'Communion and Witness'. Renewed Liturgy and the Eastern Churches: a vision for the future

This article examines the place and role of liturgy in the life of the Eastern Catholic Churches, not only as a source of spirituality and life, but also as a tool of evangelisation and witness. The recent Synod of the Catholic Churches in the Middle East called for a renewal and adaptation of liturgical life, this being a pastoral response to the needs of the various Christian communities there and in diaspora countries. Some recent liturgical shifts in the Roman rite have tended to focus on a number of external elements and fidelity to the Latin tradition and translation; however, the call to renewal by the Eastern Catholic Churches is in essence a return to the pastoral vision of the Second Vatican Council and a recovery of authentic 'Tradition' amongst diverse 'traditions'—a healthy sign!