Bishop Lowe calls for reflection on liturgy

By CathNews New Zealand

September 29th, 2026

Bishop Steve Lowe (NZCBC)

Bishop Steve Lowe has asked priests and liturgy committees in Auckland Diocese to reflect on the art of celebrating the liturgy by working through the General Instruction of the Roman Missal and considering what it says about the celebration and how local practices align with it.

In a letter this month, Bishop Lowe said the rubrics of the Mass “reflect and point us toward . . . theological and spiritual underpinnings”, as in Pope Francis’ apostolic letter, Desiderio Desideravi, chapter 48, and “our attention to them should inform the way we pray the Mass as servants of the liturgy, which the Lord has entrusted to his Church, rather than according to our personal devotional or spiritual style”.

After the presentations by US liturgist Fr Paul Turner earlier this year, Bishop Lowe added that “on a personal note, I have picked up a number of changes to the way I celebrate the liturgy so that I may, with the people of God, enter and celebrate the sacred mysteries more fully”.

Bishop Lowe said he hopes that the reflection work he is asking of priests and liturgy committees “will be formative work” for the committees “and a way of making our celebration of the Eucharist in the Diocese better, more fully in line with what the Church asks of us and more beautiful”.

“As part of this work, I would also ask that all versions of the Mass parts – the Gloria, the Holy, Holy, the Memorial Acclamation, the Great Amen and the Lamb of God – are faithful to (that is, the same as) the text of the Missal.

“This was the instruction when the new Missal was issued in 2010, but a number of parishes and schools are still using other Mass settings for these Mass parts. When the new Missal came in, permission had to be sought for new Mass part settings. Sadly, this initiative failed and now there are many music groups using their own settings, which can result in the people not singing.

Bishop Lowe recommended that parishes utilise commonly used Mass settings.

“Music should lead to all the faithful being fully conscious, active participants in the liturgical celebrations, which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy,” said the bishop, referencing chapter 14 of Vatican II the document Sacrosanctum Concilium.

FULL STORY

Letter to priests regarding the Liturgy (Catholic Diocese of Auckland)