Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of Boston records
Dates
- Creation: 1964 - 1979
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1970 - 1975
Scope and Contents
Official records of the Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of Boston, including correspondence, financial records, meeting minutes, reports, publications, and other material. The Commission, charged with implementing liturgical changes called for in the Second Vatican Council, systematically reviewed all aspects of the liturgy and issued guidelines and trainings for priests, deacons, and laypeople. Topics included: music in the liturgy, especially during weddings; liturgies for children; special liturgies for baptism of infants and children; marriage and wedding liturgies; communal penance; clergy formation and training; ministry to the sick; Extraordinary Ministers of Communion; art and architecture in worship; the liturgical calendar; and televised Masses. They also corresponded with members of parish councils working to implement liturgical changes at a local level, and with other laypeople who had concerns about the changes being made and the manner in which they were being carried out. Particularly thorny issues included the outlawing of the Latin Tridentine (Pius V) Mass, allowing women to serve liturgical roles, and allegedly “rogue” priests using experimental liturgies.
Creator
Restrictions on access
Collection is open for research.
Restrictions on use
These materials are made available for use in research, teaching and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. The original authors may retain copyright to the materials.
Historical note
The Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of Boston was established in 1964 to plan and implement the liturgical changes which followed the Second Vatican Council. The Commission was charged with advising the Archbishop in his role as chief liturgist of the archdiocese, promoting participation in the liturgy, and providing liturgical guidance and training to priests, deacons, and laypeople. The Commission was composed of nine to fifteen members, in addition to the Archbishop (or his delegate), the Director, the liturgy professor at Saint John’s Seminary, and the Archdiocesan Secretary for Pastoral Services. It was led by three officers: a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and a Secretary. There were five standing committees: the Executive Committee, the Liturgical Music Committee, the Art and Environment Committee, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) Committee, and the Liturgy and Sacraments Committee. In addition, the Commission encouraged and advised vicariate- and parish-level liturgical councils. The Boston Commission maintained active participation in the national Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions (FDLC), including hosting their 1975 convention. Additionally, they worked closely with the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM), the American Guild of Organists (AGO), and other related organizations.
Source:
Archdiocese of Boston, "Liturgical Commission Bylaws," https://www.bostoncatholic.org/liturgical-commission-bylaws. Accessed February 10, 2023.
Extent
4.75 Linear Feet (9 containers)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Official records of the Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of Boston, including correspondence, financial records, meeting minutes, reports, publications, and other material.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in three series: I. Chronological files; II. Administrative files; and III. Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions (FDLC). Each series is internally arranged chronologically.
Provenance
Because the current accessioning system was not used until January 1986, it is not possible to know exactly the dates of acquisition of materials received before that time.
Separated Materials
Published works associated with this collection have been transferred within the Burns Library and can be found in the Boston College Library catalog.
Processing Information
The archivist maintained the original chronological files these records arrived in, which contain correspondence, financial records, meeting minutes, reports, publications, and other material. The additional files -- those now in the Administrative files and Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions (FDLC) series -- were renamed with folder titles that described their content. All materials were rehoused using archival folders and boxes.
- Duplicates, personal financial records, newspaper clippings, conference rsvp slips
- Title
- Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of Boston Records
- Subtitle
- 1964-1979 (bulk 1970-1975)
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Elizabeth Peters
- Date
- 2023
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the John J. Burns Library Repository
John J. Burns Library
Boston College
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill MA 02467 United States
617-552-4861
library.bc.edu/burns/contact