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February 25, 2021Book Review: “What We Have Done, What We Have Failed to Do: Assessing the Liturgical Reforms of Vatican II”
Monsignor Kevin Irwin is a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, former dean of the School of Theology and Religious Studies at the Catholic University of America. His doctorate in sacramental theology is from the Ateneo of San Anselmo in Rome. He has written several books on the liturgy. He wrote this book in 2013 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the promulgation of Vatican II's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy also known by its Latin name Sacrosanctum Concilium.
“What We Have Done, What We Have Failed to Do: Assessing the Liturgical Reforms of Vatican II” is not for the general reader. It is for the clergy, seminarians, those involved with the liturgy and others interested in the liturgy. There are 10 chapters with end notes. There are no illustrations.
Monsignor Irwin says the liturgy should be more than what the phrase “say what is in black, and do what is in red” would suggest. He thinks that the phrase is only suggesting doing the minimum and no more. He assesses how well the liturgy mainly in the United States has been accepted and celebrated.
He also refers to other places in the world too. He says that surveys and polls show how Americans have come to accept the reform liturgy of Vatican II, but they suggest that there is room for improvement. In this book he does not exhaust all the possible good or bad issues about the reformed liturgy of Vatican II.
Monsignor Irwin like others have pointed out that the Vatican II liturgy is not about the people in the nave being spectators, but are to be active participants with those who are in the sanctuary doing their part. He says that Americans are doing a pretty good job of this, but the liturgy needs times of silence and pauses instead of being wordy and rushed. He argues that the various rites and celebrations like funerals, the Mass, Sacraments and others have been an improvement over those of the pre-Vatican II liturgies, but there are areas that need improvement like the proper place for eulogies at funeral rites.
Monsignor Irwin has noticed that the word “symbol” has lost some of its original meaning in regard to the liturgy and the Sacraments. This is due to the evolution or changes in languages. Words and their meanings are important because liturgy is “what we pray and is what we believe.” In Ch. 5, Monsignor Irwin discusses the issue of translating Latin into English and its various nuances. He provides an overview of ICEL, the International Commission on English in the Liturgy and what is its purpose.
In Ch. 6, he discusses the difference between reading Scripture and proclaiming Scripture at the liturgy. Reading is like praying with the Word of God (lectio divina) or Bible study, but that proclaiming Scripture at the liturgy is to be done with feeling without being too dramatic. He also discusses what a homily should be like and how long. He points out that according to surveys and polls, Americans want better homilies. The length of the homily depends on the liturgical occasion. Longer for big events, shorter for minor events.
In Ch. 7, Monsignor Irwin encourages participants at the liturgy to do their proper roles or ministries. The Catholic Church has a hierarchy of ministries and should be followed. In Ch. 8, he points out the arts are part of the liturgy. That art works like icons, statues, vestments, furniture, music, church buildings – some of the various items that have an effect on the liturgy. In Ch. 9, he examines the various devotions and spirituality.
Again, this book is recommended to the clergy, seminarians, musicians, liturgical artists and others involved in the liturgy. This book is on a theological and academic level that is not for the general reader.
Br. Benet Exton, O.S.B., Saint Gregory's Abbey, Shawnee, is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
