Bishop Erik Pohlmeier to lead workshop on understanding the sacred mystery at the heart of Catholic life

For many Catholics, the Mass is one of the most familiar parts of life.

We know when to stand, sit and kneel. We recognize the prayers and responses. We gather each week to hear God’s Word and receive the Eucharist. Yet even faithful Catholics sometimes admit they do not fully understand everything taking place before them.

What does it mean that the Mass is a sacrifice? Why is silence so important? What does the Church mean by “active participation”? How does the Eucharist shape our lives beyond the walls of the church?

Those questions are at the heart of a new diocesan workshop, The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: In Light of the Second Vatican Council, presented by Bishop Erik Pohlmeier and sponsored by the Diocesan Liturgical Commission.

The workshop comes at a time when many Catholics are rediscovering a hunger for the Eucharist. In recent years, Eucharistic processions, adoration and pilgrimages have drawn thousands of people seeking a deeper encounter with Christ. The National Eucharistic Revival and National Eucharistic Congress have inspired many Catholics to renew their appreciation for the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

That renewed interest also presents an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the Mass itself. Because the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, understanding what the Church teaches about the Mass—and how Catholics are called to participate in it—is essential to living the faith more fully.

This workshop is the fifth in a series offered by the commission over the past five years. Previous workshops focused on liturgical ministries such as music, lectoring, altar serving and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. This year’s event is different. It is designed for everyone — clergy, religious and lay faithful alike.

The goal is not simply to explain the parts of the Mass. Rather, it is to help participants see more clearly what is taking place every time the Church gathers for worship.

At every Mass, heaven and earth meet. Christ becomes present among his people, offers himself to the Father and nourishes the faithful with his Body and Blood. The Mass is at once sacrifice, memorial and sacred banquet. It is the Church’s highest act of worship and the source from which every aspect of Christian life flows.

More than 60 years after the Second Vatican Council, the Church continues to draw upon its teachings to help Catholics enter more deeply into the sacred mysteries celebrated in the liturgy. Through its Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Council called for the faithful to participate fully, consciously and actively in the Mass.

That calling remains as important today as it was when the Council concluded in 1965.

One of the central themes Bishop Pohlmeier will explore is the importance of paying attention — not simply watching what happens at the altar but entering into the mystery being celebrated.

The workshop will focus on four key dimensions of the Mass:

• The Shape of the Sacrifice — understanding the Mass as sacrifice, memorial and meal.
• The Assembly and the Priest — recognizing the unity of Christ’s Body, with Christ as the head and the faithful as his members.
• Full, Conscious and Active Participation — exploring what authentic participation means and how every baptized person is called to engage in the liturgy.
• Silence and Reverence — discovering how sacred silence and reverent worship open our hearts to God’s presence.

The Second Vatican Council taught that the liturgy is not something we simply observe. It is the worship of Christ and his Church. Through baptism, every Catholic has been consecrated to play a role in that worship.

Authentic participation begins in the heart. While singing, responding and serving are important expressions of participation, the deepest participation occurs when believers unite themselves to Christ’s offering to the Father. That participation reaches its fullest expression in Holy Communion when the faithful receive the Lord whom they have worshipped and whose sacrifice they have joined.

For Catholics who sometimes struggle with distraction, routine or a sense that they are going through the motions, the workshop offers an opportunity to rediscover the beauty and meaning of the Mass.

Whether you have attended Mass for decades or are seeking a deeper understanding of your faith, Bishop Pohlmeier’s presentation will provide an opportunity to reflect on the Church’s greatest treasure and renew your appreciation for the sacred mystery at the center of Catholic life.

“Full, conscious, and active participation of all the faithful is the goal to be considered before all else.” – Sacrosanctum Concilium, 14

Workshop locations

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: In Light of the Second Vatican Council will be presented by Bishop Erik Pohlmeier at the following locations:

• Saturday, August 22 — 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Holy Faith Catholic Church, 747 NW 43rd Street, Gainesville
• Saturday, Sept. 19 — 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 1649 Kingsley Ave., Orange Park

The workshops are free and no registration is required. For more information, email Letty Valentin at lv.holyfaith@gmail.com.

Letty Valentin is the chair of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission.