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Catholic Mass revisions launch war of words
Washington Times ^ | April 3, 2010 | Julia Dulin

Posted on 04/03/2010 2:06:35 PM PDT by NYer

As America's 68 million Catholics celebrate Easter this weekend, they also will start preparing to absorb significant revisions to the Mass that include a greater focus on sin and changes in wording that hearken back to majestic, traditional language used at the time of the Second Vatican Council of the 1960s.

What some have called a "stem-to-stern" revision of the English-language missal - the ritual text for the celebration of the Mass - has been in the works for eight years. It has not come without controversy and dissent.

The new missal may not appear in parishes until the end of 2011; however, the first of 22 workshops across the country to train priests and diocesan leaders in its use begins this month in Cincinnati, Richmond, Va., and Phoenix.

Members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which represents 85 percent of the world's English-speaking Catholics, have argued among themselves about the texts for years. After rejecting a large portion of the text at their spring 2008 meeting, they did not approve final sections until November.

The USCCB has allocated a good portion of its Web site, usccb.org, to explaining the changes.

Although some bishops have hailed the revisions as more reverential toward God, a Facebook page devoted to the controversy has 1,358 fans opposing the new missal. Even the former head of the USCCB's liturgy committee has come out against the revisions, saying the language was not accessible to the average Catholic.

"To what extent are the new prayers of the missal truly pastoral?" Erie, Pa., Bishop Donald W. Trautman wrote in a 2007 essay in America magazine. "Do these new texts communicate in the living language of the worshipping assembly?"

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Religion & Culture; Worship
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1 posted on 04/03/2010 2:06:35 PM PDT by NYer
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To: netmilsmom; thefrankbaum; markomalley; Tax-chick; GregB; saradippity; Berlin_Freeper; Litany; ...
The revised language hearkens to a liturgical style dating back some 40 years, placing increased emphasis on God's transcendence, on spiritual warfare and the supernatural.

"Grant us, Lord, to begin with holy fasting this campaign of Christian service that, as we fight against spiritual evils, we may be armed with the weapons of self-restraint," according to a new prayer for Ash Wednesday.

That language carries more dramatic punch than the current Ash Wednesday prayer: "Lord, protect us in our struggle against evil. As we begin the discipline of Lent, make this day holy by our self-denial."

2 posted on 04/03/2010 2:07:16 PM PDT by NYer ("Where Peter is, there is the Church." - St. Ambrose of Milan)
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To: NYer

Strange how generations of Europeans immigrants could understand the traditional mass, but this generation of Americans is too stupid to participate.


3 posted on 04/03/2010 2:15:33 PM PDT by kittymyrib
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To: NYer

>>”Do these new texts communicate in the living language of the worshipping assembly?”<<

What a doofus.
Who cares about the “living language”? Back when our kids learned liturgical Latin, they did better in all aspects of education. How about we forget about “Catholic Ebonics” and get back to the idea that if some illiterate peasant in the 1500 could understand the Holy Mass, we sure can today. Even without the “living language”.


4 posted on 04/03/2010 2:15:51 PM PDT by netmilsmom (I am Ilk)
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To: NYer

less than 2000 against it on Facebook?

obviously, the elderly “Nuns” who run womenpriest can’t use a computer


5 posted on 04/03/2010 2:17:50 PM PDT by LadyDoc (liberals only love politically correct poor people)
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To: NYer

I am in favor of the new translation. Since Vatican II, priests have been taking all sorts of liberties with the Mass, including “inclusive” language and paraphrasing the text as it is written.

The new translation (from what I have seen) is much more faithful to the original Latin text. Plus, learning terms like “consubstantial” should raise the SAT Verbal scores of Catholic kids.

Now, I can only hope that the handholding during the Paternoster fade away as it so richly deserves.....


6 posted on 04/03/2010 2:26:49 PM PDT by paterfamilias
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To: paterfamilias

Reinventing what didn’t need to be invented.


7 posted on 04/03/2010 2:29:35 PM PDT by NTHockey (Rules of engagement #1: Take no prisoners)
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To: NYer

They should never have messed with the missal in the first place.

I never understood why the Latin (Tridentine) Mass became pretty much criminalized after ‘62.


8 posted on 04/03/2010 2:31:18 PM PDT by LibFreeOrDie (Obama promised a gold mine, but will give us the shaft.)
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To: LibFreeOrDie

I have just learned that my alma mater, Fordham Univerity, offers a Tridentine Mass every Monday night at 9:15 PM.

Now, if the Jebbies are getting on the bandwagon, what could be next?

I have gotten out my old St. Joseph’s Missal, and will be attending Mass there right after Easter.

Gloria in excelsis Deo!


9 posted on 04/03/2010 2:41:32 PM PDT by paterfamilias
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To: kittymyrib
Strange how generations of Europeans immigrants could understand the traditional mass, but this generation of Americans is too stupid to participate.

My mother used to work for Scandinavian Airlines. As a small child, she took me to Europe. Regardless of where we attended Mass (Copenhagen, Paris, Rome), we could follow along because it was the same Mass and it was in Latin.

OTOH, though, unless one understood Latin, the only way to follow along was with the English text on the opposing page. That meant recognizing hand motions in order to keep up with the priest. Also, it was a time when one attended Mass out of fear of condemnation to hell. The churches, though packed, were hot in summer because there was no a/c. It was also difficult to follow the Mass because there were no sound systems.

There is great merit in attending a liturgy celebrated in one's own language. Though Roman Catholic, I am a parishioner in one of the Eastern (Maronite) Catholic Churches. They followed the council's lead and translated their texts into English here in the US. The liturgical language of the Maronite Catholic Church is Aramaic! Now that would be a challenge to follow! As it is, the Maronites have retained Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus, His mother and the apostles, as the language used during the consecration. We have several other prayers in Aramaic but, for the most part, the major portions of the liturgy are in English in the US. It is a magnificent liturgy that is chanted by both the priest and the congregation, at ALL the masses. There is extensive use of incense at each liturgical celebration, not just for high holy days.

Essentially, you are right. It does not take a liturgical scholar to understand the Mass but it becomes far more meaningful when translated into the vernacular.

10 posted on 04/03/2010 2:51:20 PM PDT by NYer ("Where Peter is, there is the Church." - St. Ambrose of Milan)
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To: LibFreeOrDie

‘62...last big change in the mass...isn’t that about the time they started letting homosexuals into the priesthood?

Maybe...the later sixties...still, the sixties ruined SO much...’bout time we went back and restored what was good.


11 posted on 04/03/2010 2:53:52 PM PDT by kjo
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To: LibFreeOrDie
I never understood why the Latin (Tridentine) Mass became pretty much criminalized after ‘62.

Not sure what you mean by "criminalized". The intention was to translate the liturgy into the respective vernacular of the communicant. (see my post #10).

12 posted on 04/03/2010 2:55:51 PM PDT by NYer ("Where Peter is, there is the Church." - St. Ambrose of Milan)
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To: NYer

When I first encountered the new mass in its English translation, I was struck by the vagueness, even banality of the language. It seems to me that Trautman is opposed to the idea of beauty in language, just as he is opposed to beauty in architecture. No one really wanted this except the cabal who did liturgical reform, and now Trautman is depending on one thing: the people have gotten used to bad taste.


13 posted on 04/03/2010 3:04:32 PM PDT by RobbyS (Pray with the suffering souls.)
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To: LibFreeOrDie

I am thankful for the use of English in the Mass. Being able to understand the words certainly was a great boon to me when I attended my 1st Mass 6+ years ago. :)


14 posted on 04/03/2010 3:05:44 PM PDT by TheStickman
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To: NYer

The vernacular ought not to be reduced to the dull and inexact. I have spent 40 years trying to figure out what “of one being with the Father” is supposed to mean?


15 posted on 04/03/2010 3:07:32 PM PDT by RobbyS (Pray with the suffering souls.)
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To: NYer
Please enlighten me as to why the introduction of the vernacular in the 1960’s was accomplished with great rapidity but this new revision is taking eight years ? Has there been some ineffable “Brain Drain” in the Church that I missed?
16 posted on 04/03/2010 3:31:03 PM PDT by bronx2
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To: netmilsmom

But It all about duh libbing langwudge, yo. Time ta be celerbratens dem pastoralness no whaddam sayin? Yo Troutman I see ya yo!

Freegards


17 posted on 04/03/2010 3:51:50 PM PDT by Ransomed (Son of Ransomed Says Keep the Faith!)
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To: NYer

“To what extent are the new prayers of the missal truly pastoral?” Erie, Pa., Bishop Donald W. Trautman wrote”

It’s a Catholic thing, you wouldn’t understand.

Freegards


18 posted on 04/03/2010 3:55:57 PM PDT by Ransomed (Son of Ransomed Says Keep the Faith!)
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To: kittymyrib

I grew up with the Latin Mass and, to this day, I still miss it.

Went to Holy Thursday “multicultural” Mass and it was not until the Gospel that I heard the first words of English spoken. (By the way, I live in America.) I do not speak Vietnamese nor Spanish.

And the people still complain about Latin being a foreign language. Sigh.


19 posted on 04/03/2010 4:02:19 PM PDT by 353FMG (What else can Islam possibly contribute to America other than its destruction?)
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To: 353FMG

I don’t understand how it would be better if it were Latin and no one understood


20 posted on 04/03/2010 4:03:34 PM PDT by Hegewisch Dupa
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