New Translation of the Mass

This could almost have gone in the article called "Rumours, rumours"!  The International Committee for English in the Liturgy (ICEL for short) has come up with what looks like the very last-but-one version of the forthcoming new translation of the Mass.  This has been available on several websites in "pirated" editions - the more reputable sites have deleted their text versions at the request of ICEL - and if you look using a search engine it should not be too difficult to find a copy if you want.  The "official line" seems to be that it is not too good an idea to get all steamed up about this and that the versions may not be the final ones that appear. 

Why do we have these new translations?  The work started over a decade ago in order to reflect Pope John-Paul II's desire to have a liturgy that was closer to the original Latin of the Tridentine Mass, that many of us older people grew up with.  Several years ago Mgr Bruce Harbert, a fine scholar and a great priest who is personally known to me, took over the chairmanship of the ICEL work on the English draft.  Other language versions are being produced elsewhere.

The problem is to find a version that is closer to the original but that also prays aloud well.  There is always going to be disagreement and argument about this and there may be things you like or dislike about the new version when it appears.  The point of the exercise is to make sure that we are "praying what we believe" and the criticism of the 1972 version that we use at the moment is that it is a sort of summary or paraphrase of the original.

From what I can tell, the language is a bit more "flowery" than in the Mass we have now.  Changes is the congregation's responses should not be all that difficult to get used to - an example is that we will be saying, "And with your spirit," instead of "And also with you."  The Eucharistic Prayers have been remodelled and we will say "I believe," instead of "We believe" in the Creed.

What I hope is that the coming changes will help us to take a new look at what we are doing and praying in the Mass.  As you know, it is perfectly possible to pray a well-known prayer like the Hail Mary whilst thinking about what to have for tea!  We have become very used to the present Mass and at least in the period when we are getting used to the new version we will find a few suprises that may sharpen up our understanding of our faith.  The Our Father is not changed, by the way, at least in the texts that I have seen.

Nobody is sure when the new version will be introduced.  The reason for this is that there is a lot of work to do on the prayers said by the priest throughout the year and the liturgical seasons before a new Mass Book (Missal) will be produced.  Also, the publishers have to be found and the printing work has to be done.  Back in May 2007 there were rumours that the new Mass version was to be introduced at the end of that year, and at the same time there were also  rumours that it would not be ready until 2009.  By July 2009 there was still no sign of the new version! 

As time goes on there may be more "false alarms", which make good "copy" for the Catholic press and stir up interest and, sometimes, distress. What I promise is that when it is introduced I will do my best to explain the changes and this will, I hope give us all a chance to think again a bit more deeply about the miracle of the Mass that brings Jesus truly present amongst us as food and drink for our complete nourishment.

Fr Colin

26/5/2007

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