Browsing by Author "Nipila, Achille"

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    The Specificity of the Zairean Rite Vis-A-Vis The Roman Rite
    (Tangaza University College, 2001-02) Nipila, Achille
    The last three decades have been a very decisive period for inculturation in the Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Among the areas where the Church put a very strong emphasis of inculturation, that of liturgical celebrations seems to be the most striking. It is this last point which has attracted us most and is going to be our concern in this dissertation. Over the past three decades the Episcopal Conference of Congo worked hand in hand with the Holy See in the field of inculturation. As we already said, being concerned about the liturgical celebration, we must acknowledge that there came up something that the Africans can be proud of. Having made great efforts in inculturating the Eucharistic celebration for Africa, mostly for Congo, the Church in Congo was finally rewarded with what they deserved. A new rite is born, allowing the people of Congo to pray as Africans and specifically as Congolese. This new way of celebrating the Eucharist reflects an authentic, original and typical African and Congolese celebration. Being the fruit of a hard work not only of the Episcopal Conference of Congo, but of the Holy See as well, the new rite is known with the title: "Roman Missal for the Dioseses of Zaire" (now Congo). It is called this because it is a rite that is rooted in the Roman Rite. In our work, we will also be using the term "Zairean Rite" meaning the Zairean Mass. Captivated by the originality of the new rite, I am also concerned with what the Zairean Rite needs to be in days to come. It is in this line that we will not only praise the Zairean Rite, but we will show how it needs to be improved as well, especially when we will have to assess it. Divided as it is into four chapters, our work will concentrate on the African cultural heritage in the Zairean Rite, the Eucharistic celebration according to the Roman Rite, the specificity of the Zairean Rite and the assessment of the Zairean Rite. The first chapter deals with some of the African values that are important for a liturgical celebration of this kind. The second chapter tries to show how the Mass is structured in the Roman Missal, for that is the root of the Zairean rite. The third chapter sketches out the uniquenes of the Zairean Rite vis-à-vis the Roman Rite. This is a key for us to assess the Zairean Rite. The fourth and last chapter is where we will assess the Zairean rite. In assessing it, we will deal with the merits it has and the challenges it encounters. All together, this essay modestly analyses the specificity of the Zairean Rite, so that, following all the challenges, the Episcopal Conference of Congo, theologians and the Church in general may help the Zairean Rite to become a complete rite.