Liturgy for the New Millennium: A Commentary on the Revised Sacramentary

Rating:
Summary: Not what one might expect
Review: The new Sacramentary is coming out soon and I am eager to learn more about it. Since this book is a collection of 11 essays, subtitled "A commentary on the Revised Sacramentary" I thought it might be an exciting introduction to an integral part of our lives, the way we pray at Mass and the words we use to pray publicly. No. Barely. Two of the essays are about Anscar Chupungco. (?!) Even after reading the book, I couldn't figure out why I should want to know so much about him, although every essay mentioned him and there was full page photo of him. "Incultration, then, is a basic premise of liturgical translation. Anscar Chupungco, rightly noted for his work in this area..."(p.33) Even so, I am interested in the liturgy and not in him. Many of the details were fascinating, including examples of the many drafts the Sacramentary went through, but these essays seem to be all about the minute details around the edges and not about the core - how and what is about to happen.

It seems to be a scholar's text; there were terms I didn't understand and for which there were no explanation. The text seemed remote. Too bad. We lay folk are so hungry.