Pope Leo XIV urged parishes to invest in liturgical formation, especially for lectors, while also encouraging people to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and calling for attention to be paid to popular piety.
While receiving participants in a course organized by the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of St. Anselm in Rome at the Apostolic Palace for diocesan liturgical pastoral workers, the Holy Father said that “in the dioceses and parishes there is a need for such formation” and encouraged the creation of “biblical and liturgical courses” in places where such formation programs are lacking.
Through such courses, the pope said the institute could help local churches and parish communities “to be formed by the word of God, explaining the texts of the weekday and feast day Lectionary.”
For the pope, it is important that the liturgy be “expression of a community that cares for its celebrations, prepares them, and lives them to the full.”
Regarding biblical formation combined with liturgical formation, he recommended that those in charge of liturgical ministry pay “particular attention” to those who proclaim the word of God.
Referring to lectors and those who regularly read the Scriptures, the Holy Father said that “basic biblical knowledge, clear diction, the ability to sing the responsorial psalm, as well as to compose prayers of the faithful for the community are important aspects that implement liturgical reform and help the people of God grow on their path.”
“We are well aware that liturgical formation is one of the main themes of the entire conciliar and postconciliar journey,” Leo XIV stated.
In this regard, he affirmed that while “much progress has been made” there is still “a long way to go.” “Let us not tire: Let us enthusiastically resume the good initiatives inspired by the reform and, at the same time, seek new ways and new methods,” he urged.
The pope said the aim is “to foster the fruitful participation of the people of God as well as a dignified liturgy that is attentive to different sensibilities and sober in its solemnity.”
Among other things, he expressly asked the diocesan liturgy to promote the Liturgy of the Hours and to nurture the dimension of “popular piety.”
“Among the aspects linked to your service as directors, I would like to mention the promotion of the Liturgy of the Hours, care for popular piety, and attention to the celebratory dimension in the construction of new churches and the adaptation of existing ones,” he stated.
“In many parishes, then, there are also liturgical groups who must work in synergy with the diocesan commission,” the pope noted.
Parish liturgy committees
The Holy Father continued: “The experience of a group, even small but well motivated, that is concerned with the preparation of the liturgy is an expression of a community that cares for its celebrations, prepares them, and lives them to the full, in agreement with the parish priest.”
“In this way, we avoid delegating everything to him and leaving only a few people responsible for singing, proclaiming the word, and decorating the church,” he explained.
Similarly, he lamented that these parish groups “have dwindled to nothing, as if they had lost their identity.” Therefore, he called for a commitment to make “this area of Church life attractive again, capable of involving people who are competent or at least inclined to this type of service.”
He thus encouraged liturgical leaders to propose to parish priests “formation courses to start or consolidate liturgical groups in the parish, training their members and offering suggestions for their activities."