Office of Liturgy

The liturgy is the public worship of the Church. With the whole Church, those who gather for worship offer praise and thanks to the Father through Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit. By participating in these sacred actions we draw strength to serve others, giving witness to Christ in our daily lives.


The Office of Liturgy fosters active participation and an increased understanding of liturgy throughout the Archdiocese by assisting communities with liturgical preparation, education and formation. The Office operates as part of the Office of Pastoral Ministry and acts as a liturgical consultant for agencies, organisations and diocesan liturgical gatherings.

The Office of Liturgy prepares policies, guidelines and other liturgical resources for use in the Archdiocese and offers support to the Archbishop and the Presbyterate on liturgical matters. It maintains strong ties with national liturgical organisations, particularly in relation to significant liturgical issues and developments.

The Liturgy Office offers formation and training in a number of areas including:

  • A walk through the Mass
  • Ministers of the Word
  • Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
  • Music ministry: cantors, choirs and accompanists
  • Choosing liturgical music
  • Liturgy preparation
  • Liturgy teams
  • Servers
  • Lay led liturgies
  • Ministry to the sick, dying and bereaved
  • Liturgical prayer
  • Liturgical documents and guidelines
  • Funeral rites
  • Marriage rites
  • Seasons of the Church Year
  • General Rites of the Church
  • The structure of different liturgical prayers
  • Liturgical environment
  • Ministers of hospitality
  • Sacraments

Formation is available for parishes, schools and church groups and sessions may be held in the local community setting

Liturgical celebrations at which the archbishop presides are coordinated through the Office of Liturgy whose task it is to review the liturgical preparations so as to assist parishes and other institutions in their celebration with the bishop.

Before contacting the Office of Liturgy to discuss your preparations, the Archbishop’s availability must first be ascertained and your anticipated date reserved in his diary. Danielle in the Archbishop’s office can assist you in this regard.

Parishes, schools, and other communities should submit a Liturgy Preparation Sheet, together with a copy of the proposed readings and universal prayers, to the Office of Liturgy no later than three weeks before the scheduled celebration.

In all cases, published liturgical norms are to be followed and there are to be no additions to or subtractions from the Roman liturgy. Only texts approved for liturgical use in Australia are to be utilised. If a program/booklet is to be prepared, a draft copy should also be forwarded as soon as practical, before printing.

Where a new building is to be blessed or opened by the archbishop, the proposed wording for any plaque/dedication stone should also be made available to the office for review.

Download Liturgy Forms

Download Liturgy Resources

All who belong to the Church carry on the ministry of Christ by their service of others, their witness to their faith and their active participation in worship. Some members of the community are called to use their gifts in a particular way to serve the prayer of those who gather. Careful preparation by liturgical ministers enables the liturgy to be celebrated more fully.

Normally liturgical ministers undertake some formation prior to their service and have the assent of the local community. With a deeper understanding of liturgical rites, symbols and actions and a honing of relevant skills they can become more effective ministers. The provision of ongoing opportunities for formation and renewal for liturgical ministers is recommended.

There are a number of helpful Archdiocesan guidelines and resources for liturgical ministers. These are based on the Church’s teachings and prepared by the Liturgical Commission and Liturgy Office for use in the Archdiocese.

Download Liturgy Resources

Ministers of the Word

Liturgy Preparation

Servers

Ministry to the sick, dying & bereaved

Music is a unique gift from God that enables us to enter more fully into prayer.

Singing expresses the exaltation of the spirit and the unity of those gathered. It is a universal language that helps us celebrate, express the depths of our soul and offer praise and thanksgiving to God.

Music Ministry is a powerful way to serve the prayer of the Church. By using their gifts, collaborating with others and increasing their understanding of the prayer of the Church, musicians create a more open environment for communication with the divine and those who gather for prayer.

Download Liturgy Resources

Music & the Mass guidelines

Sunday Celebrations of the Word are not the same as celebrations of the Mass. Rather, in those communities where the priest may be absent from Sunday Mass without supply for short periods it is important nonetheless that the community gather to hear the Word of God and celebrate the holy character of the Lord’s Day.

The Archdiocese has a specific formation program facilitated by the Office of Liturgy for those lay people who through a process of discernment offer themselves to serve as leaders in these communities. A register is maintained in the Office of Liturgy of appointments to the ministry by the Archbishop and the duration of such appointments.

Following notification of their appointment, lay leaders are commissioned by their parish priest in the presence of the parish community.

Approved Rites for Sunday Celebrations of the Word and Communion have been developed for the Archdiocese in line with national guidelines and Church norms to support lay leaders in their function:

  • Sunday Celebrations of the Word and Communion: Rite for Advent
  • Sunday Celebrations of the Word and Communion: Rite for Christmas
  • Sunday Celebrations of the Word and Communion: Rite for Lent
  • Sunday Celebrations of the Word and Communion: Rite for Easter
  • Sunday Celebrations of the Word and Communion: Rite for Ordinary Time

Rites for emergency situation have also been prepared (Sunday Celebrations of the Word).

Download Liturgy Resources

Children’s liturgy of the word is simply what it claims to be: a ritual for the proclamation of God’s Word with children.

  • It is a moment of salvation in which the living God communicates life to God’s children and in which they respond with admiration, praise, thanksgiving and petition.
  • It is worship, not catechesis or Sunday School.
  • It is for school aged children aged between 5 and 11 years. If younger children need to attend they would be accompanied by an adult.
  • It is a time to hear God’s word at an appropriate level.

It is an opportunity to hear the Gospel message and to consider how to practice it in life.

Children’s Ministers of the Word undergo formation in order to be more effective ministers.

Download Liturgy Resources

Contact Us

Contact the Office of Liturgy

GPO Box 62
Hobart TAS 7001