Editorial
Founded on 2 February, 1984, the review made known the direction it intended to take in its first issue, which came out in September of the year of its founding.
Ecclesia Orans has had the experience of a year of publication in three issues. It is doubtless a little early to conduct an examination of conscience whose conclusions would be final. Nevertheless, it would be helpful to go over the results of this first year, while retaining a degree of caution in making evaluative judgments.
It seems that the review has held firmly to the principles assigned to it by the Editorial Board: research in and promotion of the liturgical science and of the related disciplines. It included studies on the different aspects of the liturgy and the international character intended for Ecclesia Orans was scrupulously respected. When one reads the titles of the different articles published in the four issues that have appeared so far, one feels satisfied that it represents a qualified cooperative effort. Ecclesia Orans has not opened its pages only to the experts all over the world and it has refrained from taking shelter in particular areas of research that close off every other aspect. In each issue a member of the Editorial Board has demonstrated his willingness to collaborate in a review whose aim is to express the line adopted by the Liturgical Institute from the start.
Moreover, to avoid remaining in the abstract, the review has published a Newsletter which won the appreciation of alumni and current students alike. Though still in its infancy, the review has already proved instrumental in bringing together students of different generations and of different countries.
Of course, everything is not perfect and not all the goals have yet been able to be reached. Neverthess, in the last issue of the year 1985, the different Indices should offer the readers a valuable instrument for research. In the same line, Ecclesia Orans would like to develop its book-review section so as to serve as a guide for its readers, particularly for professors of Liturgy. This is not an easy assignment and it depends in part on the circulation of the review and on the esteem it should be acquiring from Publishing Houses.
At the end of the first year and as we begin a new one, Ecclesia Orans would like to express warm sentiments of gratitude to its readers and particularly to all those who, inspite of their present work schedules, often already overcrowded, were Willing to send us articles. We thank them and encourage them not forget us, but instead to make Ecclesia Orans «their».
Personally, I would lik to thank here my colleague Dom Giustino Farnedi, the Editors, the Editorial Board and particularly the Secretary, Dom Basilio Rizzi, al also our technical adviser, Ferdinando Cannicci, for their painstaking labour.
But I would like be incomplete if I were to overlook the support and encouragement always given at most needed moments by Dom Anscar Chopungco, president of the Institute and now Rector Magnificus of the Ateneo Sant’Anselmo. If this first balance is positive, the debt is owed to all those I just mentioned.