The Society for Catholic Liturgyis a multidisciplinary association of Catholic scholars, teachers, pastors, and professionals – including architects and musicians – in the Anglophone world. Founded in 1995, the non-profit Society is committed to promoting scholarly study and practical renewal of the Church’s liturgy.
Principles
The Society for Catholic Liturgy is a scholarly and professional association founded on the following principles which it seeks to advance in its various activities and deliberations:
- belief that the primary purpose of the sacred liturgy is to worship God, who continues the work of redemption and sanctification through the sacred mysteries of Christ handed down to us in and through the Catholic Church;
- respect for Catholic liturgy in all approved rites and usages from the apostolic period to the present day;
- desire to support the faithful celebration of the sacred liturgy according to the Roman Rite and to promote a better understanding of its origin, development, and current state;
- conviction that the sacred liturgy’s incarnational nature and central role in shaping Catholic culture require fostering the beauty and fittingness of music, art, architecture, language and other elements integral to the spiritual profundity and ceremonial dignity of the rites;
- determination to foster interdisciplinary liturgical study and practice according to rigorous scholarly and professional standards;
- commitment to the virtues of prudence, patience, and charity.
Membership Benefits
Members of the Society receive Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, are invited to all sessions of the annual conferences, and determine the Board of Directors by their vote. Associate members also receive Antiphonand may attend all open sessions of the annual conference.
Membership Criteria
Full Members
- Member of the Catholic Church (Roman or Eastern Rite);
- Fundamental sympathy with the principles enunciated in the Society’s Statement of Principles;
- Ability to participate in the activities of the SCL in a prudent, charitable, and constructive manner;
- Ability to bring a substantive contribution to the work of the SCL;
- Has a terminal degree in a field pertaining to the sacred liturgy or has significant expertise and demonstrates a graduate level ability to engage in scholarly research and debate in matters pertaining to the sacred liturgy.
Associate Members
Same criteria as for Members, but without the level of expertise required in number five (5).
Student Members
Students adhere to Full Member criteria numbers 1-3, but not numbers (4) or (5). This level of membership is open to someone with an interest in the sacred liturgy and is pursuing a seminary, college or university degree. Applicant must provide proof of current student status.
Board of Directors
Officers of the Board
Jennifer L. Donelson, D.M.A.
Associate Professor and Director of Sacred Music
St. Joseph’s Seminary
Yonkers, NY
President
Rev. Gerald Dennis Gill, S.L.L.
Office of Divine Worship
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Vice-President/Treasurer
Timothy P. O’Malley, PhD
Director of Education-McGrath Institute for Church Life
Academic Director of the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy
University of Notre Dame
South Bend, IN
Secretary
Elected Members of the Board
Father Daniel Cardó, STL, PhD
Holy Name Catholic Parish
Englewood, CO
Michael P. Foley, PhD
Associate Professor of Patristics
Baylor University
Waco, TX
Fr. Paul Jerome Keller, O.P., STD
Professor of Sacramental and Liturgical Theology
Athenaeum of Ohio, Mount St Mary’s of the West Seminary
Cincinnati, OH
Rev. Uwe Michael Lang, C.O., D.Phil.
Lecturer, Heythrop College
University of London, UK
Dino Marcantonio, AIA
Architect
New York, NY
Dr. Michon Matthieson, PhD, STL
Assistant Professor of Theology
University of Mary
Bismarck, ND
Sr. Esther Mary Nickel, RSM
Associate Director of Worship
Diocese of Sioux City
Sioux City, IA
Timothy O’Malley, PhD
Director, Notre Dame Center for Liturgy,
Concurrent Professor, Department of Theology
University of Notre Dame
South Bend, IN
Rev. Nicholas Zientarski, STD
St. Christopher Church
Baldwin, NY