Dr Jason McFarland

Dr Jason McFarland is Lecturer in Liturgical Studies and Sacramental Theology and Assistant Director of the ACU Centre for Liturgy. He has many years of teaching experience at the university level, including the areas of liturgical studies, liturgical theology, sacramental theology, liturgical music, Church history, world religions, choral conducting, individual voice instruction, and introductory theology at The Catholic University of America, St Norbert College, and The University of South Dakota. He has also taught at Zunyi Normal College (Guizhou, China) as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer.

Jason is an active presenter in the Music Seminar of the North American Academy of Liturgy. He has presented at meetings of Societas Liturgica, the College Theology Society, the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, the Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians, and the American Academy of Religion. His substantial experience in preparing liturgical celebrations and thorough knowledge of the ritual books of the Roman Rite come chiefly through his work with the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, as well as through over a decade as a cantor and member of the professional choir at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Jason's research on the theological interpretation of liturgical music and the history and theology of liturgical books has appeared in a variety of journals and pastoral resources. His book, Announcing the Feast: The Entrance Song in the Mass of the Roman Rite (2012), is considered by many to be the standard treatment of the subject in the English language. His other research interests include Ritual Studies, ritual expressions of Christianity in China's ethnic minority populations, and especially liturgical-theologicl method. 

EDUCATION:

Doctor of Philosophy in Liturgical Studies (2010) 

The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, USA

School of Theology and Religious Studies

Dissertation: Cantus ad introitum: The Entrance Song in Roman Catholic Worship

Director: Prof. Kevin W. Irwin 

Awards: Dissertation Fellowship, Teaching Fellowship, Dom Mocquereau Scholarship for Liturgical Music, Magi Scholarship for the Liturgical Arts 

Master of Arts in Liturgical Studies (1999)

The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, USA

Master of Music (1997)

The University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA 

Bachelor of Music (summa cum laude, with honors) (1996)

The University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA

Semper reformanda: Retrieving the Critical Edge in Liturgical Studies. Research leave / Visiting Scholar (CUA) project, forthcoming.

"Mass Antiphons and the Dialectic of Liturgical Genre and Translation." Questions Liturgiques, forthcoming.

Doing Liturgical Theology: MetSemper reformanda: Retrieving the Critical Edge in Liturgical Studies. Research leave / Visiting Scholar (CUA) project, forthcoming. 

"Mass Antiphons and the Dialectic of Liturgical Genre and Translation." Questions Liturgiques, forthcoming. 

Doing Liturgical Theology: Method in Context. Co-edited with Stephen Burns. Leuven: Peeters, forthcoming. Accepted in principle by the publisher as a 5-volume series. 

"Kevin Irwin Goes to the Wayside Chapel." In Doing Liturgical Theology: Method in Context. J. McFarland and S. Burns, eds. Leuven: Peeters, forthcoming. 

"Eucharistic Communities."  In The Oxfor d Handbo ok of Music and Christian Theology. Oxford University Press, forthcoming.

"Processes of Liturgical Change: A Roman Catholic Perspective." In When We Pray: The Future of Common Prayer. Melbourne: Coventry Press, 2020.

"Music in Liturgical Studies." In Beauty Ever Ancient, Ever New: A Collection of Essays on Sacred Music in Honor of Leo Nestor. Chicago: GIA Publications, forthcoming.

"The Place of the Assembly in Liturgical Prayer." Melbourne Catholic, May 2019.

"The Art of the Advent Chant." Melbourne Catholic, December 2017.

"Looking to the Rites in Times of Trouble." Melbourne Catholic, November 2017.

Sourcebook for Sundays, Seasons, and Weekdays 2018. Commentaries on the Book of Blessings and the Roman Missal. Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 2017. 

Up From the Waters: Reflecting, Sharing and Living the Gospel. Lent Year A. Gospel Commentaries. Brisbane: Evangelization Brisbane, 2016.

"Ratio Translationis for the English Language: An Introduction." The Liturgy Documents, Volume Three: Foundational Documents on the Origins and Implementation of Sacrosanctum Concilium. E-book edition. Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 2014.

"Universal Norms for the Liturgical Year and General Roman Calendar: An Introduction." The Liturgy Documents, Volume One: Fifth Edition. Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 2013.

"Mass Antiphons and the Dialectic of Liturgical Genre and Translation." Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the North American Academy of Liturgy. Montreal, 5-8 January 2012.

Announcing the Feast: The Entrance Song in the Mass of the Roman Rite. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2012. 

Chants of the Roman Missal: Study Edition (as an editor). Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2011.

The Roman Missal, Third Typical Edition (as an editor). Washington, DC: International Commission on English in the Liturgy in collaboration with thirteen publishers worldwide, 2011.

"Areas of Difficulty in the Received Text of the Roman Missal" (as a contributor). Washington, DC: International Commission on English in the Liturgy, 2010.

"Early Christian Singing." Pastoral Music 34:6 (September 2010): 11-13.

Become One Body, One Spirit in Christ (DVD-ROM (as an editor and contributor). Washington, DC: International Commission on English in the Liturgy, 2010.

"The Antiphons of the Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia: A Database for Translation." Washington, DC: International Commission on English in the Liturgy, 2006.

Review of Reading in Christian Communities: Essays on Interpretation in the Early Church. Edited by Charles A. Bobertz and David Brakke. University of Notre Dame Press, 2002. Catholicbooksreview.org (February 2003).

Review of Marriage and the Catholic Church: Disputed Questions. By Michael G. Lawler. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2002. Catholicbooksreview.org (October 2002).

Index for Thirty-Five Years of the Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy Newsletter: 1965-2000. Washington, DC: USCCB Publications, 2000.

"Cantor: An Evolving Ministry." Pastoral Music 24:2 (December 1999-January 2000): 34-36, 42-45. 

AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY, Sydney, NSW 

Lecturer in Liturgical Studies & Sacramental Theology 2016 to Present

Teaching:

What Christians Believe (THCT 100)

Prayer and Liturgy (THCP 105)

Christian Ritual, Symbol, and Sacrament (THCT 202)

Sacraments of Initiation (THLS 503)

Sacraments and Sacramentality (THCT 602)

Liturgical Theology (THLS604)

Liturgical History (THLS602)

Liturgical Inculturation (THEL620)

Major Research Project Supervision (THEL623)

Service: 

Editor, Proceedings of the North American Academy of Liturgy

National Liturgical Council

Executive Council, Australian Academy o f Liturgy

Editorial Board, Australian Journal of Liturgy

Theology and Philosophy Faculty Board

MTS(Liturgy) Course Writing Panel

Short Courses in Theology Loc al Coor dinator (Sydney, 2016-2020)

Theology Represent ative to School of Philosophy (2016-2019)

Bachelor of Theology Course Review Committee,

Religious Education Sequence Review Committee

Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)

Assistant Director / Acting Director, ACU Centre for Liturgy 

The Centre for Liturgy provides specialist expertise, teaching, research and formation in liturgicalstudies, sacramental theology and the sacred arts throughout Australia at every level, from parishand school ministry training to doctoral degree supervision.

ST. NORBERT COLLEGE De Pere, WI 

Assistant Professor of Theology & Religious Studies 2015 to 2016 

Theological Foundations (THRS 117)

Liturgy and the Sacraments (THRS 242)

World Religions in Dialogue (THRS 340)

Liturgical Music Minor Development Panel (with Prof. Andrew Ciferni)

UNITED STATES PEACE CORPS China

Volunteer and TEFL Technical Trainer 2012 to 2015 

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA Washington, DC 

Adjunct Lecturer in Liturgical Studies 2003 to 2015 

Church History: Paul to Luther (TRS 220, Teaching Assistant)

Christian Liturgy, Prayer, & Sacraments (TRS 240)

World Religions (TRS 290, Teaching Assistant)

Christian Celebration: The Mass (TRS 340)

Colloquium in Sacred Music (MUS 641, Guest Lecturer)

Liturgical Catechesis and the Liturgical Year (TRS 848)

INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON ENGLISH IN THE LITURGY Washington, DC 

Assistant Editor 2005 to 2012 

BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, Washington, DC

Member of the Professional Choir, Recording Artist, & Cantor 1997 to 2011 

USCCB BISHOPS COMMITTEE ON DIVINE WORSHIP, Washington, DC 

Research Consultant 1997 to 2005 

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA Vermillion, SD 

Graduate Assistant, College of Fine Arts 1996 to 1997 

Individual Voice Instruction

Women's and Men's Chorus (Assistant Conductor)

Asia-Pacific Academy of Liturgy (founding member)

Australian Academy of Liturgy

North American Academy of Liturgy

Societas Liturgica

American Academy of Religion

Australian Catholic Theological Association

Australian Pastoral Music Network

Catholic Theological Society of America

Higher Education Academy (Senior Fellow)