Altar and Sacrifice

The International Centre for Liturgical Studies (C.I.E.L.) was founded in 1994 by a group of French laypeople. Under ecclesiastical guidance it organises an annual academic colloquium whose aim is to promote understanding of the traditional liturgy of the Latin Church in a spirit of complete loyalty to the Magisterium.

These conferences are open to everyone and are attended by priests, religious, academics and ordinary laypeople. Each year CIEL arranges for the Proceedings of the Colloquium to be translated and published in a number of different languages. The English language edition is prepared by members of CIEL UK.

The Third International Colloquium took place from 1st to 3rd October 1997 at the Foyer de Charité, Poissy, near Paris, attracting more than 100 participants from France, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Britain, Austria, Italy, Gabon, the USA, Canada and Australia.

Some of the topics covered:

• Is a Christianity without sacrifice possible? Professor Robert Spaemann (Germany) Doctor of philosophy, Professor at the Universities of Munich and Salzburg
• The altar as place of sacrifice, and sacred space in the religious building: Fr. Ephraem Chiffley OP (Australia) Doctor of theology
• The concept of sacrifice in the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas: Fr. Bernard Lucien (France) Professor at the seminary of Gricigliano
• The place of the altar in eucharistic rites: Fr. Jerome Bertram Cong. Orat. Priest of the Oxford Oratory
• Sermon of the Mass on 1st October: Rt. Rev. Wladimir-Marie de Saint-Jean (France) Abbot of the Canons Regular of the Mother of God
• The liturgical rites of meal and sacrifice: Fr. François Clément (Switzerland) Professor at the seminaries of Wigratzbad and Gricigliano
• The Celebrant and the altar before and after Vatican II: Fr. Emmanuel de Butler OSB (France) Monk of the Abbey of Ste. Madeleine, Le Barroux
• Sacrifice in the thought of Martin Luther: Mgr. Brunero Gherardini (Italy) Vice Rector of the Pontifical Academy of Theology, Canon of St. Peter's, Rome
• The rites of consecration of the altar: Rt. Rev. Hervé Courau OSB (France) Abbot of Triors
• Sermon of the Mass on 2nd October: Fr. Ignatius Harrison Cong. Orat. (UK) Superior of the London Oratory
• From table to stone altar - a historical analysis: Mgr. Anthony Conlon (UK) Delegate of the English and Welsh bishops to international eucharistic congresses.
• Meal and sacrifice in the teaching of the Magisterium: Fr. Denis Le Pivain FSSP (France) Superior of the French district of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter
• Sermon of the Mass on 3rd October: Rt. Rev. Eric de Lesquen OSB (France) Abbot of Randol
• Conclusion: the altar of the Sacred Heart: Mgr. Rudolf Michaël Schmitz (Germany) Doctor of theology, member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology, Academic Adviser to CIEL

Altar and Sacrifice.
192 pages, paperback. ISBN 1 901157 85 7.
£12.95 ; $22.95 in the U.S.A.
Published by The Saint Austin Press.
Click here to find out how to order from your local supplier.

The Proceedings of the 1996 Colloquium are still available at £12.95.
The Proceedings of the 1998 Colloquium are now available at £12.95.