Vatican approves new Mass text for English-speaking Catholic world

The Tablet ^ | Aug. 2, 2008 | Timothy Lavin, Abigail Frymann

[Unam Sanctam]

The long-awaited, much-debated, new translation of the Order of the Mass has been approved by the Vatican, signalling the direction weekly Masses are to take in Catholic parishes across the English-speaking world.

On 25 July the United States bishops' conference announced that the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (CDW) had granted recognitio for the first, most important and most often-used section of the re-translated Missal, which contains the eucharistic prayers and prefaces, the Penitential Rite, the Gloria, the Creed, acclamations, the Lord's Prayer and other prayers and responses used daily.

The intention of the new English version was to bring the language of liturgy more strictly into line with the Latin text, but from the outset it has been a point of controversy between traditionalists and more progressive voices. It comes after a 1998 version containing inclusive and more modern language was suspended by the Vatican at the recognitio stage.

The new text has been put together following the 2001 Vatican instruction, Liturgiam authenticam, which aimed to bring the English translation of the Mass more closely in line with the standard Latin version.

The letter from Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect of the CDW, regarding the recognitio is dated 23 June - only 10 days after American bishops attending their plenary meeting in Orlando unexpectedly failed to give their assent to the second section of the revised Missal (the Proper of Seasons). This had been approved by four anglophone conferences, but discussion of the text will have to resume at the American bishops' November meeting.

The prompt action from the Vatican of approving this first section without waiting for the others to be submitted, may be intended to send a message to sceptical bishops that the new Missal is going ahead.

Although the recognitio was applied for by the American bishops, the decision will apply to all members of ICEL, the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, which represents the 11 English-speaking bishops' conferences.

While the full text has not yet been made public, notable changes include the congregation responding to the priest's greeting "The Lord be with you" with the words "And also with your spirit," instead of the more familiar "And also with you". In the penitential rite, the words, "I have sinned through my own fault," have been expanded to "I have greatly sinned ... through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault." And the response at the pre-communion prayer will be, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed." The old response had been, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed." Long sentence structures have been left intact to correspond to and reflect the original Latin.

The Credo will begin "I believe" in line with the Latin rather than "We believe". The Gloria has been re-translated and re-structured though details have not yet been made public. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops spokesman Fr Rick Hilgartner said the full text could be posted on their website as early as next week.

The ICEL member conferences approved the changes to the Order of Mass in 2006 and sent them to the CDW for approval, but then had heard little from the CDW. Each conference submitted amendments they wanted made but it is not yet known whose will have made the final edit. Although the bishops had planned to have a full translation of the Roman Missal completed by 2010, the date for implementing the changes will fall to individual bishops' conferences.

Cardinal Arinze said that the Vatican provided the text of the Order of Mass early to allow "time for the pastoral preparation of priests, deacons and for appropriate catechesis of the lay faithful. It will likewise facilitate the devising of musical settings for parts of the Mass".

[Unam Sanctam]

Looks like we should see the translation soon on the USCCB website:

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops spokesman Fr Rick Hilgartner said the full text could be posted on their website as early as next week.

[ConorMacNessa]

About time, IMHO.

[Straight Vermonter]

Ping

[NYer]

Ping!

[NeoCaveman]

Deo gratias

[kitkat]

BUMP

[Verginius Rufus]

"And also with your spirit" sounds redundant for a translation of et cum spiritu tuo--the "et" is being translated twice.

[vladimir998]

You’re right. At least it’s more accurate than what we have now.

[AnAmericanMother]

Patience.

Link by link is chain mail made, as one of Kipling's characters said.

[mhx]

My understanding is that it’s “and with your spirit”. It looks like the extra “also” was a typo in that article.

http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2008/08-108.shtml

[Salvation]

That will be exciting (if it gets posted, that is.) Shall we canvass our bishops and get things up and going in dioceses?

[Salvation]

I agree with you. “And with your spirit.”

Wouldn’t that be the correct translation?

[nickcarraway]

What are the chances the U.S. bishops will ever allow this to be used, no matter what the Vatican does?

[Salvation]

And from that link:

USCCB News Release

08-108
July 25, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Vatican Approves New English Translation For The Order Of Mass

WASHINGTON— The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has receivedapproval (recognitio) from the Holy See’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments for the new English-language translation of the Order of Mass (Ordo Missae).

This is the first section of the translation of the third edition of the Roman Missal. It includes most of the texts used in every celebration of the Mass, including the responses that will be said by the people.

In its letter, the Congregation pointed out that while the texts are binding, the approval “does not intend that these texts are to be put into use immediately.”

Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation, explained the reasons for providing the text at this time. The purpose is to provide “time for the pastoral preparation of priests, deacons and for appropriate catechesis of the lay faithful. It will likewise facilitate the devising of musical settings for parts of the Mass.”

The text is covered by copyright law and the Statutes of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy.

The more significant changes of the people’s parts are:

1. et cum spiritu tuo  is rendered as “And with your spirit”
2. In the Confiteor, the text “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault” has been added
3. The Gloria has been translated differently and the structure is different from the present text
4. In the Preface dialogue the translation of “Dignum et justum est” is “It is right and just”
5. The first line of the Sanctus now reads “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts”
6. The response of the people at the Ecce Agnus Dei is “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

At this time, no date is available as to when the entire translation of the Roman Missal will be released.

 

For media inquiries, e-mail us at commdept@usccb.org
Department of Communications | 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington DC 20017-1194 | (202) 541-3000 © USCCB. All rights reserved.

[Disciplinemisanthropy]

i cant wait to be the first kid on the block to memorize it

[JustMytwocents70]

It will likewise facilitate the devising of musical settings for parts of the Mass".

Anything to get rid of the herendous musical settings we have now would be great!

[Unam Sanctam]

“and with your spirit” sounds more natural as well.

[The Cuban]

I don’t know why it required this, most of those phrases are in the Spanish Mass now.

[Unam Sanctam]

The Spanish language equivalent of ICEL must have produced translations more faithful to the Latin than the unreconstructed English language ICEL. Do you know if there will be any changes necessary to the Spanish translation to meet the requirements of Liturgiam Authenticam?

[big'ol_freeper]

Progress. Can’t wait.