Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Fr. Jean Corbon and the new CCC

The Holy Spirit and the Church in the Liturgy by Cassian Folsom
A not widely appreciated fact about the new Catechism of the Catholic Church is that several sections on the Catechism reflect the input of Eastern Catholic theologians. One such contributor was Fr. Jean Corbon, a Melkite Catholic priest and author of the book "The Wellspring of Worship."

The liturgical section of the new Catechism (CCC 1066-1209) has a much different feel to it than the sacramental section (CCC 1210-1690). Why? Could it be because the two sections use different sources? The basic source for the sacramental section is the Roman Catechism of St. Pius V, (1) and therefore has an obviously western ethos. The basic source for the liturgical section, on the other hand, is Fr. Jean Corbon and his book, The Wellspring of Worship; (2) this section breathes a different air than many of us are accustomed to because much of its vocabulary comes from "the other lung" of the Catholic Church, that is, the eastern lung. This article will describe the influence of Fr. Corbon on the liturgical section of the new Catechism, especially as exemplified in paragraphs 1091-1109: the Holy Spirit and the Church in the liturgy.
Excerpts from The Wellsprings of Worship by Father Jean Corbon

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