logos 17:4 fall 2014 Roland Millare The Spirit of the Liturgical Movement A Benedictine Renewal of Culture Dom Virgil Michel, OSB, (1890–1938) was one of the leading figures of the liturgical movement in the United States. 1 When re- searchers consider the work of the liturgical movement, their focus is usually limited to the movement’s efforts related to the celebration of the liturgy. Oftentimes, what is overlooked is that one of the ma- jor concerns of the liturgical movement is the relationship between the liturgy and social action. This relationship is also generally over- looked by contemporary theology, which tends to focus either on liturgy or social action (more commonly known today as social jus- tice). As a result of this separation, the social end of the liturgy is ne- glected and at the same time, the liturgical roots of authentic social action are ignored. At the extreme end of the spectrum, the study of the liturgy alone is reduced to mere aestheticism or rubricism, while the exclusive focus on social justice can become influenced solely by ideology instead of authentic charity. The Church advocates an inclu- sive and comprehensive understanding. Michel’s thought offers a balanced view that represents the litur- gical movement’s concern for the unity between liturgy and social action. 2 This harmony is expressed by Michel’s famous syllogism: