Salamanca, Spain. On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the publication of the “Directory on Popular Piety and Liturgy” published by the Congregation on the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Theological Faculty of the University of Salamanca celebrated, this past October 18th, an intense study day around this document.
The celebration, which took place in the Great Hall, was sponsored by the ‘Claret Chair’ of the Theological Faculty of Salamanca and dedicated to the study of popular religiosity. This Chair is coordinated by Dr. Gonzalo Tejerina and sponsored by the Claretians of the Conference of Provincial Superiors of Iberia which were represented by the Provincial of Santiago, Fr. Manuel Tamargo, CMF.
The themes developed at the study day undertook various “dynamics of faith of the People of God”. At a moment in time in which the new evangelization is taking on power, also stimulated by the Year of Faith which Pope Benedict has just convened, the reflection on the relationship between popular religiosity and the liturgy has brought to the forefront the need to take seriously forms of popular piety to animate an evangelization which drives the faith in the liturgy and in the practice of charity
Opening the session was the auxiliary bishop of Barcelona, Mons. Sabastià Taltavull Anglada, President of the Spanish Ministry Commission who presented the Directory in its fundamental contents. Professor Roberto Calvo Pérez, of the Theological Faculty of Burgos, stressed in his intervention on the need to bring forth and adequately develop the ecclesiology of popular religiosity as an expression of the faith which is inside the Church and forms a part of it.
Professor José María de Miguel González from the Pontifical University spoke regarding the need to present, celebrate, and live the liturgy as a road to live, deepen, and mature in the faith; who, from the same university, followed Dr. D. Gaspar Hernández Peludo who gave a reflection on the sacramental structure of the Christian which concentrated on the seven sacraments and sacramentals, whose presence in popular religiosity he examined in detail.
The study day on the “Directory” ended with two presentations on the experience of the search for God on the phenomenon of the pilgrimage and the Christian sanctuary by the Benedictine monk Josep Enric Parellada from Montserrat, and about the development of the Christian life in brotherhoods and confraternities by Fr. José Márquez Valdés, Claretian, pastor in Seville.
It was an intense study day directed by Professor Dr. D. Gonzalo Tejerina Arias, Coordinator of the Chair of Claret at the Faculty of Salamanca, a complete day which had the full attention and interest of all who attended the various sessions.
