II. Communities that celebrate their faith and give thanks for the gift of God

Eucharist

The Eucharist is at one and the same time the source and the summit of Christian life. " I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst." (Jn. 6:35). It is the privileged place to encounter the living Christ.

The Sunday Eucharistic celebration is the culminating point in the life of the Church, the moment above all others to receive the Gift of God and to give thanks, to live in fraternal communion with other believers. The Eucharistic assembly is the visible sign of the union of the baptized in the Body of Christ, the Church.

We must ensure the quality of this significant gathering. Several elements should be present: cordial fraternity, mutual welcoming, special attention to children and youth, concern for artistic and musical beauty, appropriate symbolism and a climate of celebration and joy.

Subsequent to the work of the Synod, I promulgate the following proposals:

24. That the Church of Montreal encourage the renewal of Sunday liturgies, paying particular attention to the following: the " lived" experience of the members of the Christian Community, the adaptation of liturgies to specific events and to different age groups, the creation of a climate of belonging, and participation, the insertion of moments of silent reflection, the encouragement of involvement in the name of Jesus Christ and the clarification of the two different aspects of the celebration, the liturgy of the Word of God and the liturgy of the Sharing of the Bread. (A-05)

25. That parish communities prepare, for and with young people, vibrant and interactive liturgical celebrations. (A-14)

To do this, we must consider the recommendations of the primary school children (Idem): " I would like the children to be more part of the Church : that they sit in the front... that the priest speak to them more" . " That the mass have an air of celebration" . " That the Church be a little more lively" . " That we show more signs of friendship" . " That the priest set the tone" . " I wish the music were less boring" . " That the priests be more joyful when they present the message of Jesus" .

26. That the pastoral leaders of Christian communities be attentive to the spiritual depth as well as to the quality of the liturgy and music in celebrations. (A-16)

That the Church of Montreal offer adequate training to the members of the liturgical committee of each Christian Community, parish or other, and encourage them to stimulate the Christian faith life of their people in keeping with the realities of today. (A-15)

28. That, in addition to Sunday Eucharistic celebrations, pastoral leaders promote the holding of gatherings which can serve as replacements for Sunday celebrations and which focus on the Word of God, which encourage sharing among the participants, and which address the numerous questions that people have regarding their faith, moral values, the harsh realities of life, etc. (A-06)