Product Description

This thought-provoking, scholarly commentary takes a retrospective look at 'Sacrosanctum Concilium', and reflects on the Constitution in light of three questions:

What is Sacrosanctum Concilium's vision of what is actually 'going on' in the celebration of the liturgy--what is the purpose of the liturgy that was given to the Church?
What is the nature of the liturgical changes called for by the Council Fathers?
What aspects of Sacrosanctum Concilium still need to receive attention?

discusses the impact of pre-Vatican II liturgical reformers, analyzes the implementation of Vatican II reforms in the light of the documents, and examines the beauty and richness of Sacrosanctum Concilium and considers what is still possible to do.

It features Saint Pius X's 'Motu Proprio', 'Tra le sollicitudine', Pius XII's 'Mediator Dei', and 'Sacrosanctum Concilium' in one easy-to-read appendix. Published By Liturgy Training Publications.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #924286 in Books
• Published on: 2004-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 179 pages

About the Author
Pamela E. Jackson holds a PhD from Yale University in patristics. She is a former professor and dean of formation at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and is currently the associate director for research and program development at the Center for Pastoral Liturgy, University of Notre Dame. Jackson is a frequent lecturer and contributor to scholarly journals.

Customer Reviews

An Abundance of Common Sense
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.