Children’s liturgy : a theological, pastoral reflection 50 years after the promulgation of ‘Sacrosanctum Concilium’

Abstract

Since starting working voluntarily in my local parish with kids of a tender age, I became interested in how children can have a nice and full experience during Mass in the church parishes. This dissertation was seen as an opportunity to focus on an area regarding children’s liturgy which seemed to be evolving over the last 50 years particularly after the Second Vatican Council. One of the topics which had always been of my interest was that of liturgy and the children’s participation during Mass, especially when many children attend on Sundays with their relatives. It was therefore decided to focus my study on children’s liturgy by researching the kind of their participation and role in the Church. This research project aims to: 1. Analyse what does the Church has been saying on this topic throughout the past fifty years in Her documents after the Second Vatican Council, especially after the promulgation of the Sacrosanctum Concilium Constitution. 2. Explore what the documents are saying about this topic and what they are encouraging us to thing about and do. 3. Identify aspects that can take place in concrete things and actions from the analysis done throughout this Dissertation.

This dissertation is divided into four chapters. This chapter gave an overview of the dissertation, its aims and the rationale behind establishing these aims. The following chapter will analyze what the liturgy is, its nature and ecclesiology, the role of the laity, the meaning of a true, active and conscious participation, and its outcomes in the liturgy. Chapter two concentrates on the document prepared by the Congregation for Divine Worship, the ‘Directory of Masses with Children’, and reflect on it together with different reflections. Ultimately, chapter four concludes this study, posing some certain pastoral initiatives during the Sunday Liturgy carried out from the Dissertation, this include practical ways that will enable the true, active and conscious participation of the children in the Sunday Mass of the Eucharist celebration.