1715 K Fri 26 April 2002
In addressing the problem of liturgical abuse in the Catholic Church training is important. As the 1998 Statement of Conclusions said:
Appropriate Liturgical Formation
46. So that the faithful may be sure to receive from their priests an authentic and informed ministry and teaching, insistence will continue to be placed upon the stipulation of the Council's Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium (n. 16), that the sacred Liturgy be regarded as one of the principal subjects in major seminaries, a requirement that is the subject of further guidelines offered by the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education's Instruction, In ecclesiasticam (3 June 1979).
Such liturgical formation needs to be followed through in all the different sections of the Catholic community and at the various levels in a consistent and permanent fashion. ...
But trainers recognise there are other issues as well. An example of this in a book "Skilling Australia: A Handbook for Trainers and TAFE Teachers", by Laurie Field (ISBN 0 582 66275 3, published in 1990). He wrote on page 127:
... Bear in mind, though, that getting learners to continue to apply and build on what you have shown them is more than simply an educational challenge. The failure of learners to transfer what they have learnt in training back to their job environment can be related to a range of factors, including:
- the efficiency of workplace technology;
- inbuilt rewards for taking short cuts in relation to safety;
- excessive work pressures;
- a poor work environment generally;
- inadequate supervision;
- too much conflict in the organisation;
- insufficient rewards for skill development;
- conflicting job descriptions;
- the absence of a feedback mechanism that draws attention to errors.
If the training that you provide fails to produce results, it may be necessary to investigate broader problems such as these. ...
Hopefully improvements in training and these other areas will lead to the purification in the Catholic Church in the areas of sexual abuse and liturgical abuses.
Copyright J.R. Lilburne, 26 April 2002.
Other Sites:
Communique of the US Cardinals - indicating a range of approaches to be taken to the problem of sexual abuse by priests and religious.
1998 Statement of Conclusions about the Catholic Church in Australia at www.vatican.va