A defining example of liturgical ethnography, this book probes the rich particularity of one worshiping community--Our Lady of Lourdes, San Francisco--whose roots and practice are at once Black and Catholic. Compelling accounts of actual worship services, with perspective commentary by community members, offer the reader a rare exploration of African American gospel music in Catholic liturgy. Narrative chapters are intersected by five intermezzi (Time, Space, Words, Flow, Embodiment), which are more reflective/analytic in character, and conclude with an inquiry into the distinctive theological and liturgical understandings embodied in this community's practice. Intended for both scholars and pastoral leaders, this volume forges a path along a new frontier of liturgical studies--the intersection of lived worship and liturgical theology.
