THE PERMANENT VALUE OF A REFORM FOR THE NEW EVANGELIZATION. THE CONSTITUTION “SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM” AND THE LITURGICAL REFORM 60 YEARS LATER

Abstract

Sixty years after the promulgation of Sacrosanctum Concilium, it seems to us that we can notice a change in perspective taking place: from attention to the "reform" of the liturgy to the liturgy as a "form" of renewal in the life of the Church: this is the aim of this study. In the first phase, the focus was entirely on the liturgy as an object to be reformed: an object to which meaning should be attributed, an object to be embellished, purified and dusted off, from which it was necessary to remove the incrustations to make it shine, but still remaining an object. Liturgical reform was understood as the liturgy to be reformed. Today, however, the focus seems to be more on the liturgy as a source of renewal in the life of the Church. If the liturgy has become a source, it would no longer be just an object, as before; it would now become a "vital place", understood as a power source and criterion for verifying the renewal of the Church's life. Initially, we will deal briefly with the pre-history of liturgical reform, and then, we will talk about the Liturgical Constitution and its grounds, its application and the disputes that have arisen from it. The Church is constituted by the fact that it takes shape from the celebration, from the gift received. In this way, Sacrosantum Concilium, more than a manual for reforming the rites, has proved to be a magna carta, capable of inspiring the renewal and the reform of the Church.

KEYWORDS: Liturgy. Sacrosanctum Concilium. Reform. Evangelization. Council.