Domestic Liturgies in Time of Lockdown: A Survey to Orientate Post-Covid-19 Liturgical Ministry

• Published in: Studia liturgica 2022-09, Vol.52 (2), p.246-262
• Main Author: Join-Lambert, Arnaud
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0039-3207; 2517-4797
• DOI: 10.1177/00393207221112183

Based on a survey of 1,200 people in France and Belgium on their ritual practice during the period of lockdown due to COVID-19 (Spring 2020), the author highlights the major importance of eucharistic liturgies broadcast by the various media and followed by many of the faithful, with the theological and pastoral questions that this raises. He notes above all the small but nevertheless significant proportion of domestic liturgies in small locked down groups, whether encouraged or not by their pastors, which give space to certain creativity at the same time as to the Church's liturgical tradition. This observation leads him to question the major challenges of a liturgical and sacramental pastoral ministry geared towards developing and encouraging the assumption of responsibility by the laity for their prayer and liturgical life, beyond and complementary to the Sunday Eucharist, within their communities and more particularly in their family context.