Benedictine Liturgy ...by Sr. Monika

A Benedictine's life centers on living out the Gospel within community, prayer both communal and personal,  and service to the neighbor. The particular prayer we pray together is the Liturgy of the Hours, a celebration of the annual and weekly cycles of the church year, with their seasons and feasts.

The Liturgical Year

At St. Placid we have a rotation of sisters who plan weekly liturgies for Mass. This week, beginning with the third Sunday of the month,  is my week to prepare liturgies.

First I look at the Sunday readings. This coming Sunday is the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time. There are rich and beautiful readings from Isaiah, St. James, and the Gospel according to Mark.

Next I take a look at the liturgy we have in our file. Is it fitting for our Sunday Mass? Is the music appropriate? Does it need anything, e.g., current prayers of the faithful? If the file is adequate I create a notice for our bulletin board asking for readers. The sisters sign up for liturgical ministries. 

After that I determine whether we need a choir practice,  which usually happens on Thursdays just ahead of Mass. I will also have looked at the week's daily Masses to see if we are celebrating a feast day. On September 17 we celebrate the great Benedictine Saint and Doctor of the Church, Hildegard of Bingen. On September 21 we celebrate the feast of St. Matthew the Evangelist.

Each feast has its own liturgies for Mass and the Hours. The liturgist (me) will be busy this week, all part of life as a Benedictine. That in all things God may be glorified!