Rorate Caeli

Ars Celebrandi 2016 ends with magnificent Mass

From the Ars Celebrandi 2016 press release:





“What is most amazing for me — but amazing in a joyful way — is the fact that a great interest for this form of celebrating liturgy -- the form which is by no means easy -- is being expressed by so many young people”, Bishop Wiesław Mering, ordinary of Włocławek diocese, said. The solemn Mass coram episcopo in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, celebrated in Bishop Mering in the main basilica of the Sanctuary of Our Lady in Licheń, Poland was the climax point of the Third “Ars Celebrandi” Liturgical Workshops.

“We hear predictions speaking that Christianity is dying, that its power is running out, from many sides. Meanwhile an interest of young people in this difficult, but beautiful form of liturgy raises a great hope” — he added. Bishop Mering emphasized the fact that there are attempts to deprive young people of their tradition, “to tear out some part of their identity from their hearts”. In a consequence they are not able to find their place in life. “In my opinion the proof of this is the fact that so many young people suffer all kinds of depression, or they lose a sense of life” — the Ordinary of the diocese said.

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Bishop Wiesław Mering stated that as a bishop he had never participated before in a liturgy of the Mass that had been so carefully prepared and so full of meaningful signs; and he praised organizers and participants of the “Ars Celebrandi” Liturgical Workshops for their respect for the Most Holy Sacrament, shown by their accurate celebration of the liturgy.

The “Ars Celebrandi” Liturgical Workshops in the sanctuary of Our Lady of Licheń took place for the third time. This year’s edition lasted from August 4 to 11th. 170 participants (priests, religious people and laity) from Poland and abroad learned celebrating Masses in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite or in the Dominican Rite; or serving as altar boys or liturgical singers (Gregorian chant; old polyphony; traditional Polish folk devotional chants). Moreover, they sang the Divine Office in Gregorian chant.

The event was organized by the Una Voce Polonia Association. His Excellency Bishop Wiesław Mering of Włocławek diocese (the Ordinary of the diocese) and the Organizing Committee of the World Youth Days Cracow 2016 had honorary patronage over it.

Additional photos from the Missa coram episcopo with attendance of His Excellency Bishop Wiesław Mering are available at the Ars Celebrandi website.