PERIODICALS
Assembly (Notre Dame: Center for Pastoral
Liturgy).
Published five times a year, examining
a variety of liturgical topics, including the sacramental and
liturgical symbols. Excellent for pastoral staffs and liturgy,
building and renovation committees. Several issues have dealt
specifically with the enviro nment and the formation of the assembly.
("Liturgical Objects," Vol. 8, No. 1; "Church
Building," Vol. 10, No.2; "Formation of the Assembly,"
Vol. 13, No. 5; "EACW - Ten Years Later," Vol. 14,
No. 2; "The Altar," Vol. 15, No.4) Available from Notre
Dame Center for Pastoral Liturgy, P.O. Box 81, Notre Dame, IN
46556; (219)239-5435.
Catholic Update (Cincinnati: St. Anthony
Messenger Press).
Published monthly as a four-page, popular
catechetical tool for parishioners. Topics cover a wide range
of Catholic issues and frequently include articles on liturgy
and the environment for worship. ("Your Parish Church: How
Should It Look Today?," UPD 110, 1980; "A Tour of a
Catholic Church," CO 391, March, 1991). Available from St.
Anthony Messenger Press, 1615 Republic Street, Cincinnati, OH
45210; (800)488-0488.
Environment and Art Letter (Chicago: Liturgy
Training Publications). Published twelve times a year. One of
the most thorough resources devoted solely to issues of environment
and art for worship. Includes descriptive articles, workshop
listings and resources, photographs and designs of new and renovated
worship spaces, listings of artists and their work, including
photographs. Available from LTP, 1800 North Hermitage Avenue,
Chicago, IL 60622-1101; (312)486-8970.
Faith and Form (Washington, D.C.: Interfaith
Forum on Religion, Art and Architecture).
Published three times a year. Includes
articles, photographs and designs of church buildings and art.
The articles deal with religion, art and architecture and their
relationship with each other. Available from IFFRA, 1777 Church
Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20046; (202)387-8333.
Liturgy (Washington, D.C.: The Liturgical
Conference).
Quarterly journal of the Liturgical Conference.
Each issue deals with a specific liturgical topic. Past issues
have included material on the worship space. ("The Rites
of Gathering and Sending Forth," Vol.1, No. 4, 1981; "Holy
Places, Vol. 5, No. 4, 1985; "Central Symbols," Vol.
7, No.1, 1987; "The Art of Celebration," Vol. 8, No.
3, 1990). Available from The Liturgical Conference, 1017 12th
Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20005 -4091; (202)898-0885.
Liturgy 90 (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications).
Published eight times a year. The magazine
includes a variety of articles on liturgical topics, including
a regular column on environment and art issues. Available from
LTP, 1800 North Hermitage Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622 -1101; (312)486-8970.
Modern Liturgy. (San Jose: Resource Publications,
Inc.).
Published fourteen times a year. Each issue
presents a wide variety of articles on a featured liturgical
topic. It also includes regular columns and book reviews, as
well as advertisement, photographs and articles on environment
and art. Available from Resource Publications, Inc., 160 E. Virginia
Street, #290, San Jose, CA 95112; (408)286-8505.
National Bulletin on Liturgy (Ottawa: National
Liturgical Office, Canadian Catholic Conference).
Journal of the Canadian Liturgical Office
published five times a year. Each issue usually explores one
topic in detail and provides a thorough bibliography. Several
issues include questionnaires and tools for evaluating the parish
liturgy, as well as material on the environment for worship.
("House of the Church," Vol. 13, No. 74, May-June,
1980; "Our Parish Liturgy," Vol. 18, No. 99, May-June,
1985; "Non-Verbal Dimensions of the Eucharist," Vol.
22, No. 118, September, 1989). Available from Canadian Conference
of Catholic Bishops, 90 Parent Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7B1,
Canada; (613)236-9461.
Pastoral Music (Washington, D.C. National
Association of Pastoral Musicians). Published six times a year.
While its emphasis is the ministry of music, many articles deal
with the environment for worship as it concerns sound, acoustics,
organ, instruments and placement of choir and cantor. The occasional
photographs of worship spaces are instructive . Available from
NPM (National Association of Pastoral Musicians), 225 Sheridan
Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20011-1492; (202)723-2262.
LITURGICAL DOCUMENTS AND COMMENTARIES
Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy of the
National Conference of Catholic Bishops. Environment and Art
in Catholic Worship. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Catholic Conference,
1978.
(This document, promulgated by the American
Bishops, provides the principles and guidelines which ought to
underline the work of building new worship spaces and renovating
old ones. It also offers those who prepare the worship space
valuable information and thirty-nine illustrations (first edition).
An edition in English and Spanish was published in 1986 by Liturgy
Training Publications. It contains a considerable number of high
quality photographs of worship spaces, including several showing
spaces before and after renovation.)
Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy and The
Center for Pastoral Liturgy,
Catholic University of Ameri ca. The Environment
for Worship:
A Reader. Washington, D.C.: Office of Publishing
Services, USCC,
1980.
(This reader is a collection of fourteen
essays by some of the leaders in the field of church art and
architecture. The articles cover a range of topics, including
the history of church architecture, the theology of the eucharist
and its influence on the shape of the liturgical environment,
and parish and diocesan guidelines for building and renovating
worship spaces.)
Boyer, Mark G., The Liturgical Environment:
What the Documents Say. Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1990.
(This text examines and applies present
liturgical law to the environment and furnishings for worship.
It can assist those who are involved in planning, building, decorating
and renovating worship spaces.)
The Liturgy Documents: A Parish Resource
(Third Edition). Elizabeth Hoffman (ed.). Chicago: Liturgy Training
Publications, 1991.
(The most recent collection of the important
liturgical docume nts, including the Constitution on the Sacred
Liturgy and the documents from the Bishops' Committee on the
Liturgy. The index provides a convenient reference. This edition
includes a general introduction, as well as introductions to
each document written by well-known liturgists.)
Simons, Thomas G. and Fitzpatrick, James
M. The Ministry of Liturgical Environment. Collegeville: The
Liturgical Press, 1984.
(This small pamphlet is valuable for every
liturgical minister. It serves as a commentary on the principles
of the document on Environment and Art in Catholic Worship. It
offers suggestions for implementation and provides a listing
of resources. The first chapter, "Space and Worship,"
is a concise summary of the problem of applying the word "church"
to both assembly and building.)
BOOKS, MANUALS AND LITURGICAL RESOURCES
Building and Renovation Kit for Places
of Catholic Worship. Edited by Bill Brown, AIA. Chicago: Liturgy
Training Publications, 1982.
(This three-ring binder work book offers
a five-part collection of substantial material to assist a parish
preparing to build or renovate. The sections include Introduction,
Process, Tools, Resources and Guidelines. It is out of print,
but often available through a diocesan Office of Worship.)
Environment for Catholic Worship. Washington,
D.C.: Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions, 1988.
(This is an eleven part series of single
page, two-sided parish handouts or bulletin inserts on the liturgical
environment. The historical and descriptive essays are concise
and well written by Andrew Ciferni, O. Praem., with engaging
illustrations by George Yu Associates. Excerpts from the document
on Environment and Art in Catholic Worship follow each essay.
Topics include "Assembly Seating," "Baptistry,"
"A Climate of Hospitality." A parish may purchase a
set of original copies and the copyright permission to reprint
the series. It is available from FDLC, P.O. Box 29039, Washington,
D.C. 20017; (202)635-6990.)
Fischer, Balthasar. Signs, Words and Gestures:
Short Homilies on the Liturgy. Translated by Matthew J. O'Connell.
New York: Pueblo Publishing Company, 1981.
(This series of thirty short homilies,
includes several reflections on the environment, symbols and
gestures of worship (e.g. the sign of water, kissing the altar,
extending the hands in prayer). The last ten homilies are directed
toward children and serve as an insightful model for catechizing
youth about the liturgy.)
From Ashes to Easter: Lenten Renewal for
the Churches. The Liturgical Conference and The Center for Pastoral
Liturgy, Catholic University of America, 1979.
(The leader's guide for this widely-known
Lenten renewal program contains models for prayer services and
discussion groups surrounding the themes of Christian conversion
and primary liturgical symbols.)
Gagné, Suzanne. Renewing the Worship
Environment by Community Design: A Case Study and Theological
Model. Unpublished Thesis, Graduate Theological Union, Jesuit
School of Theology at Berkeley, 1987.
(This master's thesis follows step-by-step
the process which one parish used in renovating its worship space.
It includes a detailed account and time-line of the renovation
process, a critique of the decision-making model, and tools which
were used, such as process tasks and job descriptions. It would
be valuable resource for a parish undertaking a major renovation
project and for diocesan and parish committees who oversee such
projects.)
Kavanagh, Aidan. Elements of Rite. New
York: Pueblo Publishing Company, Inc., 1982.
(One of the foremost liturgical theologians
presents a listing of practical suggestions and cautions about
worship, its celebration and environment.)
Lewinski, Ron. A Guide to the Paschal Mission.
Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1981.
(This booklet accompanies LTP's Lenten
program, Paschal Mission. It contains a series of beautiful liturgies/prayer
services arranged around a sacramental or liturgical symbol (e.g.
cross, fire, scriptures, incense). These services could be adapted
for use in a wide variety of settings to help people enter more
deeply into the symbols that comprise our liturgy.)
Liturgical Consultants for Worship Space.
Washington, D.C.: Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions,
1989.
(This directory includes names, services
and qualifications of twenty-five liturgical consultants. While
it is difficult to define the role of liturgical consultant for
new and renovated worship spaces, this listing is a beginning,
and, currently, the only such resource. It is undergoing expansion
and revision.)
Mauck, Marchita. Shaping a House for the
Church. Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1990.
(An informative book for pastors, committees
and all those working on a new or renovated worship space. Besides
the well-researched chapters on aspects of the liturgical environment,
it contains informative historical background, as well as excellent
photographs, illustrations and examples of church buildings,
baptistries, gathering spaces and liturgical furnishings.)
Ostdiek, Gilbert. Catechesis for Liturgy:
A Program for Parish Involvement. Washington, D.C.: The Pastoral
Press, 1986.
(This book outlines an approach for helping
people to understand the working of the liturgy and the community
at prayer. It is a mystagogy on the liturgy, using Thomas Groome's
method of "shared Christian praxis." Part II includes
chapters on "Liturgical Space" (Chapter 1) and "Liturgical
Environment" (Chapter 2).
Shaping Our Space: Principles to Guide
the Process of Building and Renovating the Worship Space. Office
of Worship, Diocese of Lansing, 1991.
(This resource was written for parish design
committees involved in building or renovating worship spaces.The
forty-two page booklet focuses on the document for Environment
and Art i n Catholic Worship and, through a series of reflection
questions, examines each focal point of the church building.
Available from Office of Worship, Diocese of Lansing, 1500 E.
Saginaw, Suite #2, Lansing, MI, 48906; (517)484-5755.)
Sourcebook for Sundays and Seasons, 1996.
Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1991.
(This is one of the primary resources for
pastors and liturgy planners. It includes seasonal suggestions
for the worship environment throughout the liturgical year. It
also contains an extensive list of resources for every aspect
of the liturgy. Available from LTP, 1800 North Hermitage Avenue,
Chicago, IL 60622-1101; (312) 486-8970.)
Sovik, E.A. Architecture for Worship. Minneapolis:
Augsburg Publishing House, 1973.
(One of the early attempts to propose alternatives
to traditional Gothic or processional-style church buildings.
Chapters of the book include discussions on the primacy of persons
over buildings and creating spaces which put p ~eople in visual
contact with one another.)
Vosko, Richard. Through the Eye of a Rose
Window: A Perspective on the Environment for Worship. San Jose:
Resource Publications, 1981.
(A concise booklet that would serve as
a good introduction to the primary concerns and issues of liturgical
environment and art for parishioners serving on a design or renovation
committee.)
White, James F. and Susan J. Church Architecture,
Building and Renovating for Christian Worship. Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 1988.
(A basic resource that provides background
for communities that are building or renovating a worship space.The
book is written from an ecumenical perspective.)
AUDIO-VISUAL RESOURCES
A House for the Church. Chicago: Federation
of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions, 1980.
(A five-part audio-visual presentation
intended to serve as a companion to the document on Environment
3and Art in Catholic Worship. It provides visual examples of
liturgical spaces, symbols, art and artifacts for worship. The
accompanying guide provides prayer services and discussion questions.)
Toward Understanding Modern Churches. New
York: Lutheran Film Associates, 315 Park Ave. S., 1971.
Toward Understanding Flexible Church Space.
New York: Lutheran Film Associates, 315 Park Ave. S., 1971.
(Both of the above filmstrips are twenty
years old and reflect some of the earlier attempts to present
fresh approaches to church buildings. They successfully depict
a number of creative contemporary spaces and some insightful
use of flexible space for worship. The accompanying guides contain
material for group discussion.)
Worship Space. Washington, D.C.: Federation
of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions, 1983.
(A serie s of 230 slides, prepared by William
J. Woeger, FSC., as a visual supplement for the document on Environment
and Art in Catholic Worship and FDLC's A House for the Church.
The slides cover a wide range and quality of liturgical material,
including new and renovated spaces, vesture, liturgical objects,
art and artifacts. In viewing the slides, committee members can
examine and evaluate contemporary building and art projects from
across the country.)
"ENVIRONMENT FOR CATHOLIC WORSHIP"
This eleven-part series of essays has been
published by the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions
(FDLC) and is reprinted here with their permission. The concise
and informative essays are written by Andrew D. Ciferni, O. Praem.
The historical and contemporary illustrati ons are by George
Yu Associates. Each topic, dealing with a different aspect of
the environment for worship, is accompanied by a corresponding
section of the document on Environment and Art in Catholic Worship.
The essays can be distributed to a parish as bulletin inserts.
They would serve well as discussion topics for an adult education
program, for introducing catechumens to Catholic worship and
for liturgy committee members. Those who are entrusted with the
care of the worship space or who are involved with a building
or renovation project ought to be familiar with the contents
of these essays. Information on reproduction and copyright permission
is given below. (Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions,
P. O. Box 29039, Washington, D.C. 20017; 202/635-6990).
