In the Diocese of Salt Lake City, plans for catechizing on the third edition of the Roman Missal are varied. Office of Liturgy Director Timothy Johnston directs his column in the diocesan newspaper to discussing the liturgy. “The goal of this column,” he said, “is to discuss the theology of the parts of the Mass while introducing conversation on the revised texts.”
Salt Lake City is a mission diocese covering 84,889 square miles, with a recorded Catholic population of 230,000 but the number of undocumented Catholics could move the total to nearly 300,000. Serving that population in 48 parishes and 19 missions are fewer than 50 diocesan priests and a number of order priests.
In the spring of 2009, the diocese also sponsored workshops for priests on Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship with Father Anthony Ruff, O.S.B., and on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Those workshops helped the priests grow in appreciation for sung prayer and provided for a renewal in their liturgical sense.
Hosting the Southwest Liturgical Conference Study Week “Ever Ancient, Ever New: Preparing for the New Roman Missal,” February 2 -5, 2011, in the diocese is seen as an opportunity for catechesis. “Bishop Wester has already said this study week is the priority of the diocese in the coming year,” Johnston said. He added, “During the study week there will be talks exploring the history of the revisions and missals in general, and how it will affect us as a community grieving the old texts, but celebrating the new. We will do theological reflection and many of the break-outs will deal with the practical parts of the missal and how to smoothly implement. I feel this study week will be our launching point for more intense study before the implementation date.”
The Diocese of Salt Lake City is in the process of gathering a subcommittee of the Liturgical Commission to discuss the third edition of the Roman Missal and how to implement it. Johnston is projecting that regional conversations will be held on liturgy and the missal. He would like to hold study days on the liturgy with deaneries.