Directives for the Celebration of the Liturgy (Book Review)

Directives for the Celebration of the Liturgy, Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, CCBI, Bangalore, 2016, ISBN 978-81-930805-3-5, pp. 84, Rs. 150.

The Liturgy is the Source and Summit of the life and the mission of the Church (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 10). The book under review starts with these words and I have gone with them too because they are the raison d’être for this book. India has had a liturgical renewal over the years but hasn’t yet achieved the goals dreamt for it by the Vatican Council. Hence, the bishops, who are the chief liturgists of the local Church felt the need of giving a direction to the ‘celebration of the liturgy so as to enable all members of the faithful celebrate and live the liturgy to its fullest’. The book consists of directives that were agreed upon by the Plenary Assembly. They aim to ensure that the liturgy is celebrated faithfully, devoutly and with due respect to the sense of the sacred that is characteristic of the Asian spirit.

The introduction talks about the need for liturgical norms and points to their source. It then goes on to give directives for everything connected to the liturgy right from the Liturgical space or Place of prayer to the manner of celebrating the Liturgical Year. Everything in between is also given its fair share of attention. The general pattern found throughout the book is a combination of the theoretical aspect with the practical implications. This is what makes this book a handy guide. It is a wonderful and concise reference book for anything connected to the liturgy. It has 13 chapters and the 14^th chapter is the concluding one. For seminarians who have studied liturgy, the book refreshes our knowledge while also perhaps enlightening us a few modern influences, like the use of audio-visuals for example. I was surprised to read about a few directives that were mentioned as the contrary had been practiced by us in the seminary. So in quite a few ways the book refreshed and updated my knowledge of liturgy and I’m sure it will do the same to anyone who reads it. For a layperson it is a simple and wonderful way of understanding the liturgy and participating in it better.

The appendix consists of ‘Do’s and Don’ts in Liturgy’ which is perhaps something every person, but more specifically priests and religious ought to keep in mind. I highly recommend this book particularly for those in formation as it helps set a good and strong foundation with regard to liturgy and its manner of celebration. I will conclude with an exhortation to all priests to take this book in hand, read it again and again till the directives given become a part of your mental processes. The key person in the liturgical celebration is the priest and it is imperative that they are aware of what they ought and ought not to do.