A woman at church today said she had seen some of the new translations for Mass and was not very happy about them.
I guess there will be some who will fight it or grumble about it.
I haven’t seen anything so I don’t know what’s coming.
Jvette:
Not to be overly judgmental of your fellow parishoner but she wouldn’t be one of those people who freaked out on New Years eve 1969 and hasn’t come to grips that the 1960’s and Kumbaya Liturgy is dieing slowly but surely.
Did she have any specific complaints? I've heard some interesting ones, but it mostly boils down to the critics thinking some words are too hard for John and Mary Catholic - like "consubstantial". I might prefer Cranmer's consciously Englished "being of one substance", but anybody who doesn't recognize the word can look it up, and sensible priests will explain things in their homilies during the runup to Advent 2011.
I've read the new translation and like it very much, but you can tell because I like Cranmer that hard words don't scare me much and accuracy in translation comes first.
Some people also object that the new Mass is "too elevated" and "too elaborate" and doesn't "speak to the people". Of course that's really the first criticism slightly repackaged, but I don't think we should address God in Church the same way we talk to our buddies around the water cooler in the office. Elevated language is probably a Good Thing when talking to the Lord of All Creation.
You can read some substantial samples of the new translation here: Roman Missal. Some differences you'll immediately note: "And with your spirit" is back, instead of "And also with you." The Confiteor has reinstituted "though my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault" and the striking of the breast. The Gloria has "peace on earth to people of good will" (quite close to the Latin: "et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.") The Creed has gone back to the literal translation of the Latin: "I believe" not "We believe", and words have been changed to more closely follow the Latin - the "consubstantial" I mentioned already, "all things visible and invisible", "incarnate of the Virgin Mary", and so forth. The Sanctus says "Lord God of Hosts" which is again much closer to the Latin.
If you go through you'll recognize little bits and pieces that have been altered. It's all an improvement, and I'm personally thrilled because it's all much closer to the old Anglican translation.