERIONE'S APOSTOLATE OF THE PRESS AND THE POPULARIZATION OF THE LITURGICAL MOVEMENT

A. Pauline Edition of the Roman Missal (cf. below - Archives n. 1)

B. Evangelario Festivo (cf. below - Archives n. 1)

C. Bollettino Parrochiale Liturgico (cf. below - Archives n. 1)

D. La Vita in Cristo e nella Chiesa

In November 1947 the Bolletino Parrochiale Liturgico ceased definitively its publication. In the meantime, Blessed Alberione was initiating the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master, the religious congregation of women which he founded in 1924 for the Eucharistic-priestly-liturgical apostolate, into the field of liturgical publications. During the spiritual exercises he gave to the Pious Disciples in 1947, he asserted: "The work that you will do is immense and unmistakable. If you could, for example, illustrate every festivity, presenting the relative doctrine and virtues adorning them and the means of grace found in them. Artistic, liturgical work and the diffusion of the Church's teaching on the sacraments and sacramentals, on consecration and blessings, etc. Have many leaflets, pamphlets and books to make the Eucharist known. Interpret the Church's understanding and spread its life."

Founded by Blessed Alberione in 1951, the first number of the PDDM liturgical magazine entitled La Vita in Cristo e nella Chiesa came out in January 1952. The whole tenor of Blessed Allberione's presentation of the first issue underlines the idea of a magazine that aims to enkindle a threefold flame: service to the priesthood, Eucharist and liturgy. He wrote regarding its liturgical dimension: "Know the treasures of the liturgy. Diffuse whatever serves the liturgy. Live the liturgy in accordance with the Church's spirit. This is the third flame of fire this magazine wants to enkindle. Let it blaze."

Blessed Alberione followed the growth and development of La Vita in Cristo e nella Chiesa. In its first years, he assiduously contributed many articles and these writings comprise an interesting source for the study of his liturgical ideas. According to him, the liturgy is able to inspire and leads to sanctity of life and provides the means of purifying and uniting ourselves with God. Hence, the apostolic imperative: "Lead the faithful to a profound knowledge of the liturgy."

The year 1961 marked the tenth anniversary of the La Vita in Cristo e nella Chiesa. In the editorial of the December issue, Blessed Alberione made a synthetic assessment of the magazine's decade of life. He was pleased to verify the basic fidelity of the Pious Disciples to the original orientation he gave when he founded the periodical. In his fundamental inspiration, La Vita would have to present the theological meaning of the liturgy, understood in its fullest sense: dogma, moral and worship. The Pious Disciples had done just that and he was heartened by their fidelity.

From 1951 to the present day, the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master have trodden the path blazed by their Founder Blessed Alberione. One of their most important initiatives was the liturgical supplement, Decoro e Bellezza nella Casa di Dio, which proved to be a very useful tool in the field of liturgy. The magazine La Vita was also published for some time in Canada, in French and English editions. Its Portuguese edition constitutes the most important liturgical formative aid in Brazil today. Grateful and encouraging notes are being received by the PDDM editors from readers who acknowledge their services in promoting the Church's liturgy through this magazine. Indeed, La Vita magazine is a service rendered to the Church whose source and summit (culmen et fons) is precisely the liturgy.

E. Other Pauline Liturgical Publications

In his lifetime, Blessed James Alberione initiated a total of 22 magazines. In addition to the Bollettino Parrochiale Liturgico and La Vita in Cristo e nella Chiesa, which he intended specifically as liturgical periodicals, some other publications he founded also became means of liturgical formation and organs of divulgence of the liturgical spirit, e.g. La Domenica together with other periodical leaflets, Il Seme and Vangelo della Domenica (or Vangelini); the Latin magazine for clergy Pastor Bonus; Vita Pastorale; Via, Verita e Vita; etc. We can also mention the Famiglia Cristiana.

We may complete this section on Blessed Alberione's apostolate of the press at the service of the Liturgical Movement by referring to books on the liturgy published by the Pauline Family. Blessed Alberione remarked: "Among the liturgical formative works, we mark out the translated monumental work of Gueranger, L'anno liturgico in 5 volumes, which is included in the great series of Pauline preaching. We are also printing the Enciclopedia liturgica at the Mother House." He also mentioned the Collana Pastorale which he initiated and directed. Composed of three sections: magisterium, ministerium and regimen, which anticipated the Vatican II scheme "prophet-priest-king", the series contained books especially dedicated to sacraments and liturgy, which are published under the ministerium section.

...

Hence, Blessed Alberione and the Pauline Family have contributed greatly in the diffusion of the Liturgical Movement in Italy through their apostolate of the press. In putting the press apostolate under the service of the Liturgical Movement, they were motivated by the following principle enunciated by Blessed Alberione: "The liturgy, universal as the Gospel, of which it is a commentary and application, should extend its beneficial action on all the people."

(TO BE CONTINUED)

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