An Abundance of Graces: Reflections on Sacrosanctum Concilium

Dr. Pamela Jackson is Associate Director for Research and Program Development at the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy. She was a key speaker at the April 2005 congress "The Lost Language of Vatican II: Cosmic and Heavenly Dimensions of the Sacred Liturgy" organized by the University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary; she also assists the National Conference of Catholic Bishops as a consultant in liturgical matters. And she knows what she's talking about. This books consists of the following three critical documents, with an introductory commentary: Sacrosanctum Concilium itself; Pius X's classic text on sacred music; and Pius XII's encyclical "Mediator Dei" on the sacred liturgy. Points highlighed by Dr. Jackson, either in this text and/or elswhere, include: 1) the fact these three documents should read as a tryptich; 2)that Mediator Dei is everywhere in SC (just not cited sufficiently); 3)that the Liturgy is the (penultimate) consummation of salvation history; 4) that the emphasis on sacrifice, adoration, and the eschaton have not been sufficiently stressed in Liturgy -- DESPITE what SC actually says; 5) that Gregorian Chant, according to SC, demands "pride of place" in the Liturgy. Want to get a taste of what Catholic Liturgy's all about? Start here.