WASHINGTON — The year 2010 saw Vatican approval of the new English translation of the Roman Missal.
2011 will be the year people in the pews finally start hearing it — and praying it.
The missal is scheduled to enter use on Nov. 27, the First Sunday of Advent. Dioceses across the country are already putting programs and timelines in place to prepare for the change.
The new translation is the result of years of work in response to the Vatican’s call for a more faithful rendering of the original Latin. It is also expected to more fully convey the sacredness of the texts of the Mass.
Father Richard Hilgartner, associate director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat for Divine Worship, explained that one major improvement in the new texts is greater care in respecting the biblical and patristic sources which often underlie liturgical prayers and upon which Vatican II placed great emphasis. He called the new translation “memorable, evocative and biblical.”
For example, “And also with you” becomes “And with your spirit”; “peace to his people on earth” becomes “on earth peace to people of good will,” and “the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father” becomes “the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages.”
How are dioceses preparing for the new missal?
According to Father Bob Webster, the Diocese of Orlando, Fla., where he heads the Office of Liturgy, is about a third of the way into the implementation. Beginning last summer, Father Webster introduced portions of new changes to priests in convocations, then followed up in November with workshops for priests, deacons, catechists, liturgical leaders and anyone else who wanted to attend. About 600 came.
“It was important to get us all on the same page,” he said, especially noting the emphasis on the liturgical history and theology that went along with the changes or preceded the changes.
Father Webster said they’re looking at the language, structure and sources of the prayers, all with the goal of helping the priests “to pray better and to understand the historical roots and origins of the prayers.”
In Orlando, overall reactions to all steps have been very positive, Father Webster said.
Diocese-wide in-pew catechesis begins in February in four blocks using three methods: pulpit announcements, short homiletic-type video presentations in place of the homily or before or after Mass, and materials posted on the diocesan and parish websites.
Catechesis Courses
Eliot Kapitan, director of the Office for Worship and the Catechumenate in the Springfield, Ill., Diocese, said that four events for priests were launched in February 2010: Two included diocesan parish-life coordinators. At a two-day gathering in October, priests and coordinators heard a presentation by Father Paul Turner, a facilitator for the International Commission on English in the Liturgy.
In January 2010 the office started a monthly newsletter for general readership called “We Give You Thanks and Praise.” Kapitan’s office is also using it for basic liturgical catechesis: “We need to help the people understand why we do what we do, and not just on what we say,” he said.
His office will regularly provide bulletin announcements and short articles through next fall and will also offer an extensive website with a 15-month calendar of scheduled events.
By midyear, there will be events to help choir and music directors, catechists, directors of religious education and school principals to learn how to prepare others, such as their faculty, staff and students. For instance, age-appropriate activities books will help them prepare children in the diocese.
In the Archdiocese of Denver, the Office of Liturgy is facilitating the material going to the parishes. Auxiliary Bishop James Conley, who chairs the committee for the implementation for the new translation, said it is much more than simply implementing the new texts. He pointed out that his committee is going to use implementation time to assist pastors and all those involved in the liturgy to bring about a renewed Eucharistic catechesis.
“We want to see this also as an opportunity for everyone to deepen and renew their love of the liturgy and their understanding of the true spirit of the liturgy,” he explained. “We’re taking our cue from Pope Benedict XVI’s book The Spirit of the Liturgy.”
“The new text in and of itself carries within it a renewal of the liturgy,” he added. “We have a new, more accurate translation of the Latin. A more elevated translation linguistically will help us to have a … true liturgical renewal.”
Bishop Conley also spoke extensively on this in a talk on the feast of St. Cecilia (see his addresses in the “Bishop Conley” section at ArchDen.org).
For the implementation and catechesis, the archdiocese’s Denver Catholic Register will run a series of articles, and the liturgy office will distribute material such as bulletin inserts, announcements and a list of books people can use to deepen their understanding of the liturgy.
Making Up for the 1960s
In the Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn., Msgr. Andrew Varga is not only a member of the implementation committee, but also a current and longtime member of the board of directors of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions. He said the Church has a chance now to thoroughly explain why the changes are being made, something that “fell into a secondary spot” when the Mass of Paul VI (the Novus Ordo) was implemented in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
“So, what’s being hoped for in the interim,” he said, “is that we tackle the catechetical component we didn’t do in the 1960s — what it means to live as a Eucharistic people, to participate in Jesus’ sacrifice and to appreciate fully what it means to be part of a priestly people by virtue of our baptism.”
Along with this focus, the implementation started in the diocese with a series of informational meetings with priests and deacons. Msgr. Varga and committee member Msgr. Alan Detscher will be returning to each of the five vicariates twice from January through June “to talk about the language, where the changes come from, what the changes are trying to accomplish,” Msgr. Varga said. A schedule for meetings is in the works to equip school teachers, catechists and others responsible for passing on the faith so they can give accurate and substantive answers to the questions people have.
“We want to equip the key people to be the teachers in their own venues,” Msgr. Varga said.
Bridgeport Bishop William Lori noted that this year is “a wonderful opportunity for all of us to rediscover the meaning of the liturgy.”
“In the coming months, there will be many efforts to catechize regarding the liturgy,” he said, “and I will do my part by using my column in the Fairfield County Catholic diocesan newspaper in the year ahead to describe the parts of the Mass and their meaning.”
In the Archdiocese of Louisville, Ky., the Office of Worship is focusing on bringing people further along in their understanding of the Mass, according to Judy Bullock, its director. The office’s timeline for the full implementation includes articles in the archdiocesan paper on various topics of the liturgy called “Conversations with the Archbishop,” with Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, who also serves as vice president of the USCCB.
Beginning this summer, the office will make available for parishes a five-minute video catechesis on the liturgy and the new missal.
Music at Mass
Bullock’s office is already having sessions with all of the musicians in the diocese to recommend new musical settings for Mass. She believes it will be a significantly easier transition to the revised missal using a new setting at the start, even though the present Mass settings will be revised and available for future use.
“By choosing a new musical setting,” she said, “the success for implementation for using the new texts will be much better.” Revised current settings can be added later.
Bishop Conley believes the musical component is going to be extremely important. “Again, it’s an opportunity to renew our music and make it better.”
Of the many new Mass settings being composed, the Mass of Renewal by William Gokelman and David Kauffman (MassofRenewal.com) won first place in the “New Mass Setting” competition sponsored by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians.
Last August in Atlanta, addressing the Southeastern Liturgical Music Symposium, Msgr. Andrew Wadsworth, executive director of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy Secretariat, spoke about the importance and reasons for singing the Mass.
“Maybe the greatest challenge that lies before us,” he said, “is the invitation once again to sing the Mass rather than merely to sing at Mass.”
It is another component in the implementation of the third edition of the Roman Missal.
Joseph Pronechen is based in Trumbull, Connecticut.
Visit:
USCCB.org/RomanMissal
FDLC.org/Roman_Missal
Jimmy Akin: 12 things to know and share about the Holy Trinity
Edward Pentin: Parishes Worldwide Prepare for Eucharistic Adoration Hour
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In many stories regarding the new English translation of the missal, I continue to hear how it is a more faithful rendering of the “original Latin”.
Excuse my ignorance, but just what is this “original Latin” that is being referred to? And why is being closer to it automatically better?
Samples I have seen may be closer to Latin grammar, but are extremely awkward compared to normal English grammar.
Dear Richard Grant: the “original Latin” is exactly that—the original Latin editio typica of the 2002 Roman Missal. It’s the text of the Mass.
All other missals in English, Tagalog, French, Mandarin, whatever other language, are translations of this original Latin.
So you could understand why being closer to the original is better. When I read a translation of Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment in English, yes, I want it to flow ... but I most certainly want it to be a faithful translation of the original work! If it deviates from what Dostoevsky wrote even a bit more than necessary, I am now reading the translator’s own ideas, which is not what I want.
Similarly, if the English translation of the Mass unecessarily deviates from the Latin (which is most certainly does, often), we are being asked to worship, in the holiest of rites, not according to the mind of the universal Church, but rather according to the particular ideas of a 1960s/1970a committee charged with translations into English!
Aside from grammar, the newer texts will be closer in theological concepts as well. At its lowest point about a decade ago (maybe a bit more), the English translators (ICEL) had a translation of the rite of ordination to bishop rejected by the relevant Roman congregation because they were not merely departing theologically from the text, but inserting heretical language as well.
I agree that the current translation has an extreme obsession with following word order, but this is a lot better than the banal language we currently endure (“and also with you”).
Richard, the official text of the Mass is found in the Roman Missal and it is Latin. Translations of the Mass in whatever language are made from that Latin text. I can give you two reasons (there are more) for the new translation in English of the new Roman Missal. One is to correct mistranslations we have been living with for a long time. For example, in the profession of faith, Credo means “I believe”, whereas our current translation (that is being corrected) is “We believe.” Second, the Latin Roman Missal employs an elevated form of language. The new translation returns to that form of rhetoric. It’s a form of speech relatively uncommon now but we can appreciate if we think of the Gettysburg Address, Winston Churchill’s speeches, or even MLK’s I Have a Dream. The idea is that that form of language is more appropriate in addressing God.
I, too, like you Richard, am at a loss to understand how the changes I am quoting herebelow from the above Post, are different from what the American Catholics have been using in the Missal which is has now been amended - or is it aligned to the Traditional Latin Mass? This is because here in Kenya, especially where the Holy Mass is celebrated in the local languages, these wordings have never changed even after Vatican II. It is also worthwhile to note that in nearly all the Archdioceses and Dioceses in our country, the Traditional Latin Mass is celebrated every first Sunday of the Month.
1)“And with your spirit”; 2)“on earth peace to people of good will,” 3)“the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages.”. The first quotation is the response to “The Lord be with you” by the Celebrant which has never changed. The second quotation, again is the response to the “Glory to God in the Highest” by the Celebrant which we still use especially during Christmas and in all the Hymns for the Christmas Season. The third quotation is the same in the Nicene Creed - (The Profession of Faith) - sang or recited during the Holy Mass. In short - though Vatican II permitted the Holy Mass to be celebrated in local languages - Our Holy Mass - and very emphatically the Words of the Consecration - have remained unchanged since I was a toddler, 70 years ago!!!!!
First, while I freely acknowledge that the new translation is in English, we must not mistake it for being vernacular. That is a key difference, and one that may be a stumbling block for many. I absolutely agree that more of the Mass should be sung, but that opportunity has been there for hundreds of years, and to think that stilted verbiage will somehow magically entice Catholics to sing is altruistic. Most people I know who are multi-lingual and/or who are translators are not happy with the verbiage and sentence structure of the translations they’ve seen. Has Google Translate trumped good grammar?
When I worked in multicultural parishes in my past, the one thing that was reinforced was that people prefer to pray in their own language. A corollary is that they also prefer familiar music. New language coupled with new music may make December 2011 a very rough month and if the presentation to the congregations in the parishes isn’t done carefully, the backlash will be severe.
Vatican II reforms are and were a beautiful step in our history, but often misunderstood due to the mentioned lack of catechesis. It’s already obvious that there are significant differences in how each diocese is catechizing. We shouldn’t be surprised to hear of the backlash, and if we arrive at the first Sunday of Advent without all of our parishes being well-informed, then we will only have the bishops to blame.
One last comment: chant isn’t the answer in the most general sense. I love and appreciate nearly every type of music, including chant, but if a parish isn’t singing chant on a regular basis, forcing it on them while introducing new texts will most likely be a recipe for disaster. The biggest clue is this: if the parish isn’t singing chant on a regular basis NOW, don’t try to use chant to introduce the new texts.
Just a question about the award-winning “Mass of Renewal”: the “Gloria” is in refrain-and-verses form. Is this really in line with the nature of the “Gloria”? I’m assuming it’s permitted, but is it faithful to the text and nature of the “Gloria” to repeat the first lines several times throughout?
Now I wish I had at Latin with Sr Ellen Joseph in high school (two years of Spanish was bad enough, thank you very much).
I hope there are lectures and courses for those of us who just sit in the pews every week. And what a shock it will be for those who come only once in a while.
Rick Reed, I quoted the vernacular languages because the countrywide is where the Vatican II changes could have confused the older folks. However, I live in the Capital City - in fact a Parishioner of the Holy Family Minor Basilica - the Seat of the Head of the Catholic Church in Kenya, John Cardinal Njue. Here, the Holy Mass is celebrated in English and Swahili and in the English Missal we use, those quotations I quoted have never changed. I am aware the American English is different from the British English used here. But let us not be overly worried about the changes. There shall definitely, be some confusion in the beginning but, hey, the Faithful will soon get the hang of the new Mass, the Hymns and the music. Let us always be positive about changes so long as the Catholic Church Traditional Holy Mass and Worship remains authentic and original. Christ will be happy even if we stumble somewhat in the beginning.
To CHC USN: repetition of texts is an ancient practice and tradition, although the refrain/verse evolution is newer. The benefit of a Gloria refrain is more repetition of the refrain of the angels; it also breaks the rest of the text (used as verses) into more manageable sections for learning. Interestingly, the Gloria can be sung by the choir/cantor only, so the refrain/verse format can serve as an easier transition into learning the entire song.
I fully welcome and support this long over due restoration. It will enhance the supernatural and prayerful aspect of the Liturgy. It will hopefully inspire a return to reverence and piety amongst the willing faithful. I hope that all parishes and dioceses use it as I haven’t heard anything yet in my diocese. In fact we still have to endure the celebrant inserting his own words into the prayers.
Bob Cratchit, please help me understand what you mean by “supernatural and prayerful aspect of the Liturgy”. I’m a parish music/worship director and am searching for ways to be able to introduce the changes that won’t seem like “Rome said to do it, so do it”. As far as “enduring” the “celebrant” (he’s actually the Presider, we’re all celebrating the Mass - or we’re supposed to be), is he doing this to prayers that instruct the Presider to use “these or other words” or to prayers that only allow the prescribed texts? The Mass was several hundred years old before texts started to be written down, so one could very well argue that closer to the time of Jesus would be more “authentic”, and therefore the Presider’s own remarks are more “authentic”. The Presider speaking in archaic, non-vernacular but “proper” English will hardly serve the purpose of drawing the assembly into the prayer - if they’re trying to pay attention to the words of the prayer.
The advantage of being the grand-daughter of a hoarder of all things “Catholic” my grandmother left several editions of the Missal on her death, some are the old Latin on side and English on the other. And there are two, (a St. Joseph edition and a Maryknoll edition) that have the ORIGINAL translations from the Latin: “And with your Spirit,” is used, as are many of the (to me) “so-called” new translations.
If you have an old edition (1966-69) edition of the Missal, you pretty much (for the Laity only) have the responses that are in the “new” translation.
To me, this is “coming back” to what I learned before making my First Communion in 1968. Not strange, and not inhibiting at all.
I am on my parish team for doing the “small group” catechism, (using the publications of the Diocese of Chicago, LTP) and I find the “publisher’s attitude” more of a hinderance, than the new/revised wording.
I won’t presume to speak for Rick Reed, but if you ask me what “the supernatural and prayerful aspect of the Liturgy” mean, I’d guess he means what is often referred to as the vertical vs. the horizontal dimension of the liturgy. The vertical or supernatural dimension refers to the reality that we are addressing and worshiping God. At its worst, the horizontal dimension, in which we are a people “gathered around a table for a meal,” becomes a “show” in which the presider and choir are bad versions of Johnny Carson and Doc Seversinen’s band.
To Rick Reed:
I think the key that is necessary is good catechesis, it really is that simple. If the people are taught to understand the ritual of Holy Mass, and really, why we do what we do, it changes everything. The problem is that there has been a terrible lack of catechesis, particularly concerning mystery and symbol, and because of this something has to fill the void and sadly it has been filled with entertainment and comfort. This is the fault of a lot of people over the last forty years, and the people deserve for it to change. I think the singular problem with so many people leaving the Church, particularly in the west, is that it ceased to be anything different than every other day of their lives. Why should I or anyone get out of bed on a Sunday morning to just hang out with my buddy God (I am not implying God doesn’t desire our friendship, merely that He is so much more) at his table and sing songs that sound like we hear on the radio, in the same clothes I lounged around the house in on Saturday afternoon. The lack of reverence and especially of the fundamental transcendence of God and the worship of God has been completely lost. The language changes that are being implemented are a great step towards reclaiming this. There is and always has been something fundamentally and cosmically different about the Holy Mass, and the language, music, decoration, etc. all should reflect the Glory of God.
Specific to your other two comments. First of all, your argument for history does not stand up in the context of our undertstanding (indeed a V2 understanding) of the Church, and the development of worship. You are absolutely right about the normalizing of the liturgy taking awhile, but this does not somehow mean that the Mass shouldn’t be universal. It is the prayer of the faithful; it is the greatest prayer of the Church, and it should always be a source of unity; not division.
Nextly, I believe my longer comment above likely reflects my opinion on this issue, but properly catechized, the priest speaking the elegant language of worship, even if it is not the common daily language of the people will absolutely contribue to worship. The Mass is timeless, it is heaven kissing earth, and treating like any other gathering of people, simply cannot convey the depth of the mystery of God’s love for us and the mystery of the Eucharist the way the elegant language of prayer does.
I agree with Josh that the Mass shouldn’t sound like any other gathering. This is not a football party. It should sound and feel different. I think that’s a problem with some religious orders. They dress and act like anyone else, and their vocations are dying. The orders that are thriving are those that live a truly different lifestyle.
I say the same thing about Catholic Radio (Relevant Radio for example) While what they say is good and true to Catholic teaching, they’re trying to sound like secular radio. I don’t turn on Catholic Radio to listen to something that sounds just like secular radio, so I rarely listen to it. I’m not uplifted by a D.J. blathering on and on, nor do I want to go to a Mass that sounds like a protestant revival meeting or rock concert.
W9FCC (if that is your real name :-)): why the attraction to the dress of the Middle Ages? Join a medieval society, perhaps. The vesture our clergy wear these days was common clothing a few hundred years ago, that’s all. Many orders of nuns, I’m told, have written into their (not so new) constitutions that they dress as the world around them dresses.
The lack of reverence in our liturgies has nothing to do with the verbage of the prayers - that’s way too superficial of a fix. The lack of reverence in our liturgies is sadly exemplified by those who refuse to acknowledge those around them by refusing to sing or respond with any enthusiasm to the spoken prayers and dialogs. The lack of reverence in our liturgies is exemplified by those who treat the Mass as their time for private prayer rather than the prayer of the gather community. Infusing archaic language, modern language, a foreign language, or even using the original language of Jesus will do nothing to “cure” what’s wrong with the Mass.
Priests who allow their congregations to offer lackluster participation in the holy Mass won’t find a miracle cure in ANY particular language. Congregations who show up and watch Mass rather than participate in the liturgy are what is hurting the Mass. A particular style of music is not a band-aid that will have any effect on fixing anything that’s wrong or perceived wrong with a whole host of things.
By the way, thanks to all for keeping this discussion respectful. Bravo.
In my response to W9FCC, I agree that every faithful Catholic is aware that the Holy Eucharist is the Apex of our Faith. Here we participate with the whole Mystery of Redemption and the Mission of Christ, who comes to us in His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity at Consecration. He then unites Himself with each and every one who receives Him in the Mysterious Grace-filled Communion. This is the Essence of our Catholic Faith. Whatever changes in the Celebration of the Eucharist the Catholic Church intends to introduce, care must be taken that our Worship during the Holy Mass, remains Authentic, Universal and unique from all other Christian Denominations, befitting the Honour and dignified Prayerful Worship we accord to the Holy Trinity and to Him Who comes to us during the Eucharistic Celebration. On the question of the various Congregations which have stopped wearing the revered Habit this is sad and regrettable. When one no longer wears the Official Attire for the Nuns, and Priests, which is the outward sign of distinguishing the Anointed and Consecrated Workers in God’s “Vineyard”, the reverence for the Vocations to which God has called them is diminished. I feel so sad each time I meet a Loreto Nun dressed like any other woman on the street. Having been educated by this dedicated Religious Congregation, the respect and the awe we accorded to our Educators - whom we called “Mothers” - is assaulted. As a result their standing in the Church and society has been eroded and the students they teach no longer feel the necessity to treat them with any special respect or differently from other regular teachers. It is no wonder, our children leave School with a muddled sense of and understanding of the authenticity of their Faith. The same applies to Catholic Radio Stations. In these two areas, the Ordinaries of the Dioceses and Archdioceses need to bring back the rule that the Priests and Religious dress in the attire appropriate to their Calling and the Rule of their respective Congregations. At the same time, the Bishops and Archbishops need to ensure that the running of Catholic Radio Stations and the materials they broadcast are overhauled,along with the Presenters who must be properly trained on how to Evangelize through this very vital mode of communication and not use them as a mode for secular entertainment.
Rick Reed said: “The Mass was several hundred years old before texts started to be written down, so one could very well argue that closer to the time of Jesus would be more “authentic”, and therefore the Presider’s own remarks are more “authentic”.”
Excuse me, but I must confess I get tired of statements like this. First of all, being a Christian in that era meant you were risking death at the hands of the government. The priests of the early Church were putting their lives on the line every time they celebrated “presided over” mass. I’d take a man in that situation any day over a man who lives in comfort and simply decides his words are better than the words given to him by Christ’s bride. The priests of the early Church also lived in a time where the Church had not yet worked out much of the theology that we have today. Christ didn’t say I will send you the Spirit and He will lead you into all knowledge that day, He said the Spirit would do it over time.
I will only add one thing—as a composer, I am disturbed by the sound of the so-called “Mass of Renewal.” Another bit of piano-driven saccharine quasi-pop sacrilege. I hate to say it, but this music does not deserve mention as a valid musical setting of the Mass, especially not from a reputed orthodox source like the NC Register.
The people who write—and SANCTION—liturgical music must acquaint themselves with the writing of the Popes on liturgical music. All the modern Popes have advocated for a timeless new music which grows out of tradition, with Gregorian chant and polyphony as its base of aesthetic departure. At no point has an official document said: “take two steps to the right of Peter, Paul, and Mary”, and yet this is what we are getting. I am deeply disheartened, as the “Mass of Renewal” only succeeds in renewing the musical mistakes of the American Church in recent years.
Hi & Good day,
I am looking for the Tagalog Version for Isaiah 54.5-14 as the Fourth Readings of the Easter Vigil Mass.
Your help is very much appreciated.
Many thanks and God Bless~
Annie Esteban
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