Fr David Manson is a liturgical scholar and former Vicar General of the Diocese of Brentwood. He visited the parish of Christ the Eternal High Priest at Gidea Park on 28th October 2017 to lead a study day entitled ‘The Significance of Sunday’.
The study day was an opportunity to revisit the apostolic letter of Pope John Paul II Dies Domini (‘The Day of the Lord’), which was issued in 1998.
Fr David surveyed the document, beginning with the introduction, and stressing that the whole letter intersperses doctrine and poetry, and is a rich source of meditation. The pope’s talents as philosopher and as poet are clearly seen. Part I, Dies Domini, focusses on the Lord’s work in creation, and human responsibility to tend the creation. Part II takes as its focus the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and has the title Dies Christi. Sunday is the original celebration, each week being a mini-Easter. Part III stresses that Sunday is the ‘day of the Church’ (Dies Ecclesiae), for it is the day on which Christ gathers us together to receive his Word and his Sacrament. Part IV emphasises Sunday as a gift to human beings, a day for joy, rest and solidarity (Dies Hominis). It is the ‘day of days’ (Dies Dierum), and reveals the meaning of time itself (Part V).
Fr David’s presentation was followed by a question and answer session, which highlighted the efforts of Pope Francis to ensure that liturgical translations are faithful both to the original and to the receptor language, so that they are clearly understood by the faithful.