FEDERATION OF DIOCESAN LITURGICAL COMMISSIONS

The Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions (FDLC) is a national association encompassing all diocesan liturgical commissions, offices of worship (or comparable diocesan structures) established by the local bishops in the United States. Since September 1980, the national office has been located in Washington, DC.

The bishops' committee on the liturgy and its secretariat gave a strong impetus to the foundation of the FDLC. They hosted a meeting of the heads of diocesan liturgical commissions at the Liturgical Week in Houston in 1966 and Kansas City in 1967. In a similar meeting in Chicago, November 1968, a motion was made that a federation of liturgical commissions be organized. In the Feb. 9, 1969 meeting, the bishops' committee on the liturgy implemented the Chicago motion by directing that two representatives from each of 12 regions be elected from among the chairs and secretaries of all the diocesan commissions in the United States. These elected representatives formed the charter 24.

The charter 24 were convened at the 1969 meeting of the diocesan commissions in Pittsburgh. Temporary officers were elected, and organizing committees were appointed. The first constitutional meeting of the FDLC took place in El Paso, Texas, in conjunction with the 1970 meeting of the Southwest Liturgical Conference. At this time the FDLC was formally established, a constitution was adopted, and permanent officers were elected.

The FDLC views itself as a professional organization seeking to promote the liturgy as the heart of Christian life in the parish and to assist the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), as well as individual bishops in their discharging their responsibilities for fostering liturgical catechesis in their dioceses. Concentrating on the pastoral aspects of liturgical celebration, it places a high priority on gathering, dispensing, and commissioning liturgical materials to aid liturgical renewal and catechetical programs in each diocese. An annual meeting, regional meetings, the FDLC Newsletters, and other specially commissioned publications serve as focus points for this effort. To foster closer cooperation between the FDLC and the USCCB, the FDLC Chair and Executive Director attend all plenary meetings of the USCCB.

[j. d. shaughnessy/

j. l. cunningham/eds.]