Welcome to Praenotanda, the new name of the monthly news email of the Office for Divine Worship and Sacraments!Just as the praenotanda are the notes that come before our liturgical and sacramental rites, we hope this email will provide you some important notes on resources, events, and important developments as you begin another month of ministry. By now, our parishes are beginning to hum back to life, and our sacramental and liturgical schedules are resumed, albeit still a bit limited and operating in the “new normal”.I’m grateful for all that you are doing to ensure safe and healthy environments in which your faith communities can celebrate the Eucharist and the other sacraments and liturgies. Below you’ll find information about upcoming events and resources, including virtual training on the basics of liturgy, gatherings for pastoral musicians, information about pre-planning a Catholic funeral, and more. As always, if there’s anything that the ODWS staff can do to assist you in your worship and sacramental ministries, please let us know.
Jeremy Helmes
ODWS Director
Meet the New Music Director We are thrilled to welcome Matthew Geerlings as the new Archdiocesan Music Director and music director for our Cathedral of St. Peter-in-Chains. Matthew comes to us from the Diocese of Sioux City, Iowa, where he has served as director of music at the Cathedral of the Epiphany for nearly two decades.Matthew will begin work with us in mid-July, and will introduce himself to you more fully in our August Praenotanda.
Liturgy 101: Essentials of Catholic Liturgy (Sept.-Oct.)
Liturgy Training Publications and the National Association of Pastoral Musicians are jointly offering a virtual training course on The Essentials of Catholic Liturgy. The first track is on the basics, and consists of six 90-minute sessions running Sept. 14 - Oct. 19. Click here to get more info and to register.
Now and at the Hour of Our Death: Catholic Medical and Funeral Planning for the End of Life It’s never too soon to begin thinking about our own funeral, end-of-life care, and who will be making those decisions. Join us to learn about how to get started on planning a Catholic funeral and what the Church teaches on key end-of-life issues.
Tuesday, Aug. 18, 7:00-8:30pm OR Wednesday, Aug. 19,1:30-3:00pm
Topics include:
Pre-planning the three stages of the Catholic funeral
What the Church really teaches about cremation
How to approach difficult end-of-life decisions with your loved ones from a Catholic perspective (life support, medical power of attorney, etc.)
Presenters: Mr. Jeremy Helmes, Director, Office for Divine Worship & Sacraments
Mr. Bob Wurzelbacher, Director, Office for Respect Life Ministries
Join fellow pastoral musicians from around the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for an evening of renewal as we kick off a “new year” of ministry leading our parish communities in sung worship.
Cincinnati area:Monday, Aug. 31, All Saints Parish, Kenwood * Dayton/North area: Tuesday, Sept. 1, St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Kettering *
In addition to celebrating Evening Prayer together and a reception to conclude, we will honor our colleagues who are completing their 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th, 45th, 50th, 55th, or 60th years of service to the Church, and honor those who have recently retired or will be retiring in the coming year. If you will celebrate a jubilee this year, please contact the ODWS.
*If necessary, these gatherings will be converted to virtual experiences held online.
New Liturgical Texts for Feast of St. Mary Magdalene (July 22)
Rome has confirmed the English translation of the Preface of St. Mary Magdalene (July 22), which is now part of the Roman Missal. It is available for download in English and Spanish from the USCCB along with other recent additions to the liturgical calendar.
Photos Needed: Parishes at Prayer
We’d like to feature a photo of one of our parishes at prayer at the top of each new monthly news email. If you can share a photo of your faith community celebrating the liturgy, please email the ODWS with a photo attached.
Some basic guidelines:
Landscape, not portrait
Hi-res (at least 2MB)
Focus more on the people than the building
Q. How many intentions must there be for the Universal Prayer at Mass?
A.The Church does not specify precisely how many intentions may be included in the Universal Prayer, only that they should be “sober, be composed with a wise liberty and in few words, and they should be expressive of the prayer of the entire community.” (GIRM 71) Normally, 4-6 is sufficient. The sequence of these prayers should normally flow from the needs of the Church to the needs of the world, then for those in any difficulty, and finally for the local community. (GIRM 69)
