When is a good time to start telling our parishioners formally about the new liturgical changes?

With the implementation date for the third edition of the Roman Missal just a few months away, (the First Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011), NOW is the time to start preparing communities for the transition. In order to make the transition easier for the people in the pews, catechesis on the new texts should begin, at the latest, in October. There are a plethora of resources available to help you educate parishioners about the textual changes in the Roman Missal. Listed below are just a few websites that provide catechetical resources for the transition. I also highly recommend the following blog post from PrayTell author, Diana Macalintal, entitled “Using the Homily to prepare for the Roman Missal.” Included in Macalintal’s post is a Sunday-by-Sunday guide that suggests using the homily to introduce the new liturgical texts. What is superb about this article is that Macalintal chooses one textual change a week and that change is directly related to the Sunday readings. This proposed guide provides liturgical catechesis that flows organically from the Liturgy of the Word. One final note, check with your local office of worship because your Bishop may have already given your diocese permission to begin using the new Musical Mass settings before November 27.

Other Resources:
Liturgical Press
Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commisions
Liturgy Training Publication

Julianne E. Wallace is the director of campus ministry at Alvernia University in Reading, Pennsylvania. She is currently working on a D.Min. in Educational Leadership from Virginia Theological Seminary. She earned an M.T.S. in Word and Worship from the Washington Theological Union in Washington, D.C. and a B.A. in Music Performance from the University of Mary Washington in Virginia. Julianne is passionate about sharing the joy of liturgy with others and helping everyone to worship well.