The fourteenth annual Sacred Liturgy Conference will once again show forth the beauty of the Eucharist as we bring together biblical theologians, moral theologians, philosophers, musicians, architects, scholars, and clergy to explicate Christ’s purpose in the Garden of Gethsemane. We will consider the nature of divine sacrifice, the mind of Christ, the divine and human wills of Jesus, and the historical development of the doctrine of the two wills, as well as the way the will of God is shown forth in Church art, architecture and music.

The conference will ask the question: Is it possible to comprehend the Eucharist without understanding what Our Lord accomplished in the Garden of Gethsemane? The answer will include an examination of the four Gospels as they portray Jesus in Gethsemane, animated by love for His Father and for His created cosmos, suffering to bring the human will into conformity with the divine will, and desirous of human companionship in His agony and the vulnerable moments before His arrest. Jesus brought His human will into complete union with the will of the Father and opened the way for our human will to come into complete conformity to the will of the Father as well.

The connection between the Garden of Gethsemane and the Eucharist occurs most notably during the Offertory of the Mass. We go with Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane as He offers Himself to His Father; we offer ourselves to Jesus as living sacrifices on the altar with Him to conform our human will with His divine will.

The conference will also be punctuated with beautiful Masses in the Roman and Dominican tradition and the Byzantine Divine Liturgy, plus a workshop on Byzantine Catholic chant. Please join us, bring your friends, and bring your questions as we explore together the Garden of Gethsemane. You won’t be disappointed.