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
President: Mary Catherine Levri, DMA, Director of Music, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and School of Theology (Cincinnati, OH)
Vice-President/Treasurer: Rev. James Bradley, JCD, Assistant Professor of Canon Law, The Catholic University of America (Washington DC)
Elected Members of the Board
Rev. Daniel Cardó, STL, PhD, Benedict XVI Chair of Liturgical Studies, St. John Vianney Seminary (Denver, CO)
Jennifer Donelson, DMA, Associate Professor and Director of Sacred Music, St. Patrick’s Seminary (Menlo Park, CA)
Michael P. Foley, PhD, Associate Professor of Patristics, Baylor University (Waco, TX)
Rev. David M. Friel, STD, Faculty, Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary (Philadelphia, PA)
Rev. Gerald Dennis Gill, SLL, Office for Divine Worship, Archdiocese of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA)
John Haigh, MArch, Assistant Professor of Architecture, Benedictine College (Atchison, KS)
Alexis K. Kutarna, MM, MAL, PhD (Cand.), Director of Sacred Music, Cathedral High School (Houston, TX)
Rev. Uwe Michael Lang, C.O., DPhil, Mater Ecclesiæ College, St Mary’s University, Twickenham (London, UK)
Timothy P. O’Malley, PhD, Academic Director, Notre Dame Center for Liturgy, University of Notre Dame (South Bend, IN)
Rev. Aaron M. Williams, MALS, Rector, Basilica of Saint Mary (Natchez, MS)