The Catholic World Report recently highlighted Christendom’s new Institute for Liturgical Formation, calling it “a tremendous benefit to clergy and laypeople, those who work at parishes and those who do not.” The Institute, which will begin offering courses this summer, aims to educate and train those responsible for liturgical preparation and execution, helping them more effectively serve the Church’s mission to worship God.
Institute founders Christopher Carstens, Director of the Office for Sacred Worship in the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and editor of Adoremus Bulletin, and Dr. R.J. Matava, Dean of Christendom’s Graduate School, spoke at length with The Catholic World Report about the Institute, emphasizing the pressing need for ongoing liturgical formation in the Church.
“The sacred liturgy, particularly the sacraments, stands at the heart of the Church’s life and mission, for in the liturgy ‘the work of our redemption is accomplished,’” says Carstens in the interview. “Certainly, Christ is present and active in all parts of the Church and her work, but the liturgy is a most privileged means to encounter him, adore the Father, and grow in holiness. If this is the case, then forming participants, liturgical ministers, and those who prepare sacred celebrations remains an important task.”
Housed within Christendom’s Graduate School of Theology, the Institute will offer students the opportunity to earn either a Master of Arts degree in theological studies with a concentration in sacred liturgy or a certificate in sacred liturgy, with the certificate track expected to be finalized by summer 2026.
Starting this summer, the Institute will offer four summer courses focusing on the liturgy, with four courses offered each summer as part of a three-year cycle. Participation in the Institute will also provide students with opportunities for liturgical preparation and participation, fostering a rich communal life on campus for participants. These offerings will benefit those in diocesan and parish-level liturgical roles, as well as priests, religious, and laypeople seeking a deeper understanding of the Church’s liturgy.
“Our hope and prayer is to form clergy and laity to understand, celebrate, and pray the liturgy as the Church desires — a liturgy grown out of tradition, sanctifying men and women in our day, with joyful fidelity to the Church and her books,” says Carstens.
Read the full interview in The Catholic World Report here.
To learn more about the Institute and apply today, visit christendom.edu/liturgy.