It is certain that one consequence of World Youth Day will be an increase in attendance at parish liturgies by people, young and old, who have been touched by the events of the past week. How can parishes ensure that newcomers as well as regular Mass goers are nourished through their participation in communal worship?
In the Catholic Church, we have been inclined to put all our "liturgical eggs in the Mass basket". Mass is often the only form of liturgical experience that parishes offer. The Mass is indeed the high point of our worship, but it was never intended to be the only form of worship. For Mass to be an encounter with the Divine, participants need a certain degree of liturgical literacy, of familiarity with the structure, language, and symbolism of the Mass. For seekers, the "uninitiated", the uncatechised, occasional worshippers, etc, it may not be the most welcoming or relevant style of worship. - Elizabeth Harrington, Liturgy Lines (click below for full article)
http://www.litcom.net.au/liturgy_lines/displayarticle.php?llid=523
