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“Arts, by their very nature, are oriented toward the infinite
beauty of God which they attempt in some way to portray by the
work of human hands”
(Sacrosanctum concillium 22)
The
recent opening of the Divine Master Centre on the 15th
of August 2009, a multi-functional complex which offers
hospitality for priests and other guests, liturgical ministry
and formation, as well as the possibility of liturgical
participation in the Prayer of the Church, reminds us once more
of the importance of liturgy as a means of evangelisation.
The new Centre is administered by
the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master (PDDM) who came to
Ireland in 1965. With the winds of change in the air after
Vatican II, it was an adapt moment for the sisters to begin
their liturgical ministry at the service of the Church in
Ireland. The Congregation, founded specifically to promote
dignity and beauty in the liturgy continues the vision of
its Founder Blessed James Alberione, who in appreciation of the
great Benedictine centres of liturgy throughout Europe, saw a
need for centres of diffusion to provide all that is required
for the worthy celebration of the liturgy. “All that the
Church teaches can also be said with works, with facts, through
painting, with sculpture, with the construction of churches and
with all that which is directly liturgy. Your apostolate is vast.
When a painting represents a dogma, then it is clear that it is
a sermon in itself!” (Bl. J. Alberione)
These centres of
diffusion, more commonly known as Liturgical Centres, continue
today to be a link for the sisters with the public, an
information point on liturgical matters for the laity, as well
as a welcoming and renowned retail venue of liturgical goods for
the clergy and parishes in an atmosphere of liturgical
aestheticism. All this is complimented by the Chapel of
Adoration adjacent to the Centre which invites people to pray
before the Blessed Sacrament. The faithful are
drawn into the world of Christ not only by their faith or by
strict symbols but also by the beauty of the church, its sacred
atmosphere, the splendour of its furnishings, the rhythm of the
liturgical texts and by the sublimity of its sacred music.
This is something which the sisters strive to promote
through their ministry.
Initially, the sisters supported themselves by making and
supplying vestments to the Catholic Church through Veritas
Company which was owned by the Bishops of Ireland and
operated by the laity. In 1969, with the inauguration of their
own Liturgical Centre in Athlone, and subsequently with the
second Liturgical Centre and community opening in Blackrock,
Dublin in 1992, the sisters began diffusing religious and
liturgical goods, especially those handmade by the sisters, in a
particular way, altar linens, vestments, liturgical banners and
artwork.
In more recent years,
the sisters have been involved in designing and furnishing
chapels in nursing homes, hospitals and schools. They render
liturgical service in terms of formation, catechesis,
biblical-liturgical animation and publications in view of
contributing to the growth of the liturgical life of the people
of God. Currently, they continue to carry out work in the areas
of statue restoration as well as vestment and altar linen making
and repair. This is in addition to preparing commissioned works
of arts including traditional paintings and banners. Embroidery,
painting, sculpture, carving, gilding, lace-making, needlework,
sewing are all crafts used by the sisters. In other parts of the
world, the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master work in the
field of architecture , church and chapel restoration, music,
metal-work, stained glass, ceramic, alabaster, stone work,
mosaicery and iconography.
All this is in
fidelity to the mandate of the Church: “Things set apart for
use in divine worship should be worthy, becoming, and beautiful,
signs and symbols of things supernatural” (SC 22).
Liturgical Centres are located at 8 Castle Street, Athlone
and White’s Cross, Blackrock, Co.Dublin |
