by R A Henderson

Commentators on liturgical matters rarely fail to mention that etymologically ‘liturgy’ goes back to Greek leitourgía – public service, work of the people. It was with this in mind that the cardinals and bishops of the Second Vatican Council introduced, in the Council’s first Constitution, Sacrosanctum Concilium, the recommendation that vernacular languages be used more extensively than previously in the celebration of Mass. This was to encourage what the Council Fathers called partecipatio plena et actuosa: full, active participation.