Parishes will find The Church at Worship to be an ideal formation resource as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the promulgation of the Constitution of the Sacred Liturgy.

In The Church at Worship, Monsignor Joseph DeGrocco helps students of liturgy, whether in the classroom, the liturgy committee, or on the parish staff, understand the spirituality and theology of the liturgy. As Monsignor Kevin W. Irwin notes in the foreword, the author guides us to view the liturgy from the inside, to allow its words, texts, signs, and gestures to speak to us and for us. From this view, readers are able to see how participation in the liturgy is to be internal and external at the same time. DeGrocco relates that such participation changes us to be at service to the world to build up the kingdom of God.

This book is written in short, readable sections that contain discussion questions and suggestions for further reading. Written in such a way, it accommodates both the classroom and the parish. Parishes will find The Church at Worship helpful in the formation of the parish liturgy committee and for deepening the understanding of the liturgy among parish staff. As the material deals with the general and specific aspects of celebrating ritual, it is immediately relevant to the life of the parish. Suggested reading refers the audience to the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, other documents of the Second Vatican Council, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.