{"id":58855,"date":"2022-01-08T15:26:24","date_gmt":"2022-01-08T21:26:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/praytellblog.com\/?p=58855"},"modified":"2022-01-13T10:50:23","modified_gmt":"2022-01-13T16:50:23","slug":"working-in-the-vineyard-jungmann-society","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/praytellblog.com\/index.php\/2022\/01\/08\/working-in-the-vineyard-jungmann-society\/","title":{"rendered":"Working in the Vineyard: Jungmann Society"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this installment of “Working in the Vineyard,” <\/em>Pray Tell\u00a0presents the Jungmann Society<\/a>, an international professional association of Jesuits with expertise in liturgy and related fields. Below is a written interview with John Baldovin, S.J., the society’s current President.<\/em><\/p>\n

How long has the\u00a0JS been around? Tell us about founding and history.\u00a0<\/strong>The Jungmann Society grew out of an initial invitation in 2002 by Fr. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J., for Jesuits with academic training and expertise in the liturgy and its allied arts to consider liturgical and sacramental life in the Society as both a wellspring of our religious life and an instrument of ecclesial ministry. Major addresses of that Rome conference resulted in the publication of\"\"Liturgy in A Postmodern World<\/em><\/a>, edited by Keith Pecklers, S.J., (Continuum, 2003), which includes major addresses by Godfried Cardinal Daneels, Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., Peter Phan,\u00a0Mark Francis, C.S.V., Robert Taft, S.J., and other major liturgical figures.<\/p>\n

Almost two hundred Jesuits and guests were at this Rome meeting in June 2002, and we were very fortunate to have the participation of Cardinals Danneels, Shan (Taipei), and Kasper, as well as Archbishop Peter Sarpong (Ghana) and Bishop John Cummins (Oakland). In 2004 we formed The International Jungmann Society for Jesuits and the Liturgy in Bangkok, Thailand. Fr. Keith Pecklers of the Gregorian Univesity and Sant\u2019Anselmo was elected as the first president. The association is naturally named after the great Jesuit liturgical historian Josef Jungmann whose two-volume Missarum Sollemnia: The Mass of the Roman Rite<\/em><\/a> was extremely important for the liturgical reform of Vatican II.<\/p>\n

Thereafter we have met every two years: Fortaleza, Brazil (2006), Montserrat, Catalonia (2008), Tampa, Florida (2010), Nitra, Slovakia (2012), Mexico City (2014), Dublin (2016) and Nairobi (2018).<\/p>\n

Who are your\u00a0members? <\/strong>The membership of the Jungmann consists mainly of Jesuits who are working full-time in the field of liturgy, for example teaching at the Gregorian University and various other theologates around the world. Jesuit students who have finished the first two stages of formation are also admitted to membership if they intend to pursue liturgical studies. There are also a number of Jesuits responsible for formation who are members as well as several non-Jesuits like Mr. Peter Dwyer (Liturgical Press), Mr. Toshimitsu Miyakoshi (Japan) and Fr. Mark Francis, C.S.V. (CTU) who have been very faithful to our meetings. Our members come from every continent and at least twenty-five countries.<\/p>\n

What is the most important contribution the JS makes to the life of the church? What is your niche?
\n<\/strong>I think the Jungmann Society serves the Church somewhat indirectly by encouraging good formation in liturgy for Jesuits throughout the world as well as serving as a support organization for those engaged in teaching liturgy or forming others, including many non-Jesuits in our institutions. We are deeply committed to promoting the post-Vatican II liturgical reform especially in line with Pope Francis\u2019 strong commitment to it.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not sure if this counts as a niche, but I don\u2019t think it would be bragging to say that Jesuits have an important apostolic impact on the Church and quality celebration of the liturgy should be an aspect of that apostolic service.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s our Mission Statement:<\/p>\n

The Jungmann Society is an international professional association of Jesuits with academic training and expertise in liturgy and its allied arts. It has been founded as a response of the Society of Jesus to the Church\u2019s urgent call for a new evangelization of the world\u2019s many different cultures through worship, scholarship and dialogue. Its goal is to promote the renewal of the Church\u2019s liturgical life as a central dimension of the Church\u2019s mission to preach the gospel effectively in today\u2019s world.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It seeks to accomplish this goal by:<\/p>\n