Fr. Innocent Smith, an expert in liturgy and sacramental theology, discusses the profound impact of St. Juliana of Liège on the Feast of Corpus Christi. He delves into the evolution of Eucharistic practices and how tradition shapes faith. The guest illuminates Juliana's spiritual journey and her emotional connection to the Eucharist, while also detailing her challenges in establishing the feast. Furthermore, he reflects on key historical figures like Pope Urban IV and Thomas Aquinas, highlighting their contributions and the theological significance of the sacrament.
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insights INSIGHT
Liturgy as Living Tradition
Liturgy is a core way the Church hands down all it has received from Christ through tradition.
It embodies the Church's teaching, life, and worship as a living transmission, not just intellectual ideas.
insights INSIGHT
Growth Without Change in Tradition
True development in tradition means deepening what was implicitly given, not changing it fundamentally.
Tradition grows like a baby to an adult, maintaining identity while reaching fuller understanding.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Juliana's Emotional Liturgical Journey
St. Juliana emotionally lived the liturgical year, deeply feeling the feasts of Christ’s life and saints.
Her devotion led to intense spiritual responses during feasts like Christmas, Passion, and Ascension.
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Dei Verbum, Latin for "The Word of God," is a Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation promulgated by the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). It's a pivotal document in Catholic theology, clarifying the relationship between Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. The document emphasizes the importance of both as sources of divine revelation, highlighting how God's self-communication is ongoing and active in the Church. Dei Verbum stresses the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding the Church's understanding of God's word and ensuring its faithful transmission throughout history. It's a cornerstone text for understanding the Catholic approach to interpreting and living out the faith.
Catena Aurea
Thomas Aquinas
The 'Catena Aurea' is a masterpiece of Patristic commentary on the Gospels, compiled by Thomas Aquinas at the request of Pope Urban IV. It provides a detailed, phrase-by-phrase analysis of the Gospels through the insights of early Church Fathers, serving as a valuable resource for understanding the Sacred Scriptures. The work was translated into English by John Henry Newman in 1841, making it accessible to a broader audience.
Confessions
Augustine
Written in Latin between AD 397 and 400, 'Confessions' is a blend of autobiography, philosophy, theology, and critical exegesis of the Christian Bible. The first nine books are autobiographical, tracing Augustine's life from his birth to his conversion to Catholicism. He recounts his sinful youth, his involvement with Manicheism and Neoplatonism, and his eventual conversion in a Milanese garden. The last four books focus on philosophical and theological issues, including memory, time, eternity, and the interpretation of the Book of Genesis. The work is structured as a series of prayers to God, reflecting Augustine's journey of redemption and his understanding of God's grace and providence[2][4][5].
This lecture was given on October 25th, 2024, at Dominican House of Studies.
Fr. Innocent Smith, O.P. entered the Order of Preachers in 2008 and was ordained to the priesthood in 2015. From 2015 to 2018, Fr. Innocent served as parochial vicar at the Parish of St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Catherine of Siena in New York City. From 2018 to 2021, he lived in Munich while completing a doctorate in liturgical studies at the University of Regensburg. From 2021 to 2023, Fr. Innocent served as Assistant Professor of Homiletics at St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore. In 2023, he joined the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception.
Fr. Innocent’s teaching and research interests include liturgy, homiletics, sacramental theology, ecclesiology, and sacred music. His S.T.L. thesis, “In Collecta Dicitur: The Oration as a Theological Authority for Thomas Aquinas,” explored the importance of the liturgy as a source for scholastic theology. His monograph Bible Missals and the Medieval Dominican Liturgy focuses on medieval manuscripts of the Bible that also contain liturgical texts for the celebration of Mass.
This project/publication was made possible through the support of Grant 63391 from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.
The Thomistic Institute 
