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THE LITURGICAL FORMATION OF THE YOUNG
JAMES ALBERIONE
Sr. M. Iwona
Kopacz, pddm
When he was taking part
in the Vatican II Ecumenical Council, Fr. James Alberione put forth
various proposals, some of them regarding liturgical life. We quote
them.
1.
For all priests who celebrate for the
faithful an obligatory feastday Mass, the obligation to give a
homily in catechetical form and in popular language should be
imposed. In fact, in many places only in this way the Christian
people can be instructed in the Christian religion and doctrine.
Furthermore, it seems very useful and desirable that an official
manual guide be edited for the dogmatic, moral and liturgical
explanation of the Gospels and of the letters on feasts of
obligation.
2.
The liturgy of the Holy Mass,
especially the Sunday Mass, seems to need reform, above all in its
variable parts, so that it truly accompanies the liturgical Year and
establishes those things that must be learned and disposes souls to
ask for spirituali graces.
3.
So that the Christian people may
participate in the liturgy with more fruit, it seems that an
adequate use of the popular language should be permitted in some
liturgical actions.
4.
It also seems desirable, to fulfill the
feastday obligation, to grant the validity of hearing of the Mass
transmitted by audiovisual means in determinate and well-defined
circumstances (e.g.. for prisoners…).
5.
It would appear a very excellent thing,
talking of liturgy, if a liturgical Code is compiled, in
which are gathered and reordered all the prescribed liturgical
rubrics, so that they can be of easy consultation for all priests.
6.
To introduce a triennial cycle
regarding the letters (Epistles and Gospels) of the common Sundays
(after Epiphany and after Pentecost), so as to present to the
faithful in three years all the Letters of the Apostles and the
whole Gospel.
The liturgical sensitivity that has
so much characterized the life of Fr. Alberione takes form in him
together with the first manifestation of Christian faith.
The first contact of James with the
liturgy or liturgical functions as they were called during his time
took place in the parish Church of San Martino at Cherasco. In this
church James Alberione learned to serve at holy Mass and heard many
sermons, took part in vespers and liturgical functions, received
the sacraments of reconciliation, Eucharist and confirmation. It
seems that the liturgical functions were congenial to him.
Certainly, a strong influence on him
exercised the great Pope Leo XIII and in particular Pius X, who for
Fr. Alberione was not only a model to be imitated, but a master to
be followed in the liturgical field through the directives he gave
for the reform of the Missal, the Breviary, chant, Eucharistic
participation, etc.
In the seminary the young James
Alberione found a good environment even under the liturgical aspect.
He could participate with the other clerics in the solemn
celebrations held at the Dome of Alba or in other churches of the
city. He received the duty of master of ceremonies, was sacristan in
the chapel of the seminary and ceremonialist of the Bishop. During
this time he even prepared a book of ceremonies. These tasks led him
to relish ever more the prayer of the Church and with the Church.
It led him to desire to have churches fit for beautiful liturgical
functions.
As a seminarian, he was an apostle of
frequent and even daily communion in the seminary, following in that
matter the directives of Mons. Eugenio Galletti (1816-1879, bishop
of Alba since 1867), and of St. Pius X. Hence, even as a young
priest he helped with other priests of the diocese of Alba in the
practical realization of the decrees of Pius X regarding frequent
Communion, communion for children and the sick, and Viaticum for the
sick in danger of death. He instilled these apostolic directives
even in the schools, from the teacher’s desk and from the pulpit.
Assigned later to teach liturgy in
the seminary, he had to study in depth this subject to prepare
himself: he did it through his own methodology, as can be seen from
what he has written in his charismatic history Abundantes
divitiae gratiae suae. Of great benefit to him was the reading
of numerous authors on the theme liturgy: Guglielmo Durand
(1230-1296), Bartolomeo Gavanti (1569-1638), Luigi Rodolfo Barin
(1883-1933), Gaspare Destefani (1884-1952), Prospero Guéranger
(1805-1875), Emanuele Caronti (1882-1966), Alfredo Ildefonso
Schuster (1880-1954), Pietro Veneroni (1862-1935), Ludovico
Eisenhofer (1871-1941), Gaspare Lefèbvre (1880-1966) (cf AD 71). In
another passage of his charismatic history he recalls also Canon
Teobaldo Varaldi (1876-1936) who was the organist of the cathedral,
himself a composer of chant and of sacred music (cf AD 170).
Majority of these personalities were
linked to the liturgical movement that aimed to restore to the
liturgy its place both among the theological sciences and in the
life of the church. In fact, during that period was much widespread
a formal and even formalistic concept of liturgy that reduced it to
a complex of norms that must be observed in the celebration of the
sacred rites.
Fr. Alberione also took from his
bishop one directive for the development of his liturgical
formation: “Once upon a time I preferred to preach dogma; –
Mons.Giuseppe Francesco Re said to him – then I preferred morals;
today I feel it more useful to explain the liturgical prayers
together with the dogmatic and moral teachings connected to them”
(AD 73).
This liturgical formation that he had
acquired in a particular manner in the seminary of Alba will find
full development in his action as formator, founder and apostle of
social communications. For Blessed James Alberione the Christian,
the religious and the Pauline receive formation in the school of the
liturgical year, until they can say with saint Paul: “It is not I
anymore that lives, but the Christ in me”.
As a Founder he will give life in the
Pauline Family and in the Church to an Institute that with its life
and mission honors Jesus Master living in the liturgy. And as an
apostle of social communications, he is aware that the aim of
communication among men is that communion that has its origin in God
and is communicated to mankind through the liturgical action.
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