Dear Friends,

Welcome to another year of Pastoral Liturgy®.

I hope that you have found blessings in your experiences with implementing the third edition of The Roman Missal. This edition of the Missal is having a profound impact on the Church as parishes across the English-speaking world probe the depths of the liturgy. During the past year, as parishes and dioceses have prepared for the Missal's implementation, a hunger for formation on the liturgy was apparent in congregations, workshops, and conferences. Pastors who placed Liturgy Training Publications' Understanding the Revised Mass Texts booklets in their foyers reported that parishioners were eager to read them.

We need to remember that catechesis will continue even though parishioners have pew cards in hand, respond with "And with your spirit," and smoothly say "consubstantial." Some say that this time in the post-implementation of the Missal is just the beginning of catechesis. We need to enter into a mystagogical stage to break open, not only the words, but the mysteries within the liturgy. We need to realize that people would like to deepen their understanding of the Mass. Some priests catechized on parts of the Mass during the year of catechesis. LTP's website, www.RevisedRomanMissal.org has homilies on the Gloria, Sanctus, and Memorial Acclamations and will continue to offer homilies as the year progresses. You will want to periodically check that site for resources. Pastoral Liturgy® will continue to provide bulletin inserts on parts of the Mass. Download the bulletin insert "Lord, I Am Not Worthy," written by D. Todd Williamson, director of the Office of Divine Worship of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Pastoral Liturgy® will continue to offer reflections on The Roman Missal. In this issue, Christopher Carstens's article "Noteworthy Translation Changes in the GIRM" considers such changes as "reader" and "lector" and "Universal Prayer" and "Prayer of the Faithful." Our new writer, James A. Wickman, helps us reflect on the prayers of the Missal in the Preparing the Season article "Probing the Depths of Liturgical Time."

Editor Mary G. Fox checked with several parishes and dioceses across the country to find which Mass settings will be sung in parishes and at diocesan liturgies. Included in her report "Settings Match Parish Needs" is Michael Silhavy's survey of parishes in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. That survey showed that 60 parishes had selected nearly 30 Mass settings. Our liturgical composers have provided us with a rich assortment of music.

This issue looks forward to Lent and the Triduum. In the Liturgical Environment article "Seeing Our Brokenness," Mary Patricia Storms tells how we can illustrate our need for healing. Graziano Marcheschi, the director for Ministerial Resource Development for the Archdiocese of Chicago, provides a reflection on the Exsultet encouraging preparation to engage in that powerful prayer. In "A Prayer Like No Other," he explains: "The odds of praying the Exsultet authentically will be much greater if we have journeyed through the weeks of Lent with the Christ whose victory we celebrate and share."

May the blessings of the season be with you.

Bishop Joseph N. Perry
Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago

Using the liturgy as its source, Pastoral Liturgy® has been intentionally designed to be of service to the whole parish with resources for leaders and parishioners, those who are just beginning to learn about liturgy, and those who are seasoned volunteers and professionals.

The six 32-page, full-color issues follow the course of the liturgical year to provide guidance for liturgy preparation, faith formation, liturgical art and architecture, and the many areas of parish ministry that flow from the liturgy to witness the Gospel and build the kingdom of God.

Pastors, parish staffs, liturgy committees, catechists, musicians, architects, and everyone seeking to learn more about how the liturgy forms and informs all of parish life will find this resource a valuable support to understanding the liturgy more fully and incorporating it as the source for all they do. That's why Pastoral Liturgy® magazine is the liturgy magazine for the whole parish!