O, Sacrament Most Holy!

This all looks intensely interesting.

A scholarly book series on the liturgy. Excerpts:

The Liturgical Institute at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary, in collaboration with Liturgy Training Publications, produces books designed to reflect the character, purpose and ideals of the Liturgical Institute. The imprint, entitled Hillenbrand Books, is innovative and scholarly, advancing the Catholic theological tradition in relation to the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church. The books in the imprint incorporate classical and modern scholarship in a clear and direct style so as to serve the needs of professors, pastors, students, and laity. The principle that all theology is pastoral in intent and that all pastoral life must be rooted in solid theological understanding inform Hillenbrand Books. The imprint is firmly committed to the decisions, initiatives and reforms of the Church in the area of liturgy during and since the Second Vatican Council.

Hillenbrand Books:

• provide accessible, accurate, comprehensive, and authoritative studies in liturgical and sacramental theology.
• foster respect within the Church for a legitimate diversity of opinions and practices as allowed for and governed by Church law.
• support the renewal of the Catholic ethos in liturgy, open to transcendence, solemnity, and beauty, especially in the areas of music, art, and architecture.
• recognize the importance of expressions of popular devotion that are derived from and extend the liturgical life of the Church.
• acknowledge the principle of the preeminence of the authority of the Apostolic See in liturgical matters, and, as provided by Church law, the competence particular to the Conferences of Bishops concerning the regulation of liturgical life of the universal and local Church, respectively...

The books look quite cool, the Liturgical Institute looks interesting. Then there's this on liturgy in catechesis:

Catechesis is intrinsically linked with the whole of liturgical and sacramental activity, for it is in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist, that Christ Jesus works in fullness for the transformation of human beings...sacramental life is impoverished and very soon turns into hollow ritualism if it is not based on serious knowledge of the meaning of the sacraments, and catechesis becomes intellectualized if it fails to come alive in the sacramental practice.

And this on the new translation of the Mass:

And, from a recent conference at Franciscan University of Steubenville, a blogger says:

...the Amicitia Catechetica (‘catechetical friendship’) has been fascinating and thought-provoking. All three institutions – Steubenville, Maryvale and Notre Dame de Vie – have given their own presentation on liturgy and catechesis, and the content has been so profound and thought-provoking it is going to take a while to digest everything.

However, there has been one principle at the heart of all the papers given. There is a deep theological (not just pastoral) grounding for the relationship between the liturgy and catechesis that needs to be understood and acknowledged in catechesis. Because the liturgy is the very heart of the life of the Church, it needs to be the very fibre of catechesis. Liturgy is catechetical in a most excellent way because it gives what it teaches. Catechesis is a servant of the Liturgy since this is where Christ’s life is given to the Church; catechesis always leads therefore to liturgical participation. This is written into the very structure of the Catechism itself – Part 2 of the Catechism on the Celebration of the Christian Mystery – is what gives our whole faith unity: the other three parts find their fulfilment and deepest meaning in this part because the Liturgy makes possible our real participation in the life of God – the goal of the other parts of the Catechism. This, in a nutshell, is what we have been understanding more deeply.

One final thought...

The last meeting of Amicitia produced The Pedagogy of God: Its Centrality in Catechesis and Catechist Formation--it looks awesome.  Another fruit of the friendship has been Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Craft of Catechesis, which looks astoundingly good.

And Francis of Assisi on the liturgy:

Let the whole of mankind tremble, the whole world shake, and the heavens exult when Christ, the Son of the living God, is on the altar in the hands of a priest. O admirable heights and sublime lowliness! O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! That the Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles Himself that for our salvation He hides Himself under the little form of bread! Look, brothers, at the humility of God and pour out your hearts before Him! Humble yourselves, as well, that you may be exalted by Him. Therefore, hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves so that He Who gives Himself totally to you may receive you totally.

Check thou it all out.