NORTH AMERICAN ACADEMY OF LITURGY

The North American Academy of Liturgy (NAAL) is an ecumenical association of specialists in Christian liturgy and related arts and disciplines. The Academy's purposes are to provide channels for mutual professional assistance and for the sharing of methods and resources; to exchange technical information concerning research projects and activities of the members; to foster liturgical research, publication, and dialogue at a scholarly level; to encourage exchanges with individuals and communities of other religious traditions; and to communicate the activities of the Academy through the publication of annual proceedings.

Admission to the NAAL is restricted to persons of demonstrated competence in liturgical studies and to specialists in allied areas who contribute to the understanding of worship in a significant way. The Academy consists of members, who have established and demonstrated their competence in the fields of liturgy and related areas, and associates, who evidence a developing contribution in the field of liturgical studies and related areas.

The groundwork for the founding of the Academy was laid in December of 1973. To honor the 10th anniversary of Vatican Council II's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, a conference for 70 people working in the field of liturgy was sponsored by Theological Studies at the Franciscan Renewal Center, Scottsdale, Arizona. The conveners of the conference were Walter Burghardt, SJ, and John Gallen, SJ. Travel costs and conference expenses were underwritten by the Friends of the Franciscan Renewal Center.

At the end of this conference, the group decided to meet a year later in January of 1975, at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind., to continue its discussion and reflection and to found an official organization. At the end of the Notre Dame conference, the first officers of the Academy committee were elected: John Gallen, SJ, president, Rev. Daniel Stevick, vice-president, Dr. John Barry Ryan, secretary-treasurer, and Mary Collins, OSB, and Mr. Robert Rambusch, delegates. In 1977, the Academy was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in the state of New Jersey.

From its inception the Academy has presented the Berakah Award to honor a person who has made outstanding contributions in the field of liturgy. Published every summer, The Proceedings of the North American Academy of Liturgy contains papers from the annual meeting, seminar reports, and selected research essays.

Bibliography: m. collins, "Liturgy in America: The Scottsdale Conference," Worship 48 (1974) 66–80. Papers connected with the Scottsdale Conference, Theological Studies 35 (1974) 233–311. Proceedings of NAAL Meetings, Worship 50 n. 4 (1976), 51 n. 4 (1977), 52 n. 4 (1978).

[j. b. ryan/eds.]