Key Elements of Prayer and Liturgy

Ritual
Ritual is a fundamental human activity. The word designates a structured group activity that uses words, gestures, symbols, and movement that have been used by others over time. Human beings use rituals to express some of the things that are significant to them, such as their shared identity. Rituals highlight the things that are most important to people, and reinforce and pass on the values, beliefs, and inner relationships of their group. Rituals are learned by participating in them.

Not all rituals are religious – schools ritualise key moments in the journey their pupils make
during their life in school, and they also highlight the calendar of the school year. For example, the departure of leavers is marked by a cluster of special activities and events. What makes these events different from other structured events (e.g., calling the register or bringing an end to breaktime) is that they have layers of meaning and are not simply routine.

Christianity brings a particular and unique dimension to ritual because of its belief in the
Incarnation: the fact that the Son of God assumed a human nature in order to accomplish
our salvation. God has reached out to humanity and is encountered in the humanity of Christ.
Christian ritual, therefore, takes Christ as its primary focus, believes in his promise to be present where two or three are gathered, and continues to take seriously that God acts in and through the material universe. At the core of the Catholic Church’s ritual life, therefore, is the celebration of the Sacraments, which draw richly on symbols taken from the natural world and mark significant changes in people’s lives.

Scripture
One of the distinctive aspects of Catholic prayer and liturgy is the centrality of scripture.
Scripture has its proper place in all liturgy or celebrations of the word. This is most evident in the proclamation of readings, but will also be found in the prayers we say and the chants we sing. In doing this we open ourselves to listen and respond to God, who is present among us when scripture is proclaimed.

It is not permitted to introduce readings from the sacred texts of other religious traditions in
any time of prayer or liturgy, nor can the readings in the liturgy of the word be replaced by
non-scriptural material.

For the Mass and other sacramental celebrations, the readings which are proclaimed are found in the Lectionary. This is a series of volumes for Sundays, weekdays, the celebration of the Saints, and other occasions. For some celebrations, such as a holyday, the readings are laid down and may not be changed; on other days there may be a number of choices to be made. Any choice needs to strike a balance between the integrity of the scriptural passage on the one hand and the needs of the participants (the pupils) on the other. The Directory for Masses with Children offers a number of options, such as the omission of a reading other than the Gospel or the shortening of the text. Care should be taken when editing a text so that the reason for it being chosen is not lost.

Pride of place is given to the proclamation of the Gospel. The importance of the Gospel is signified in Catholic liturgy by various actions. These include standing up and singing the Acclamation. Consideration may be given to incorporating some of these actions whenever a Gospel passage is proclaimed in prayer or liturgy.

From the first Sunday of Advent 2024 there will be a new Lectionary for England and Wales. The scripture texts are taken from the English Standard Version – Catholic Edition and the Abbey Psalms and Canticles, which have been approved for liturgical use by the bishops of England and Wales. From that date, the use of this Lectionary will be the norm for the celebration of Mass and the Sacraments. It is important that pupils become familiar with the proclamation of the biblical text as sacred scripture. Paraphrases of scripture should not be used in prayer and liturgy.

The proclamation of scripture is not a self-contained event. Often, either within the prayer or
liturgy or as part of the preparation, scripture will need to be introduced so that pupils understand the context and key phrases or images. These things can also be taken up in a reflection on the reading(s). In prayer and celebrations of the word, it can be helpful for pupils to respond in a variety of ways, such as music, drama or movement, written reflection, or in prayer.
• The proclamation of scripture is essential to the liturgy and celebrations of the word.
• Scripture readings cannot be replaced by other texts.
• When the Gospel is proclaimed, it should be a high point and celebrated with signs
of reverence.

Symbol
The use of symbols is central to Catholic prayer and liturgy. Symbols are usually drawn from the natural world – for example, water, light, bread and wine, and oil. In this Directory we distinguish between a symbol and a sign. A sign simply points to one thing beyond itself – for example, a road sign directs a driver towards a particular place. A symbol, on the other hand, is more complex. It can point to several different things at the same time; for example, water is used in the following ways: to cleanse, to hydrate, to nourish, to generate electricity, to destroy, and to take life. Whenever water is used as a symbol, each of these meanings can come into play. So, unlike signs, which need to be crystal clear, symbols are ambiguous. This is a positive thing, because the inherent ambiguity of symbols allows them to convey many different layers of meaning, frequently at the same time. All this, therefore, warns us against always ‘explaining’ symbols and thereby reducing their meaning. The context in which they are celebrated points to the meaning.

Thus, the use of water in baptism picks up on the potential uses of water highlighted above, including cleansing, death and new life, and nourishment. This breadth of meaning gives the symbolic use of water in prayer and liturgy a richness that a simple sign cannot convey. For this reason, there are three basic principles to be borne in mind when incorporating symbols in prayer and liturgy:
• Authenticity: in celebrations of the word and liturgy, symbols are meant to be used. For
example, the symbolic use of light is to illuminate, highlight, and provide a clear focus. Therefore, candles and other lights should have a symbolic function rather than being
merely decorative.
• Maintain the focus: within prayer and liturgy, symbols need their own space so that they
can speak. It is best to use one appropriate symbol as a clear focus rather than many,
which can introduce confusion.
• Generosity: make sure that the symbol is able to engage with and affect the senses of
participants. A minimalist approach (a drop of water, a dab of oil, a symbol that cannot be
seen) is unlikely to produce the desired impact.

The body in prayer and liturgy
Our participation in prayer and liturgy is not restricted to the words we say and sing, but involves our whole bodies. All our senses can be engaged: by the smell of incense, the splash of water, and the taste of the bread and wine as the Eucharist is received. Through the beauty of art and music, our eyes and ears can be drawn deeper into the mystery we celebrate. Without words, our bodies can be vehicles of prayer.

As with all prayer and liturgy, we do not do these things in isolation. Through the power of the
Holy Spirit, our shared actions, and the sounds and movements we make together in the liturgy, not only express and help create our fellowship with one another, but also by grace foster our communion with Christ and with each other. Thus, standing and singing together at the beginning of Mass not only helps us to be a sign of the unity of those who gather, but also to become one body in the liturgical celebration.

There are three aspects to the ways in which our bodies participate in prayer and liturgy:
Movement: liturgy is not static and will involve a number of movements from one place to another. The Mass can be seen as a series of processions (Entrance, Gospel, Gifts, Communion, Sending out).
Posture: in the liturgy, we adopt a number of postures: standing, kneeling, sitting. We do these in common (unless impeded). Each has its significance: standing as a sign of the risen Christ and of reverence; kneeling as sorrow, humility, and adoration; and sitting as a sign of openness and listening. Other postures include bowing and genuflecting, both of which are signs of reverence.
Gesture: the sign of the cross, how we hold our hands in prayer, and the sign of peace are all
gestures found in the liturgy. Pupils learn these so that they are comfortable making them and understanding them.
• It is important to be attentive to the physical, embodied aspects of prayer and liturgy.
• Pupils should be confident in the postures and gestures of prayer and liturgy, and use them
in expression of their faith and prayer.

Silence
Pauses for silent prayer and reflection play an essential part in any prayer or liturgy. These can be the brief pause between one part and the next; the pause for prayer or petition in the Collect or the Intercessions; longer periods of reflection after the readings or Communion; or sustained periods of silence as found in Christian meditation or Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

In each silence there is a purpose, to reflect on what we have heard or experienced and to
prepare us for what comes next. It is an opportunity to listen to the Holy Spirit speaking in our hearts. Staff and pupils need guidance on how best to use these times and how to develop their participation in the silence.
• Times of silence should ideally be found in any prayer or liturgy.