Liturgical movement - Definition

In Roman Catholicism, the Liturgical Movement is a movement promoting interest in and desire for understanding, reform, and improvement of the Catholic liturgy. This movement was founded by Dom Prosper Guéranger of the Abbey of Solesmes. It at first was a reaction against some practices of the liturgy in France, for example desiring the restoration of Gregorian chants instead of the more secular music played during the liturgies at the time. It was also interested in encouraging more lay participation in the liturgy, such as the lay people singing along with the Mass, and studying the Mass prayers to know more about them.

This movement spawned an interest in studying the history and evolution of the rituals of the Catholic church, most famously studied by Adrian Fortesque.

It was one of the inspirations for the changes known as the Novus Ordo Missae.