by Archbishop Charles Chaput
Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver presented the Hillenbrand Lecture at St. Mary of the Lake in Chicago, in observance of the tenth anniversary of the Liturgical Institute. In his lecture Archbishop Chaput reflects on questions of evangelization and the renewal of Catholic liturgy. He examines the key issues of today’s liturgical worship within the context of American culture. Where does the Catholic liturgy fit in a culture that prizes technology, science and material proof, but has lost the vocabulary to understand humanity’s oldest and deepest need: faith in an unseen God?

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I’m very honored to be here tonight. This annual lecture reminds us that the Church in Chicago has played an historic role not only in the renewal of the liturgy, but also in the evangelization of America.

The vision of Cardinal Mundelein and Cardinal Stritch, along with the pioneering efforts of priests like Monsignor Hillenbrand and lay apostolates like the Catholic Family Movement, bore lasting fruit. They gave the Church ...