Innsbruck commemorates Josef Jungmann: New series of lectures started!

Innsbruck commemorates Josef Jungmann: New series of lectures started!

Innsbruck, Österreich - On June 3, 2025, a significant lecture took place in Innsbruck on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of death of the renowned pastoral theologian Josef Jungmann. The Catholic-Theological Faculty of the University of Innsbruck took this as an opportunity to launch the new series of lectures "Josef-Jungmann-Lectures", which is supposed to set a focus every year. The event was opened by Prof. Bruce Morrill, a theologian from Vanderbilt University and President of the Jungmann Society. The latter emphasized how Jungmann's works have shaped the liturgy constitution "Sacrosanctum Concilium" of the second Vatican Council (1962-1965).

Jungmann, who taught as a professor of pastoral theology in Innsbruck from 1930 to 1956, is known for his extensive research on liturgy. In his speech, Morrill emphasized the need for a well -founded liturgical education in order to promote the active participation of the believers in the services. This elementary formation is not only important for the liturgical celebration itself, but also for the design of people's life.

The importance of liturgy

A central concern of the second Vatican Council was the renewal of the liturgy, which is seen as the heart of church life. In the "Sacrosanctum Concilium" Council constitution, it is underlined that the liturgical celebration is an expression of the mystery of Christ and Christian life. The believers are to be built up by the liturgy and promoted in its piety, as the document records, among other things. The same respect is given to all legally recognized rites, so that the variety of cultural forms of expression within the community is also preserved without endangering the unity of faith.

The liturgy thus plays a central role in the church and is intended to lead people to active participation and in common. The renewal, which was initiated by the Council resolutions, enables believers to experience the celebrations in a language they understand - a decisive aspect for the accessibility of the services.

Jungmann's legacy

Part of the event was the presentation of an online edition of Jungmann's Council Department, which documented valuable memories between 1962 and 1970. This edition is created in cooperation with Rudolf Pacik and the Brenner Archive in Innsbruck and is to be released in autumn 2025. This gives the next generation of theologians and believers the opportunity to achieve an even deeper understanding of the importance of liturgy and the developments of the past decades.

The insights of Morrill and the newly created series of lectures illustrate the continuing influence of Josef Jungmann on liturgical science and church life. With it, an important dialogue about the combination of tradition and contemporary faith practice remains alive. In view of the challenges and challenges of our time, this legacy may be more important than ever.

The new initiatives of the University of Innsbruck offer an excellent platform for all interested parties on liturgical topics and questions of the practice of faith. In the sense of the work of Jungmann, it will be a task of the coming years to inspire and form people through a lively and accessible liturgy.