A few years ago Pope John Paul II authorized the revision and expansion of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. The Roman Missal contains all the
prayers used at Mass and all the guidelines needed for the liturgy. This past fall the Archdiocese of Los Angeles distributed the new guidelines with
directions as to how any changes should be carried out in the parishes under Cardinal Roger Mahony.

Several years ago a Pastoral Letter entitled Gather Faithfully Together was issued in Los Angeles and the parishes that have implemented it found
themselves well prepared for the new GIRM and in fact already implementing many of the changes.  Holy Trinity is among those who have relatively
little to do to obtain full compliance with the revisions in the liturgy.

On Easter Sunday, and over the next few weeks, we’ll have additional information on the GIRM provided by the Office for Worship (LA Archdiocese)
printed in the bulletin. The materials are excellent and I hope that we’ll all get a chance to read them thoroughly and update ourselves on the theology
behind the liturgy.

Look for a visual change on Easter: the lector will process in carrying our new Book of the Gospels.  More next time . . .  (April 4, 2003)