The ACU Centre for Liturgy proudly presents an exciting array of local and international experts who explore a wide range of liturgy-related topics. Our podcasts feature thought-provoking discussions on Catholic liturgy, liturgical music, art and architecture, liturgy in Catholic schools, preaching, and more. Join us, and listen to some of the world's best, 'Speaking of Liturgy'.
Sr Elizabeth Murray SGS explores the history of the Church's Liturgy of the Hours, particularly the two main "hinges" Morning and Evening Prayer, and suggests ways parishes might introduce this ancient form of daily prayer - once considered the primary responsibility of clergy and religious.
Sister Elizabeth Murray SGS holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Arts degree in Liturgical Studies from the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. A member of the liturgy committee within the Sisters of the Good Samaritan of the Order of St Benedict, Elizabeth has worked as a liturgist and musician in the Order's schools in different states of Australia, in addition to educational and formation work at Liturgy Brisbane, and the Benedictine Monastic Communities in New Norcia, WA and Arcadia, NSW. Elizabeth is a member of the National Liturgical Music Council, an advisory body to the Bishops Commission for Liturgy of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.
Dr Veronica Rosier, OP explores the significance of pilgrimage as a passage into the presence of God with a spirit of faith and conversion. From the El Camino to the Communion Procession, she highlights aspects of the inner and outer journey of discerning God's purpose.
Sr Dr Veronica Rosier OP holds a PhD in liturgical studies (CUA Washington, D.C.). She has taught liturgy at CUA, Port Moresby, and Australia, including ACU where she established ACU's MA(Liturgy) award in 2006. Veronica is the author of numerous publications including Liturgical Catechesis of Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest (Leuven: Peeters, 2002). Currently, Veronica serves as a facilitator for Catholic Mission's Immersion programs and pilgrimages in Australia, Asia and Europe.
On the night before he died Jesus prayed that all may one (John 17). After a lifelong commitment to Christian unity, Reverend Robert Gribben reflects, with Dr Paul Taylor, on the hopes and challenges of the Ecumenical movement and how we might work together as we look to the future.
Rev Emeritus Professor Robert Gribben AM studied at Melbourne and Cambridge universities. During more than fifty years of ordained ministry, he has served Methodist and Uniting churches in Australia. He was Professor of Worship and Mission at the former United Faculty of Theology in Melbourne, Australia, a fellow of Ormond and Queens Colleges, Director of Ecumenical Relationships for the World Methodist Council and a member of the international committee of the Global Christian Forum. His books and published articles address liturgy, history, theology, evangelization, Christian unity and the future of the churches.
Fr Brian Nichols discusses the significance of receiving Holy Communion from the same altar of sacrifice. One of the great teachings of the Second Vatican Council, this expresses the unity of the Body of Christ when we celebrate the Mass. It is an invitation to consider our pastoral practice.
Rev Brian Nichols is a priest of the Archdiocese of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, and is currently Vice-Rector of Corpus Christi Seminary in Melbourne. He also teaches Liturgical and Sacramental Theology at Catholic Theological College (University of Divinity), Melbourne. He holds a Licentiate in Sacred Liturgy from the Pontifical Liturgical Institute (Sant' Anselmo), Rome.
In his second podcast on the Collect, Professor Gerard Moore continues his discussion of the origins and features of these fascinating ancient prayers.
Professor Gerard Moore is Principal of the BBI - The Australian Institute of Theological Education in Sydney. He earned a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC with a dissertation on the Collect, and has written numerous books and articles on liturgy in scholarly and pastoral publications.
Fr Frank O'Loughlin explores the Liturgy of the Word as a genuine dialogue between God and God's people. The proclamation of the Word in the liturgy is a sacramental encounter that reveals the nature of God and stirs the heart into action.
Rev Dr Francis O'Loughlin was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Melbourne in 1969. He served on the staff of Catholic Theological College in Melbourne from 1977 to 1996, teaching courses in systematic theology and liturgy, following doctoral studies at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, and further study at the Irish Institute of Pastoral Liturgy. He also served as the director of the Diocesan Liturgical Centre in East Melbourne. He has taught extensively in Australia and New Zealand and is widely published.
Sr Ursula O'Rourke SGS reflects on the way physical gestures and postures, including processions, give expression to the mysteries celebrated in the liturgy. These common bodily postures foster the participation of all who are gathered and promote an openness to the presence of Christ.
Sr Ursula O'Rourke SGS is a Sister of the Good Samaritan who teaches liturgy in the liturgical formation program at Holy Spirit Seminary Queensland, Australia. She is a sessional lecturer in the School of Theology at the Australian Catholic University and involved extensively in liturgical formation and consultation across Australia.
Fr Mark Joseph Costello, OFMCap invites us to engage more actively with local communities when renovating churches so that the identity of the local church and the human desire for meaning in the modern world may be better expressed in the liturgical environment.
Rev Mark Joseph Costello OFMCap is Provincial minister of the Capuchin Province of St Joseph. He has worked extensively as a liturgical designer and consultant, has been published in various liturgical journals, and undertaken professional consultancy on liturgical spaces. He is a member of the North American Academy of Liturgy and Societas Liturgica.
Corinna Laughlin invites us to consider the ministry of Sacristan as more than knowing what sacred objects are needed for the liturgy and where to find them. She asks: 'What does it take to be a good Sacristan?' She discusses this important role and highlights some key aspects of training.
Dr Corinna Laughlin is a Pastoral Assistant for Liturgy at the Cathedral of St James, Seattle, USA. Since 1998, she has worked with clergy, Cathedral staff and volunteers, planning hundreds of liturgies each year. Corinna has written the Guide for Sacristans, Guide for Servers, and Guide for Celebrating Holy Week and Triduum for Liturgy Training Publications as well as articles for many other publications. Corinna serves as a Consultant to the Liturgy Office of the Archdiocese of Seattle.
Paul Inwood reflects on areas of growth and challenge since the promulgation of Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Second Vatican Council's teaching on the liturgy and poses some important underlying questions about the nature of music in the liturgy.
Paul Inwood is an internationally known Roman Catholic liturgist, composer, organist, choir director, author, speaker and workshop presenter. His work is to be found in major Catholic hymnals across the English-speaking world. A former president of the international liturgical music study group Universa Laus, Paul was responsible for the introduction of the music of Taizé into the British Isles in the 1970s. He was named 2009 Pastoral Musician of the Year by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (USA), and was the official composer of the Vatican Hymn for the Holy Year of Mercy (2015-16).
Rita Thiron describes how a synodal Church places importance on Diocesan Liturgical Commissions. She outlines the role of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission and how it contributes to the vitality of the Church today.
Mrs Rita Thiron is the Executive Director of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions in Washington, DC. She previously served as the Director of the Office of Worship for the Diocese of Lansing (Michigan) and an adjunct professor at Siena Heights University. Since 2013, Rita has served as a consultant to the Bishops' Committee on Divine Worship of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. She is the author of eight books and countless articles. She is a frequent workshop presenter in dioceses across the United States.
Fr Michael Driscoll encourages all the baptised to reflect on their liturgical experiences and the meaning of the rites, so that they can participate more deeply in the celebration of the liturgy.
Rev Michael S. Driscoll is a priest of the Helena Diocese. He taught sacramental theology and liturgy at the University of Notre Dame until his retirement in January 2017 and founded and directed a graduate program in sacred music. He is actively involved in pastoral practice, and has worked as a liturgical consultant in the United States. He has served as president of the North American Academy of Liturgy (2002) and the Catholic Academy of Liturgy (2013) and was elected on two occasions to the Council of the Societas Liturgica. He also served as an advisor to the Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy, USA. He is widely published.
Fr Michael Wallace describes some inherited images of Mary depicted in New Zealand churches and how local and indigenous knowledge have been absent in Church art. He describes what Māori images of Mary might include and invites us to consider to what extent our own images of Mary are enculturated expressions of the local community.
Rev Michael Wallace JP, BA, BTheol, MPhil, PhD is the vicar of All Saints Church and Chaplain of Selwyn College, Dunedin, New Zealand.. He has worked with students for many years; from 2004-2010, he was General Secretary of the World Student Christian Federation in Geneva, Switzerland. He has degrees in Arts and Theology from Otago and a Master of Philosophy (in Ecumenics) from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD (in liturgical inculturation) from Australian Catholic University. Fr. Michael is married to Julanne Clarke-Morris and they have three children.
Gordon W. Lathrop invites us to ponder the nature of a real Christan assembly in our contemporary virtual world. He discusses how to treasure and promote diverse assemblies and work towards their renewal. /p>
Rev. Prof. Emeritus Gordon Lathrop is the Schieren Professor of Liturgy Emeritus at the United Lutheran Seminary (USA) and a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He has degrees from Occidental College (Los Angeles) and Luther Theological Seminary (St. Paul), a doctorate in New Testament studies from the Catholic University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and honorary doctorates in theology from the University of Helsinki, the University of Iceland, the Virginia Theological Seminary, and Wartburg Theological Seminary. He is the author of several books, including Holy Things: A Liturgical Theology (Fortress, 1993), The Four Gospels on Sunday: The New Testament and the Reform of Christian Worship (Fortress, 2012), Saving Images: The Presence of the Bible in Christian Liturgy (Fortress, 2017), and The Assembly: A Spirituality. He is a Past-President of both Societas Liturgica and the North American Academy of Liturgy.
Sr Louise Gannon, RSJ, outlines some of the modern challenges of liturgical formation and invites us to explore different approaches, especially a dynamic process of mystagogical reflection. The best experiences invite an encounter with the mystery of God's presence and inflame the hearts of all the faithful.
Sister Louise Gannon, RSJ is a member of the Sisters of St Joseph Lochinvar, Australia. She has served in a range of ministries in Secondary Schools and in adult faith formation in the Tenison Woods Education Centre Lochinvar. Louise has been in liturgical ministry in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle for many years, guiding the Diocesan Liturgy Council, and until recently as the Manager of Worship and Prayer. She is also a member of the National Liturgy Council, an advisory body to the Bishops Commission for Liturgy of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.
Fr Richard Vosko examines the relationship between churches and the people who worship in them and how worship spaces can help us sense the unexplainable and create unlikely connections. He explores how buildings reflect the community's response to the Gospel message and become symbols of faith in action.
Rev Dr Richard Vosko AIA is an award-winning liturgical designer and consultant whose work is well known internationally. He speaks and writes frequently on topics pertaining to religion and the environment for worship. His portfolio includes 150 completed churches, 13 cathedrals, and dozens of synagogue consultations. His latest book is Art and Architecture for Congregational Worship: A Search for Common Ground (Collegeville: Liturgical Press) 2016
Hans-Jürgen Feulner explores the depiction of liturgical rites in film. Religion is a key part of life and filmmakers incorporate religious rituals in different ways for different effects. He notes how perspectives and interpretations have changed.
Professor Hans-Jürgen Feulner s professor of Liturgical Studies and Sacramental Theology at the faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Vienna, Austria. His research focuses include Comparative Liturgiology with the various Eastern liturgical rites, liturgical rituals in film, and Anglican liturgy. He was a member of a Vatican working group on the preparation of a liturgical form for former Anglicans in the three Personal Ordinariates, and was awarded the papal knighthood of St Gregory the Great by Pope Francis in 2015. More on this topic can be found at https://lit-ktf.univie.ac.at/en/research/research-projects/religious-rituals-in-film. An English article about the Dies irae in film music will be published in fall 2025 in the open access online Journal Ex Fonte: https://exfonte.org
Fr Mike Connors discusses the relationship between preaching and the Church's traditional mystagogical process of reflecting on the celebration of the sacraments. He encourages preachers to explore and savour the riches of our powerful rites, especially those associated with initiation.
Rev Michael Connors, CSC is a priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Trained as a pastoral or practical theologian, he is director emeritus of the John S. Marten Program in Homiletics and Liturgics at the University of Notre Dame in the USA, where he continues to reside. He is a former team member of the North American Forum on the Catechumenate, and author of Preaching for Discipleship: Preparing Homilies for Christian Initiation (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 2018).
Linda Klarfeld discusses the creative process, and her own approach to working with communities and artistic commissions. She explores the relationship between sculpture and spirituality and describes how art can transcend words and speak directly to our hearts.
Linda Klarfeld is a renowned Australian sculptor based in Queensland, known for her figurative works that bring faith and spirituality to life. Trained in Prague, Sydney, and New York, she has dedicated much of her career to creating sacred sculptures that connect modern audiences with timeless religious traditions. Through her work, she seeks to inspire reflection, devotion, and a deeper sense of connection to the divine. She created the sculpture of St John Paul II with four teenagers outside St Patrick's Cathedral, Parramatta, Australia.
Chris Ohlsen describes how Christian funerals offer hope because of our shared destiny of eternal life in Christ and discusses ways to build a bridge between the expectations of mourners and the church's faith in an era of increasing secularisation.
Mr Christopher Ohlsen is currently the Executive Officer to the Vicar General at the Diocese of Broken Bay. He holds a Master of Theological Studies (Liturgy) from the Australian Catholic University and was a recipient of the ACU Centre for Liturgy Scholarship. He was previously the Diocesan Master of Ceremonies for the Diocese of Parramatta. Chris is currently a member of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission.
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, SDB reflects on the sacrament of Confirmation and describes his approach to the preparation and preaching of the homily during conferral of this sacrament.
Most Rev Timothy Costelloe SDB is the Archbishop of Perth, Western Australia and the President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. He studied at the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome and lectured at Catholic Theological College Melbourne, the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle and Australian Catholic University. He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne in 2007 and has held numerous leadership positions, especially in the field of education.
Cardinal Mykola Bychok, CSsR shares the richness of being a Ukrainian Greek Catholic today, with a particular focus on the history, worship and values of this venerable liturgical and spiritual tradition.
Cardinal Mykola Bychok, CSsR (b. 1980) is a Bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) who has served as the Eparch of Saints Peter and Paul Melbourne since the year 2020. He was made a Cardinal by Pope Francis on 7 December 2024. Born in Ternopil in Western Ukraine, Cardinal Bychok joined the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (or Redemptorists) in 1997 and undertook formation in both Ukraine and Poland where he obtained a Licentiate in Pastoral Theology. Ordained in in 2005, he has worked as a missionary in Russia as well as the Ukraine and New Jersey, USA. His responsibilities as Eparchial Bishop take in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania
Fr Brian Nichols discusses the art of presiding and how the best ministers invite people into prayer. He describes some of the qualities associated with good liturgical leadership.
Rev Brian Nichols is a priest of the Archdiocese of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, and is currently Vice-Rector of Corpus Christi Seminary in Melbourne. He also teaches Liturgical and Sacramental Theology at Catholic Theological College (University of Divinity), Melbourne. He holds a Licentiate in Sacred Liturgy from the Pontifical Liturgical Institute (Sant' Anselmo), Rome.
The ACU Centre for Liturgy provides specialist expertise, teaching, research and formation in liturgical studies, sacramental theology, and the sacred arts.
Producers: Cathy Murrowood and Paul Taylor
Sound Engineer: Amiel Matthews
Music composed and performed by: Kylie Morrigan and Mal Webb
Announcer: Stan Murrowood
© ACU Centre for Liturgy 2024
We're available 9am–5pm AEDT,
Monday to Friday
If you’ve got a question, our AskACU team has you covered. You can search FAQs, text us, email, live chat, call – whatever works for you.