Liturgy for the Church as a Field Hospital (Fr. Patrick Chibuko)

Near and Far

A CWCIT interview with Fr. Patrick Chibuko, professor of sacred liturgy at the Catholic Institute of West Africa in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. He discusses Pope Francis’ ecclesiological paradigm, or model, of the Church as a “field hospital.” And he argues that this new model needs to be ritualized and cemented into the sacramental and pastoral life of parishes through appropriate, corresponding liturgical celebrations. Doing this, he says—that is, ritualizing the idea of the church as a field hospital—can inspire social ministries in parishes. It will also inspire theological developments among Catholic scholars, particularly in Africa, so that theology can meet, at the practical level, the challenging social realities of God’s people, especially those who are wounded and feeling very distant from God and from love.