THE NEW ROMAN MISSAL IN ENGLISH
By
the end of the year, and probably a lot sooner than that, parishes throughout
the English Speaking World will have implemented the New translation of the
Roman Missal; the book which we use to celebrate Mass.
Some
of the principles behind the introduction of this new translation are:
1. A strict adherence of the translation to the
original Latin blueprint edition published by Rome. (the
present missal we use was translated hurriedly in the late 1960s and in many
areas has paraphrased sentences that don’t accurately capture the actual
wording or the full subtle meaning of the Latin version which was and is the
authorised prototype text. This means that some of the things that look like
they have ‘changed’ were actually always there in the authorised Latin text
version.
2. An encouragement that we don’t aim our
liturgy at everyday language, but foster a more other-worldly, church-based
vocabulary that lifts one higher and encourages one’s breadth of vocab.
3. A more strict connection of the texts to
their scriptural references.
4. People everywhere throughout the world,
irrespective of what language they speak, are using
the same texts (carefully and rigidly translated). The translation of our mass
that we have used over the last forty years has been reassessed and found to
have a lot of paraphrasing and loose translation that does not always capture
the accuracy of what is actually written in the “masterfile”
or “prototype” of the text, which is the
Latin version.
PLEASE
CLICK HERE FOR A LOOK AT HOW THE REVISED MASS WILL FLOW (MASS TEMPLATE)
‘New Mass ….’
An article extracted from the Majellan Magazine (January – March 2011, pages 15-18). By Michael Gilbert CSsR.
Our
Mass is about to change. We have a new translation of the Roman Missal. Many of
the words and phrases we use at Mass are different. However, the new
translation will not affect the scripture readings, the prayer of the faithful
or most of the hymns we sing. Most of the changes involve words spoken by the
priest.
The
most notable feature of the new translation is that it uses a more formal style
of English. Sentences are longer; some sound ponderous. This is so because the
new text adheres closely to the original Latin. The Latin prayers are crafted
with a poetic vocabulary. They have a rhythm, sentiment and structure designed
to be more pleasing to the ear.
The
use of formal language is intended to help us worship God more worthily and
with noble dignity. This formal language is somewhat removed from our everyday
speech so as to conjure up the mystery and beauty of God and allow for a more
contemplative appreciation of the divine. The formality has a quality of
timelessness that is meant to help the worshipper transcend the immediate and
lift her heart and soul to God.
The
new translation attempts to show more clearly the connection between the words
we use at Mass and Sacred Scripture.
Very
many of the words we use at Mass are derived from Scripture. The new
translation attempts to show more clearly the connection between the words we
use at Mass and Sacred Scripture. It will show us more clearly that the words
and phrases we use at Mass have their origin in the Word of God.
The
late pope John Paul II commissioned a reform of the Roman Missal (the one we
use at Mass). Pope Benedict XVI supports his decision. He has seen it to
completion. Liturgical reform is dear to Pope Benedict's heart.
Professor
Eamon Duffy (Professor of the History of Christianity
at Cambridge University) tells us that, after being initially enthused by the
liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Benedict became somewhat
disillusioned with their results. He feels that the changes in the Mass made
after Vatican II broke with a long line of historical continuity. Some things
were lost. The pope wants them restored. He thinks there is too much emphasis
on the meal aspect of the Mass and not enough on the sacrificial nature of the
Eucharist. He wishes this aspect to be more prominent in the manner of its
celebration.
The
pope believes that participation in the Eucharist ought to mean a deeper entry
by the worshiping congregation into Christ's great act of self-giving. This is
why the pope commissioned a new English translation.
Here
are the major changes that will affect the people’s responses:
++++
NEWSLETTER PREPARATION
:
In the readings this weekend, (second sunday of
easter, year a), we see the scene of the encounter between the Risen
Christ and Thomas: (Jesus) “breathed on them and said: Receive the Holy
Spirit.” The Holy Spirit in the life of the church is absolutely vital.
Without the Holy Spirit falling upon the church and falling upon us, everything
we do would be ineffective. The gift of the Holy Spirit “falls upon
us like the dewfall” (which is a phrase that captures the image of the
manna falling from heaven and lightly coating the ground in order to give
nourishment to the people of Israel when they were journeying through the
desert, with Moses leading them. In the coming weeks we are going
to be introduced to the new ROMAN MISSAL. this is a
new and authorised translation of the mass. If you look at the Eucharistic
prayers of both the new mass and, in fact, the present mass too, you can see
that each Eucharistic Prayer always features the invocation (or ‘calling down’)
of the Holy Spirit on the gifts and on the gathered Church (this is called by
the Greek word: epiclesis). Have a look at Eucharistic Prayer II and
notice the role of the Holy Spirit in the Eucharistic Prayer. In the new
translation, this role of the Spirit is highlighted. (Notice the new image of
the dewfall as I mentioned before).
Newsletter:
An outline of the structure of the Eucharistic Prayer (GIRM 79).
Paragraph
79 of the New Instruction on the Roman Missal says the following, reLating to the structure of the Eucharistic Prayers:
The
chief elements making up the Eucharistic Prayer may be distinguished
in this way:
a.
Thanksgiving (expressed especially in the Preface): in which the priest, in
the name of the entire
holy people, glorifies God the Father and gives thanks
for the whole work of
salvation or for some special aspect of it that
corresponds to the day,
festivity, or season.
b.
Acclamation: in which the whole congregation, joining with the heavenly
powers, sings the
Sanctus. This acclamation, which is part of the Eucharistic
Prayer
itself, is sung or said by all the people with the
priest.
c. Epiclesis: in which, by
means of particular invocations, the Church implores
the power of the Holy
Spirit that the gifts offered by human hands be
consecrated, that is, become
Christ’s Body and Blood, and that the spotless
Victim
to be received in Communion be for the salvation of those who will
partake of it.
d.
Institution narrative and consecration: in which, by means of words and
actions of Christ, the
Sacrifice is carried out which Christ himself instituted
at the Last Supper,
when he offered his Body and Blood under the species
of bread and wine,
gave them to his Apostles to eat and drink, and left them
the command to
perpetuate this same mystery.
e.
Anamnesis: in which the Church, fulfilling the command that she received
from Christ the Lord
through the Apostles, keeps the memorial of Christ,
recalling especially his
blessed Passion, glorious Resurrection, and Ascension
into heaven.
f.
Offering: by which, in this very memorial, the Church - and in particular
the Church here and
now gathered - offers in the Holy Spirit the
spotless Victim to the
Father. The Church’s intention, however, is that
the faithful not only
offer this spotless Victim but also learn to offer
themselves,71 and so day by
day to be consummated, through Christ the
M
e d i a t o r, into unity with God and with each
other, so that at last God
may be all in all.72
g.
Intercessions: by which expression is given to the fact that the Eucharist is
celebrated in communion with
the entire Church, of heaven as well as of
earth, and that the
offering is made for her and for all her members, living
and dead, who have
been called to participate in the redemption and the
salvation purchased by
Christ’s Body and Blood.
h.
Final doxology: by which the glorification of God is expressed and which is
confirmed and concluded by
the people’s acclamation: Amen.
+++
(another explanation on the same topic)
The
Structure of the Eucharistic Prayer
During the Easter season, I will be speaking at Mass
about the various elements of the Eucharistic Prayer and introducing the new
translations of the various Eucharistic Prayers. You might wish to keep this outline of the structure
for reference in the coming weeks.
¢ The Opening
Dialogue between the priest and people announces the start of
the Eucharistic Prayer.
¢ The Preface,
which changes according to the season or feast, offers God praise and thanks
for the wonderful things God has done in Jesus Christ.
¢ The Sanctus
(Holy Holy) joins our praise to the
song of the choirs of heaven.
¢ Praise
and Thanks continue in the post-Sanctus. Eucharist
means thanksgiving.
¢ The Holy
Spirit is invoked over the gifts of bread and wine as the priest holds
his hands extended over them. It is by
the power of the Holy Spirit that the gifts become the body and blood of
Christ.
¢ The Institution
Narrative recounts the words
of Christ at the Last Supper as he gives himself to the disciples in the form
of food and drink. He says to them, Do this in memory [as a memorial] of me.
¢ The Memorial
however includes the whole saving mystery of Jesus’ death, resurrection and
ascension. This we proclaim in the
people’s acclamation and the priest’s words which follow it.
¢ The Offering
which we make in the Mass is a participation in the offering of himself which
Christ makes on the cross. It is the
‘Sacrifice of Reconciliation’.
¢ A second invocation of the Holy Spirit forms a
bridge between the offering and the intercessions to follow, asking that the
power of the Spirit gather the Church as one.
¢ Intercessions
are for the members of the Church, living and dead, local and universal (the
pope and bishop receive specific mention).
¢ Praise
returns at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer in the concluding formula.
The Eucharistic Prayer is spoken by the priest on behalf
of all, but it is the prayer of the whole Church. The people make the prayer their own in the
opening dialogue, by singing the Holy Holy, in the acclamation which goes to the heart of the
Eucharistic mystery, and in giving their assent by the final Amen.
We all pray it together.
Today
we will think about the role of the Holy Spirit in the Eucharistic Prayer and
introduce the new translation of Eucharistic Prayer II
+++++++++
Third Sunday of Easter
This weekend, the Gospel is that superb incident on the Road to
Emmaus. Two disillusioned disciples are trudging away from Jerusalem. They
cannot make sense of what has happened. Jesus walks along with them and lets
them tell him all their concerns and fears. He assured them that all is not
lost and that they are right to keep trusting. They offer this mysterious
traveller hospitality and then they recognised it is the Risen Lord at the
breaking of the bread.
Today we recall the transforming power of the words of Christ,
This is my body; this is the chalice of my blood. In every Eucharistic prayer
we recall the words of Christ as the central aspect of the consecration.
In the new Roman Missal soon to be introduced in Australia,
there have been some changes to the translation of this central Institution
narrative. However, we need to remember that while the words are important, the
three gospel versions have different variations on the wording of this central
saying, so the meaning is important but there is not just one universal text
for what Jesus said at the last supper. There is, however a universal
formula for its use in Eucharist and it has been translated from the prototype
Latin edition. The new institution narrative will be as follows:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT,
FOR THIS IS MY BODY,
WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR
YOU.
… And…..
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT,
FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD,
THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT,
WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY
FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.
The biggest variation you will notice is in the wording used in
the consecration of the Precious Blood of Christ. The word “cup” has been
re-translated to be closer to the word found in the Latin version of the text
which is “Calix”, translated at “Chalice.” This a more formal, religious and ‘church-language’ version
of the word cup.
A phrase that has come in for a lot of discussion and debate in
this translation is the phrase “for the many” instead of the previous
translation: “for all”. This is not meant to be a limiting word, but
first it needs to be said that the word used in one of the gospel texts is
actually “for many” and not for
“all.” The word ‘many’ MAY imply all, but it also could suggest
that the offer is there for many who are called.
I will be using the new version of the Eucharistic Prayer III at
the masses I celebrate this weekend and in future weekends.
A glossary of difficult words:
·
Oblation=
Oblation, an offering (Latin: oblatio,
to offer), a term, particularly in ecclesiastical usage, for a solemn offering
or presentation to God. It is thus applied to certain parts of the Eucharistic
service in the Roman Church.
·
Sacrificial Victim= An unblemished and
innocent animal used to be offered in Jewish religious practice as a ‘scapegoat’
for the sins of the people. Prior to this, in ancient times, there is evidence
that many religions engaged in human sacrifice in order to appease the wrath of
God against the whole people. Jesus is seen, in many aspects of his life, death
and resurrection as being the ultimate innocent sacrificial offering who died that others may be saved. The eucharist re-presents this saving sacrifice.
·
Sacrifice of our reconciliation= This sacrifice of Christ, re-
presented in each and every Eucharist, is a saving sacrifice of Christ that
takes away our sins and reconciles us to God and to one another. It
re-establishes and renews God’s covenant to us.
·
Order of Bishops= the bishops are a Holy Order of people
ordained to be a special link to the apostles whom they succeed. They are a
sign of our communion with the universal church and of our connection to Christ
who appointed and sent out his disciples to the ends of the earth.
Another
glossary:
The words of the new Eucharistic Prayers
offer some challenges. Perhaps these
explanations might help to make them words of worship.
GLOSSARY
of challenging words
Elect. In
the third Eucharistic Prayer, this word is used to identify those whom God has
chosen to enter the Kingdom of God. The
examples which follow include the Virgin Mary, the blessed apostles, the
glorious martyrs, and all the saints.
Merit to be
coheirs. This phrase from the Second Eucharistic
Prayer asks that we be joint heirs with the saints to eternal life. We merit this not by any work of our own, but
by God’s mercy. The idea of eternal life
as our inheritance is used again in the third Eucharistic Prayer (we may obtain an inheritance with your elect)
and in the fourth Eucharistic Prayer (enter
into a heavenly inheritance).
Oblation. An offering to God, a term closely related to ‘sacrifice’. Both can be either what is offered or the act
of offering something to God. The oblation of your Church in
Eucharistic Prayer III is not just the bread and wine, but the sacrament of
Christ’s body and blood. Thus our
offering is the same as that of the Cross when Christ offers himself to the
Father. So we ask God to recognise in
our offering at the altar Christ’s offering on the cross.
Order of Bishops.
Holy Orders include three degrees – deacon, priest and bishop. ‘Order’ is used to name a class or rank in a
hierarchy. So we say that those who are
seeking baptism are part of the Order of Catechumens in the Church. As a collective noun for bishops, it
expresses the unity represented by the bishops around the world – successors to
the apostles – with the Bishop of Rome as the centre point. We use the term ‘collegiality’ for this
shared leadership of service in the Church.
Passion. This has nothing to do with Mills-and-Boon
Romantic novels. It is used in our Eucharistic Prayers as a general term
encompassing Christ’s suffering and death.
Sacrifice of our
Reconciliation. Sacrifice is an offering made to God,
intended to establish a rapport between heaven and earth. Christ offers his life to God on the cross
and, since the divine and human come together in the person of Christ, this is
the ultimate act of reconciliation.
‘Reconciliation’ is one of the strongest ways of describing what Christ
has done for us: this is the new covenant of love which binds us to God.
Sacrificial Victim.
This is easily misunderstood today because we speak so often of victims
of crime or a ‘poor-me’ victim mentality.
In the Eucharistic Prayers it has a more technical sense. ‘Victim’ is closely related to sacrifice as
the adjective helpfully indicates. The
Latin word is actually ‘Hostiam’ from which we get
the word ‘host’ and it is sometimes simply translated as ‘sacrifice’.
Hope this helps your understanding a
bit. Best wishes.
Fr Tom Elich. Liturgical Commission.
++++
This weekend, the gospel speaks of the image of the Sheepfold:
That they may have life and have it to the full. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who
lays down his life for his sheep. Christ’s offering of his whole self and even
his life (down to the very last drop of his blood) is remembered by us at each
and every Eucharist. In our Liturgy we constantly speak of the Paschal Mystery,
which is actually about the mystery of Jesus’ life, suffering, death and
resurrection for the salvation of people.
In every Eucharistic prayer, this Paschal Mystery is recalled and
remembered. The word used for this remembering and for this living memorial
sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, is the word: “anamnesis”, (which is a Greek word meaning
“remembering”).
This weekend I will be using the new Eucharistic Prayer of Reconciliation I. As we mentioned in previous weeks, some of
the language might be different in this new translation, such as the prayer to
the Father that he will “spur us on to possess a more abundant life.” This is a beautiful and active request of God
and it is at the heart of what we seek.
Christ came to reconcile us to God and to one another. This is a major
part of his mission. This Eucharistic prayer, (but also all
the Eucharistic Prayers) touch upon this.
The beauty and the mystery of the Mass is that it is not just a
meal of fellowship and unity, it is also in a very powerful way a Sacrifice;
the re-presentation of the once-and-for-all Sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
++++++
The New Order of the Mass booklet. The Liturgical
Commission has published a handy paperback booklet of 64 pages length with the
New Order of the Mass. This booklet
features the basic structure and new translation of the Mass including
Penitential Rites and Eucharistic Prayers and Prefaces as well as Solemn
Blessings. This booklet will allow you
to see the words of the New Eucharistic Prayers. There will be an announcement about when the
new responses will come in. At this stage, you will be able to follow the new
Eucharistic prayers which have begun usage, and see in advance the upcoming
responses.
++++
(taken from resources found
here: http://www.catholic.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1897&Itemid=456
)
Why
is there a new translation of the Missal?
The
missal we currently use was published in 1973 and has served the Church well
for nearly 40 years. However over that time there has been much
discussion of the need to revise this initial translation of the Latin into
English in order to recapture more accurately the meaning and poetry of the
original Latin texts and their allusions to Scripture. In 2001 the Vatican
published guiding principles for transLating the
Latin Missal into other languages. This new translation follows these
guidelines and will adhere more closely to the Latin text. It will be more
formal at times but will provide a richer and more nuanced translation of our
rich heritage of prayer that is contained in the Roman Missal.
Who
is doing the work of translation?
The
work of translation has been done by a group of Bishops specialising in
translation and linguistics. The International Commission for English in the
Liturgy (ICEL) has translated the Latin into English and then submitted the
drafts to all the Bishops of the English speaking world. Finally the
translation has been approved by the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship
and the Sacraments with the assistance of a committee called Vox Clara.
Is
this Missal the Vatican II Missal?
It is
most definitely the Vatican II Missal. It is the same missal which was produced
in 1970 and revised on two later occasions. It is the translation into English that
has changed not the original prayers of the Mass.
Will
it sound very different?
Yes,
it will. Not only will the people’s responses change but the prayers said by
the priest will also change. The Eucharistic Prayers will sound different.
Remember, it is not the original Latin Missal that has changed only the
translation. So it will be the same Mass that we have had since Vatican II but
it will sound different.
Will
there be any changes in posture?
No,
any changes in posture have already been introduced in recent years. Therefore
you will continue to sit, stand and kneel as you have always done.
How
will we know the new responses?
There
will be pew cards produced throughout Australia to assist the people with
responses. Some Churches have data projectors that may also assist with the
people’s responses.
Will
the readings change?
At
this stage the readings will remain the same. In a few years time the
Lectionary will be revised and the translation of the readings will change
then.
When can
I buy a new Missal for my personal use?
The
new Missal for use by the priest during Mass will be printed in the latter half
of 2011 or early 2012. The new version of the readings will not be available
for a few years. Brisbane Liturgical Commission has produced a missalette with the new translation of the main parts of
the Mass. At this stage it is not known when publishers will publish personal
missals.
Will
there be one book for the Missal or will it be several volumes?
The
Missal will be in one volume. Eucharistic Prayers for Children will be
published in a separate supplement.
When
will the new translation be introduced at Sunday Masses in Australia?
In
Australia the new texts for the people’s responses will be introduced gradually
between Pentecost Sunday 12 June 2011 and November 2011. Once the date of
publication of the Missal is known the Conference of Bishops will decide on the
implementation date for the whole Missal.
Will
there be many changes?
For
the people the changes are minor ones. For the priest, however, the changes
involve all the Prayers and the Eucharistic Prayers and are quite extensive.
Will
there be a cost involved?
Yes,
Parishes will need to budget for the cost of the new Missal and also for pew
cards and music for new Mass settings.
How
will we sing the parts of the Mass when there are new words?
New
Mass settings have been written by Australian and international composers.
There is also a chant setting in the Missal. The Australian Bishops Conference
has recommended six Australian settings of the Mass. Parishes are free to sing
the new Mass settings from 1 Jan 2011 but the spoken texts will not be used
before 12 June.
Will
Communion of the Sick change?
Yes,
wherever parts of the Mass are used the words will change. Texts used at Weddings
and Funerals will also change.
Why
do we say consubstantial in the Nicene Creed?
In
the new translation of the Nicene Creed, “consubstantial with the Father”
replaces the expression “of one Being with the Father”, in speaking about the
Lord Jesus Christ. The nature of the relationship between God the Father and
God the Son, and the truth of the Son’s divinity, are most important aspects of
the Christian faith, and Councils such as Nicaea (325ad) and Calcedon (451ad) were held to address these questions and
to discern and express the orthodox belief of the Church.
The
difficulty in expressing in an acceptable way the relationship between God the
Father and God the Son required the early bishops and theologians to give new
subtleties of meaning to existing Greek and Latin words. The expression “of one
Being with the Father” in the current translation of the Nicene Creed is not
always thought to convey the meaning of the Latin consubstantialis,
nor indeed the original Greek homoousios which it
referred to, in a satisfactory way. Some Latin words have meanings which are
simply not readily translatable into ordinary English. The metaphysical
concepts of “essence”, “being” and “substance”, of which consubstantialis
and homoousios speak are not straightforward and in
fact they are easily misunderstood because their theological meaning is not
exactly the same as their meaning in ordinary English. “Consubstantial”, which
has been chosen in the revised translation of the Creed’s Latin consubstantialis, has a genuine and distinct theological
meaning. It is not a common word in English, but is being used to identify and
express a unique relationship.
Why
is it that we say “through my fault...” three times in the Confession... isn’t
that too repetitive?
The
simplest answer is, because that is what the Latin has ‐ but that
does not really cast any light on the matter. Simple versions of the Confiteor
are found from the 700s. The phrase "mea
culpa" (through my fault) first appeared in about AD 1080, and it remained in this single form in the
liturgies of the Carmelites and Dominicans until modern times,
and in the Roman missal until the 1500s. The version "mea
culpa, mea maxima culpa" is attributed to St
Thomas Becket (died 1170). The triple form only entered the Roman Missal in
1570. We can only speculate about why it evolved into the triple form. It is
sometimes said that we like to tripled things in
honour of the Trinity, but intensifying by triplication seems to be a common
human practice. In some contexts this results in the triple recitation of a
whole prayer or an action. Another example of triple intensification in our
liturgy actually predates the liturgy because it is a direct citation of Isaiah
6:3, "Holy, Holy, Holy." Some three‐fold
elements result from reducing a
litany to its minimum form. The best example is "Lamb of God" which
we say three time, but when it was introduced in about
AD 800 it was as a litany sung continuously until the breaking of all the
consecrated bread was finished. Other forms of intensifying triplication are
found in our Mass, but with some variation each time, such as in the Roman
Canon (Eucharistic Prayer 1) "these gifts, these offerings, these
unblemished sacrifices". Similarly on Good Friday we find the ancient Trishagion (Thrice‐holy) in "Holy is God, Holy
and Mighty, Holy and Immortal." It appears that the role of such
triplications is to intensify our focus on some element. The repetition and
expansion in "through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous"
thus has the effect of making us pause, in
a sense, to really acknowledge what we are saying. It helps it "sink
in", so to speak.
Why
do we only say “It is
right and just” in
the dialogue before the Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer?
Again
this translation reflects the precise words of the Latin text. The Preface will
then take up this phrase and repeat it as its opening words: “It is truly right and just, our duty
and salvation…” To appreciate this connection between the words of
the assembly and the Preface, we need to understand the role of the faithful in
the Eucharistic Prayer – they are not silent spectators, but must be
participants who make their thanksgiving to God. St. John Chrysostom (died 407 ad) writes: “The
offering of thanksgiving again is common, for the priest does not give thanks
alone but all the people join him in doing so. Once they respond by assenting
that it is ‘right and just’,
he begins the thanksgiving”. Once the assembly has assented that is right and just to give thanks, the priest can
begin the Eucharistic Prayer because the assembly provide living witness to his
words of thanks. Because of the living faith of the assembly, “it is truly right and just” to give
thanks to God.
Why
is our response now “And
with your spirit” in
the greetings?
This
is an accurate translation of the Latin text and is reflected in other language
translations. To understand this translation it is helpful to look at the
meaning of this phrase in our tradition:
1. “In
the most sacred mysteries themselves (the Mass), the priest prays for the
people who in turn pray for him since this is the meaning of the words,
‘And with your spirit’”, writes St. John Chrysostom (died 407 ad).
2. Chrysostom also writes, “If there were no Holy Spirit, there would
be neither shepherds nor teachers in the Church ... You acclaimed,
‘And also with your spirit’. You
would not have done this unless the Holy Spirit were
actually dwelling within him”.
3. “They
reply ‘And with your spirit’. In
this way they make known to the bishop and to all that not only do others need
a blessing and the bishop’s prayer but that the bishop himself also needs the
prayer of all… This is why the bishop blesses the people at the ‘peace’ and then receives their blessing
as they respond, ‘And with your spirit’”. These words come from
Theodore of Mopsuestia (died 428 ad).
Thus
when the assembly respond to the words, “The
Lord be with you”, they communicate something of mutual importance
between the ordained and themselves. They mutually confirm the presence of the
Lord who unites them and who is the Supreme Celebrant of the holy mysteries.
This is made possible by the gift of the Holy Spirit to the ordained and to the
faithful.
Apostles’
Creed - “He descended into hell”
This
brief and matter-of-fact statement holds the promise of immense hope for
believers. It asserts that Jesus Christ not only died our death but also
entered the realm of the dead and set them free. This “hell” is not the
hell of later popular imagination – the fiery hell of eternal punishment – but
the hell of the scriptures, Hades or Sheol, the
shadowy domain where the dead are spiritless and lost, cut off from light and
life. Dwelling with the dead Jesus brings his life-giving love to bear on
all the powers of darkness and disarms them. Nothing in the cosmos is
excluded from this victory, as Paul writes, “I am convinced that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor
height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate
us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Roms
8:38-39).
++++
As a quick summary:
“The most notable feature of the new translation is that it uses a
more formal style of English. Sentences are longer; some sound ponderous. This
is so because the new text adheres closely to the original Latin. The Latin
prayers are crafted with a poetic vocabulary. They have a rhythm, sentiment and
structure designed to be more pleasing to the ear.
The use of formal language is intended to help us worship
God more worthily and with noble dignity. This formal language is somewhat
removed from our everyday speech so as to conjure up the mystery and beauty of
God and allow for a more contemplative appreciation of the divine. The
formality has a quality of timelessness that is meant to help the worshipper
transcend the immediate and lift her heart and soul to God.”
So, from what I can understand:
Some of the principles behind
this new translation. Therefore are:
1. A
strict adherence of the translation to the original Latin blueprint edition
published by Rome, so that we are all singing and speaking from the same “song-sheet”
throughout the world.
2. An
encouragement that we don’t aim our liturgy at everyday language, but foster a
more other-worldly, church-based vocabulary that lifts one higher and
encourages one’s breadth of vocab and gives one an experience of liturgy and
worship that is not merely that which is spoken and experienced in everyday
speech.
3. A more
strict connection of the texts to their scriptural references.
4. People
everywhere throughout the world, irrespective of what language they speak, are
using the same texts (carefully and rigidly translated). The translation of our
mass that we have used over the last forty years has been reassessed and found
to have a lot of paraphrasing and loose translation that does not always
capture the accuracy of what is actually written in the master-file of the text
in the Latin version.
In the Penitiential rite, the following
words can be found: THROUGH MY FAULT, THROUGH MY FAULT, THROUGH MY MOST
GRIEVOUS FAULT.
The
reason it has “changed” is that this new translation is actually the more
accurate translation of what was always there in the typical Latin
blueprint from which our current 1969 English Missal was translated. The
present English edition had actually paraphrased it. It is true that God
forgives us, but that does not deny the fact that we sin through our own fault,
and sometimes through our most grievous faults. I see this saying as capturing
our traditional phrase and also I take it as cumulative… that is…
Lord, I have sinned, through my (minor faults), through my significant faults,
and at times by my most grievous faults. I see it as acknowledging our
utter dependence on God. It depends on how much one dwells on this part.
I would not encourage people to see this as meaning that they are thoroughly
bad. Some of the greatest saints throughout history had a healthy sense
of their own sinfulness and how much they need God, but hopefully one will not
kick themselves from here to eternity.
Consubtantial is now used
because it is deemed by the universal church to be the best word to use as an
English translation of the text given. (And they are the ones who decide the
texts we use and then we implement them in the local level).
“Consubstantial” being replace for “of one Being”
have been made to ensure theological precision.
“of one being with the Father is easier to say, but
consubstantial has a richer and more full and accurate meaning of what is the
nature of Jesus. Sometimes an everyday word just does not capture adequately
the full meaning of something. Consubstantial, means… (Jesus is at the
same time the same substance as the Father… they
are not only one Being, they are the same nature, as God. It
is a technical term, but it also captures the definitions given by the early
church Fathers such as Tertullian.
Descended
into hell is the more accurate translation of what was always said at this
point. Our English translation has paraphrased it. Also, a very ancient
tradition was that in the three days that Jesus lay in the tomb, he descended
into hell and preached to the damned souls in Hell and then when Jesus rose, he
dragged them up to heaven with him. The present terminology is a
little static. He suffered, died and was buried. Whereas, descended into hell
captures the fact that Jesus’ death was a salvific
action saving us all.
THAT YOU SHOULD ENTER UNDER MY ROOF, What do these
words mean? Why change the original text?.
This has been changed so that it more accurately
quotes the bible phrase from which it has been highly paraphrased. The saying
that we have are used to reciting is actually from Matthew
8:8 – “The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have
you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be
healed.” The new translation picks up on this and presumes the response
that Jesus gives the centurion and us: Be healed! (New International Version (©1984).
There are some really beautiful aspects of this new translation:
The greeting at mass now reflections the
‘communion’ of the Holy Spirit rather than fellowship. This
is a much richer theological word and meaning.
We respond: “and with your spirit” to me reflects a recognition that each of us has the Holy Spirit living in
our hearts.
The dismissal at the end of mass has more versions that pick up on
the missionary call of our mass and our lives… “Go, to announce the
Gospel with your lives.” This is superb.
It’s difficult re the use of language. But someone once said to
me, is it really a good idea that we keep reducing our vocabulary to the lowest
common denominator with the belief that this way all people will understand it.
It was like in the old days, when a teacher had a hard-to-pronounce surname we
would tell children: just call him MR. K. or Mrs G., because
they could not (we presumed) say or understand “Mr Korniewski” or Mrs Giannopoulis.
But now they tend not to do that, because kids love pronouncing new and unusual
and complicated words. They get very good at it. I mean, if a child can learn
Greek (if they are Greek) from an early age, they can learn anything.
I hope this all helps,
+++
New Words for Worship Part 1: Why a New
Translation?
Date -
23/05/2010
New
Words for Worship Part 1
Some readers may have heard about Pope Benedict’s announcement in
Rome on 28th April that the new English translation of the Roman
Missal will soon be ready for publication.
Those who regularly attend Sunday Mass will be aware that a
process to produce a new English language Missal has been underway for many
years. Although the term “Missal” usually refers to the liturgical book with
the prayers and the scripture readings for Mass, here it is used to mean the
book of prayers and instructions for the celebration of Eucharist, or what is
more usually called a “Sacramentary”. It does not
contain any readings.
There are two main reasons why a new English translation of the
missal is being compiled.
Firstly, the English text we presently use is a 1973 translation
of the first Latin edition produced after the second Vatican Council. Pope John
Paul II announced a revised version of the Roman Missal during the Jubilee Year
2000. Once that text was published, conferences of Bishops had to begin the
work of preparing vernacular translations of this official text.
The third edition contains a number of new elements including
prayers for the feasts of recently canonised saints, more prefaces for the
Eucharistic Prayers, additional Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and
Intentions, and some revisions of the rubrics (instructions) for the
celebration of the Mass.
Secondly, the
Missal and all the other liturgical books were very quickly translated from
Latin into English after the Second Vatican Council. It was soon recognised that there would have to be a revision at
some stage. The original translators believed that simple grammar and
vocabulary were necessary to make the oral texts easily understood. After 40
years of using vernacular texts, it is clear that people can understand more
complex language than that used in everyday conversation.
Producing liturgical texts in English is
the responsibility of ICEL, the International Commission on English in the
Liturgy. Since 2002 the Vox Clara Committee, a body of
English-speaking bishops, has advised the Vatican on translations and assisted
in reviewing the versions approved by national bishops' conferences.
The revision process began in 1983 and
after very many years of painstaking translation work by ICEL members, a new
Missal was presented to the Holy See in 1998. Rome did not approve that
revision and a new one was commissioned. This new version was to be based on
different principles and rules of vernacular translation of the
Roman liturgy as outlined in the
instruction Liturgiam Authenticam,
published by the Congregation for Divine Worship in 2001. The emphasis in Liturgiam Authenticam
is on an accurate, even literal, translation of the Latin. It advocates a
‘vernacular of a sacred style’ that differs from the usual manner of speech.
This means that the language of the
new Missal will be markedly different from what we use now.
The complete text of the Roman Missal is still undergoing
final editing by Vatican officials. It is anticipated that it will be forwarded
to Conferences of Bishops in the next few months, at which point it will be
prepared for publication.
The new texts in their present form can be
found on the website of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops: http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/.
New Words for Worship Part 2: A New Type
of Language
Date -
30/05/2010
New
Words for Worship Part 2
One of the final steps in the process of
preparing a new liturgical translation is the handing over of the complete text to Rome for recognitio. Although the Latin word
might suggest that this is merely a formal recognition of the document, it is
both a statement of final approval, and,
according to the document Liturgiam Authenticam, “an exercise of the power of
governance, which is absolutely necessary… and modifications – even substantial
ones – may be introduced by means of it.” (80)
In last week’s column, I mentioned that the
first edition of the Roman Missal in English was published in 1969. I have been
asked when the second edition was published if this new one is the third. The
second edition of the Roman Missal in English was issued in 1975. It was more
complete than the first edition because it took account of documents and
directives issued since the publication of the first edition. However, much of
the translation of the second edition of the Roman Missal was the same as the
rushed translation of the first edition. In the 1970s, ICEL was working
overtime to provide the English translation for all the sacraments and
documents coming from Rome. With so many tasks at hand, it was decided that,
rather than completely reworking the English text, major weaknesses of the
first edition would be corrected. As a result it did not differ greatly from
the original version.
It is important to note that the third edition of the Roman Missal
represents a change in the language but not in the ritual. There have been only
a few minor adjustments to the rubrics (instructions) of the Order of Mass, and
most of these represent changes that were already in effect through other
documents, such as the revise General Instruction of the Roman Missal issued in
2002.
It is
the change of language style that will be most obvious. The vocabulary, syntax
and sentence structure will be markedly different from the current text. The
guiding document for the new translation advocates a ‘vernacular of a sacred
style’ which may differ from usual speech and which may adopt a manner of
speech considered obsolete in daily usage. Words and expressions which differ
from usual and everyday speech are deemed to be often truly memorable and
capable of expressing heavenly realities. The aim is a ‘sacred style proper to
liturgical language’.
Archbishop
Mark Coleridge, Chair of the Roman Missal Editorial Committee, offers this
reassurance to those who have reservations about the language style used in the
new translation:
“This does not mean that the language of the new Missal will be
hopelessly formal or incomprehensible. It does mean, however, that it will have
an elevated quality which may sound strange at first. But it will be above all
the language of the Church’s prayer.”
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New Words for Worship Part 4: "And
with your Spirit"
Date -
13/06/2010
Over the coming weeks I will look at some of the people’s texts in
the new Mass translation that differ from those used at present. This article
deals with the one that I referred to at the end of last week’s column, the
Greeting at the beginning of Mass.
The celebrant’s greeting in Latin is “Dominus vobiscum”,
translated in both the present Order of Mass and the revised translation as
“The Lord be with you”. The response of the people for
the last 40 years has been “And also with you”. In the new Missal this will
change to “And with your spirit”.
This change has been made because the rules for translation set
out in the Instruction Liturgiam Authenticam require a translation of the Latin original
to be as accurate and exact as possible. The retranslation of “And also with
you” to “And with your Spirit” was necessary because it is a more correct
rendering of the Latin “et cum spiritu tuo”.
In addition, this phrase is specifically referred to in the
Instruction: “Certain expressions that belong to the heritage of the whole or
of a great part of the ancient Church, as well as others that have become part
of the general human patrimony, are to be respected by a translation that is as
literal as possible, as for example the words of the people’s response Et
cum spiritu tuo ….”.
English is the only major language which did not translate the
word “spiritu” in the 1970 Missal. Other
versions did, for example ”E con il tuo spirit” (Italian), “Et avec votre
esprit” (French), “Y con tu espíritu” (Spanish) and “Und mit
deinem Geiste”
(German).
The response “And with your spirit” was used in the liturgy
from the earliest days of the Church. One of the first instances of its use is
found in the “Apostolic Tradition” of Saint Hippolytus,
composed in Greek around 215.
The expression “And with your Spirit” is addressed only to an
ordained minister because the dialogue “Dominus vobiscum”
/” et cum spiritu tuo”
is never used in the Roman Liturgy between a non-ordained person and the
assembly.
The usual explanation of the meaning of “spiritu”
is that it refers to the gift of the spirit which the priest received at
ordination. The people’s response is
an acknowledgement of the Spirit of Christ present in the priest in a
unique way in virtue of his ordination.
This understanding is not something new.
In the fourth century St. John Chrysostom explained:
If the Holy Spirit
were not in our bishop when he gave the peace to all, you would not have
replied to him all together, And with your spirit. This is
why you reply with this expression….reminding yourselves by this reply that he
who is here does nothing of his own power, nor are the offered gifts the
work of human nature, but is it the grace of the Spirit present and hovering
over all things which prepared that mystic sacrifice.
Even if people do understand and accept
the reason for the change, it is not going to be easy for them to make this
adjustment to a familiar response which occurs at several points of the Mass.
Date -
20/06/2010
New
Words for Worship Part 5: Penitential Rite
This week’s column will look at three more examples of changes in
the people’s texts that occur in the Introductory Rites of the Mass. For ease
of comparison, the existing and the revised versions are shown side by side.
Penitential Rite Option I: General Confession or Confiteor
|
PRESENT TEXT I confess to
almighty God, and I ask blessed Mary, ever
virgin, |
NEW TRANSLATION I confess to
almighty God |
The major change here is the insertion of the repetitive “through
my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault”, a direct
translation of the Latin mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.
“Virgins”, “Angels” and “Saints” in the new translation
are not misprints. As written English increasingly does away with the use of
capital first letters even for proper nouns, the revised translation
capitalises dozens of words that are now in lower case.
Penitential Rite Option II
|
PRESENT TEXT P: Lord, we
have sinned against you:
Lord, have mercy.
R: Lord,
have mercy. P: Lord,
show us your mercy and love. R: And grant
us your salvation. |
NEW TRANSLATION P: Have
mercy on us, O Lord. R: For we
have sinned against you. P: Show us,
O Lord, your mercy. R: And grant
us your salvation. |
This option seems not to be used very often: perhaps the new
Missal provides an opportunity to make more frequent use of this form which,
although changed, retains its rhythmic quality of a litany.
Penitential Rite Option III, consisting of three invocations
followed by “Lord/Christ, have mercy”, has not changed.
Date -
27/06/2010
New
Words for Worship Part 6
We have probably all encountered someone who considers themselves
an expert on education simply because they once went to school! Unfortunately,
there are also those who set themselves up as experts on liturgy in general,
and the new translation in particular, because they go to Mass! Efforts at
explaining the background and content of the new English translation of the
Roman Missal are not helped by ill-informed public comments from such people.
I can assure readers that, whatever The Australian claims to
the contrary, nobody in Australia has seen or has in their possession
the final version of the revised Sacramentary.
On 8th June, Archbishop Mark Coleridge, chair of the
Roman Missal Editorial Committee, said: “In Australia we don't yet have the
final approved version to send to the publishers. Nor have the local additions
and adaptations been approved yet.”
Rev Peter Williams, Executive Secretary of
the Bishops Commission for Liturgy, added the following day: “Whilst a recognitio was granted for the Missal on 25 March
2010, no one in the English speaking world has a completed text yet. Until we
receive a response from the Congregation with a covering letter and a Protocol
number we are simply relying on press releases from Vox
Clara.”
Recently I expressed concern that the
Catholic Church will soon have new texts for key parts of the Mass that differ
from those used by other denominations. The response from one correspondent,
arguing that the Catholic Church is not obliged to “slavishly follow their particular
liturgical forms”, is ignorant and insensitive. Our ecumenical partners are
justified in lamenting the fact that Roman Catholic versions of the Gloria,
Creed and Holy Holy are now different from theirs
because these Churches generously adopted Roman translations in the revisions
of their own liturgical books.
Catholics who attend the worship of
another denomination are often agreeably surprised by the extent to which they
are able to participate in the liturgy because many of the texts are the same
as those they pray at Mass. The use of common texts by different churches
communicates symbolically the unity we share through our common baptism and is
capable of leading churches into closer theological agreement.
The translation of the Our Father in the new
Missal will be the same as that currently in use. The Australian Catholic
version already differs from that used by most other denominations in Australia
and the Catholic Church in New Zealand, all of whom adopted the ecumenical text
produced by the International Consultation on English Texts many years ago.
Disputes over translation are
unfortunately not a new issue for the church. In the fourth century, before he
had even finished his work of transLating the Bible
into the language of the common people so that they could access the riches to
be found in scripture, Saint Jerome came under strong attack from conservative
critics. He responded: “If I translate word by word, it sounds absurd; if I am
forced to change something in the interest of style, I seem to have stopped
being a translator.”
Nothing much has changed in 1700 years!
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