Liturgical Spirituality

Dates: 1 – 13 July 2013
(free days Saturday 6^th, Sunday 7^th, Feast of S. Benedict on Thursday 11^th)

Hours: 10.00-12.50 (including a break)

The course anticipates the student will spend 60 hours in personal reading and study.

Location: Benedictine Study and Arts Centre (at Ealing Abbey)
74 Castlebar Road Ealing London, W5 2DD, UK

 

KU Leuven awards 4 study points to this graduate course.
This course fulfils the required elective course for the award in Liturgical Studies offered by the Institutum Liturgicum.

 

Previous knowledge

It is recommended that students have a general familiarity with the Bible and the history of western civilization in the Christian period and, in particular, with the various liturgical celebrations of the Catholic or another Church in order to understand the general context of these events and celebrations.

 

Content

This course addresses not only the historical data and theological expressions, but also how to interpret the different understandings of liturgical spirituality. Through participation, reflection and private study students prepare for an oral presentation during the last encounter. The course focuses on the following elements:

i. a survey of historical models of liturgical spirituality,
ii. a comparative critical study of the growing separation of liturgy from interior prayer and popular piety,
iii. a synthetic-interdisciplinary discussion of ways for reconciling liturgy and spirituality,
iv. a final proposal of the divine-human exchange in the celebration of the liturgy as motivation for daily Christian living and for promoting the integral human formation of the ecclesial person.

 

Course Material

♦ The Library resources are available to the participants including research tools, and many study editions of Latin liturgical books.
♦ Participants with a personal computer, with a LAN cable or wireless connectivity and a UK plug-in adapter will benefit more readily from online resources.
♦ CORBON, J., Wellsprings of Worship, tr M. O’Connell, Paulist, Mahwah NY 1993.
♦ MADIGAN, S., Liturgical Spirituality and the RCIA (Forum Essay 5), Liturgy Training Publications, Chicago IL 1997.
♦ WAAIJMAN, “ Liturgical Spirituality ”, Forms, Foundations, Models, Peeters, Leuven 2002, 138-146.
♦ AGNEW, U., “ Patrick Kavanagh: Poet of the Transformative Power of the Incarnation ”, in Sources of Transformation: Revitalizing christian Spirituality, ed. E. Howells – P. Tyler, Continuum, London 2010, 159-170.

 

Course activities

♦ group study and discussion of the recommended literature and liturgical and cultural records
♦ participate in class activities
♦ identify some of the theological issues in the renewal and development of the liturgy
♦ discuss some of the major issues concerning liturgical spirituality since Vatican II
♦ identify some of the major issues in a named country or context.

 

Evaluation description

Examination type: oral (100%); with written preparation.

When: the oral exam is conducted during the final session; and written preparation comprises preparatory notes handed in at the beginning of the oral exam.

Explanation: Students choose and prepare one model of liturgical spirituality in church history for more detailed study and are able to compare other understandings of liturgical spirituality for a more synthetic and reflective response. At the beginning of the oral exam students hand in one copy of their written notes. The function of the written preparation is to support the student in his or her oral presentation and discussion, and then is kept on file for one year. Students may use their prepared written notes in the exam, but the full mark is based on the student’s oral presentation of their reflection to the instructor and their discussion.

Criteria for evaluation: There are two questions in the final oral exam. The first question asks for a descriptive-analytical response concerning the characteristics of one of the models of liturgical spirituality examined in the course, selected by the student. The second question asks for a synthetic-applied response covering the major issues concerning different understandings and models of liturgical spirituality since the Second Vatican Council. The discussion is intended to help the student provide a satisfactory answer.

Second opportunity to sit the exam: Because this is an intensive summer course, the opportunity for a second exam is by appointment and depends upon the availability of the instructor.

 

Note: Students must be over 18 years of age.

The course anticipates the student will spend 60 hours in personal reading and study.

This course is designed so that prepared students may also enrol in Liturgy in the West: History and Context, L702, but students may wish to prepare for the intensive schedule by reading suggested texts before the course begins.

 

Dates: Block I

1-5 July (Monday to Friday; free day Saturday 6^th, Sunday 7^th)
8-10 July (Monday to Wednesday; free day Feast of St Benedict, Thursday 11^th)
12-13 July (Friday to Saturday)

Students are invited to attend the St Bede Annual Lecture on Saturday afternoon, 6 July.

The instructor will arrange with the students to be available regularly for some time in the Study Centre and is also available by appointment.

 

Accommodation:

Limited accommodation is available for students over 18 years of age through Ealing Abbey or other religious houses or nearby.

Residential students may arrange to arrive on Saturday 14, Sunday 15 or Monday 16 July 2012 and depart on Friday 26 or Saturday 27 July 2012.

 Academic year: 2013−2014

 Study points: 4

 Language: English

 Difficulty: Graduate-Intermediate

 Duration: 26.0 hours

 Periodicity: Taught biennially in Block I

 POC: POC Theology and Religious Studies

 

This course is included in

Master of Theology and Religious Studies Study Abroad Programme in European Culture and Society (PECS).

A link to the course descriptor at KU Leuven is here. The course is based one offered in Italian by the same professor at Sant’Anselmo, Rome.