Dear Beloved of the Father,
The New Revised Roman Missal will be implemented in the Church from the First Sunday of Advent (27th November, 2011 ). This new translation is intended to give a more meaningful and biblical context to help enhance our worship of God and deepen our participation in the sacred mysteries of the Liturgy.
Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI wants us to use the New Roman Missal as a moment for genuine renewal. He says, “I encourage you now to seize the opportunity that the new translation offers for in-depth catechesis on the Eucharist, and renewed devotion in the manner of its celebration”.
Peter Finn, associate director of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), compares the changes “to the cleaning of an old painting whose images are brought to clearer light in the cleaning process. …The translations have sought to achieve a suitable balance between the word-for-word, literal meaning of the Latin and the demands of good proclamation, style and intelligibility.”
The changes will challenge most of us to pause and reflect on what, after so many years, we may have taken for granted. It is an opportunity for all of us to deepen our understanding of the Sacred Liturgy, of its meaning and importance in our lives. It also puts us in contact with the Church’s tradition of prayer and helps create a historical awareness. It will give us an opportunity to “brush up” on our knowledge of the Mass and of the Church’s beliefs and help in the enrichment of our spiritual life.
You are encouraged to circulate this document among your friends/family/contacts for a wider awareness and understanding of the changes and what these mean.
1. Is the Mass changing?The essence of the Mass is not changing, but the way it is celebrated will be noticeable different. While the structure and order of the Mass will remain the same, many of the prayers and responses of the liturgy have been newly translated into English from the original Latin text. In addition, new observances for recently canonized saints, additional prefaces for the Eucharistic prayers, additional Masses for the overall celebration of the Mass will be added. The most significant change people will notice, however, is the new translation of the actual words of the Mass.
2. So the Mass we celebrate in English is a translation from the Latin?
Yes. In the Roman rite of the Church, the Mass was celebrated in Latin for centuries. After the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, the prayers of the liturgy were translated into the vernacular language of a given country to encourage more active participation by the people. The official text of the Mass is contained in a book known as the “Roman Missal” or “Missale Romanun. This is the foundational text from which bishops around the world commission translations of the Mass into local languages.
3. Why do we need a new translation?
When the Second Vatican Council allowed for “a more extended use of the mother tongue within the Mass” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, No 53), various groups worked quickly to develop an official English translation to be used for the first time in worship, and a full English missal was published in 1973. The approach to translation used at that time (known as “dynamic equivalence”) aimed at communicating the general meaning of the Latin text of the Mass, rather than providing a literal, or word-for-word, translation.
After 40 years of celebrating Mass in English, the Church has come to see certain areas where the English text could be improved. Some have noted that, when the Latin text was paraphrased, a number of rich spiritual metaphors and images were lost. Important theological concepts were not always clear, and several biblical allusions did not shine out as noticeably as they could.
In 2001, the Vatican called for a more precise translation that gives Catholics a better sense of the richness of the Latin text – a translation that would be “without omissions or additions in terms of their content, without paraphrases or glosses” (Liturgiam Authentican, no. 20). Following this approach, the new translation of the Mass preserves more fully the theological tradition captured throughout the centuries in the liturgy. It also more clearly communicates the many biblical allusions and vital theological concepts that are expressed in the Latin original.
4. Who is responsible for making the English translation of the Mass?
The translation process actually entails the work of several groups. Following the issuance of Vatican II’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium) in 1963, the Bishops’ conference in several English speaking countries commissioned a Vatican–approved organization known as the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) to prepare preliminary translations of the Mass. These translations are tehn reviewed, modified and approved by each country’s conference of bishops. They are then sent to Rome
5. Will these changes affect the music for the parts of the Mass?
Yes, to some degree. Liturgical music publishers have been developing new musical settings for the newly translated prayer responses such as the Gloria, the Lamb of God, and other Mass parts. Many dioceses and parishes will introduce people to these new settings to prepare them for use when the new translation goes into effect. New chants also are being incorporated into the publication of the revised Missal.
6. When will we start using the new translation?
The new translation will be officially promulgated for use in the liturgy on November 27, 2011 , which is the first Sunday of Advent and the beginning of the Church’s new liturgical year.
7. What are some of the benefits of the new translation?
First, as previously noted, the older translation of the Mass parts does not fully convey many of the rich biblical images and allusion in the Latin original; the new translation seeks to bring these out more clearly.
Moreover, various bishops, theologians, and commentators have noted how the new translation preserves traditional theological terms such as Jesus being “consubstantial with the Father” and “made” incarnate” of the Blessed Virgin Mary – terms that are important to pass down in our worship.
In addition, the revised translation as a whole uses a more “heightened” style of English that is less conversational and nobler in tone. This style more closely parallels the Latin text and helps us express an even greater reverence and humility in praying to God in the Mass.
All these changes are valuable. The way we worship tells us a lot about what we believe and how we view our relationship with God. As a traditional Latin expression goes, lex orandi, lex credendi – “the law of prayer is the law of belief.” And what we believe affects how we live our relationship with God. The uses of heightened language emphasises God’s goodness, power, and glory, we may be more disposed to recognize that we are encountering the presence of the all-holy God in the sacred liturgy and to approach him with greater humility, reverence, and gratitude. The words we use in worship express how we view ourselves in relationship to God.
It will also help us to understand the meaning of the liturgy more clearly.
8. The symbolism of posture and gestures.
The symbolism of some traditional gestures has been recaptured in the new missal. The gestures themselves have always been prescribed, but the introduction of the new Missal provides an opportunity to teach about these long-standing customs. One such example is striking oneself over the chest during the Penitential Act (Confiteor) while reciting the words “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault,” (mea culpa), as a show of remorse, a tradition that had not always been followed in the U.S.
9. What can we do to prepare for the new translation?
A) For the Clergy and Religious
· Become educated on the actual changes in the Mass texts.
· Organize workshops for the people/youth/children on the new translations.
· Preach during the Mass on the changes and its meaning.
· Prepare pamphlets and circulate on the changes and its meanings.
· Prepare cards with the people’s response and keep them in the Church to be used during the services.
· Prepare powerpoint presentations, CDs and circulate.
· Circulate material online.
B) For the People
· Become educated on the actual changes in the Mass texts.
· Take part in workshops.
· Learn the new changes by-heart.
· Teach your children about the new changes and about the Mass itself.
· Read material on the new translations which are available both in print and online.
· Make a conscious effort to participate more fully in the Mass each Sunday.
· Pray for the renewal of the love for the liturgy in your parish/in the Church and encourage it.
May the Holy Spirit inspire us to understand and benefit from these changes.
Yours sincerely
For SOCOM-BARODA
(Fr. Lawrence Louis Rodrigues)
THE NEW ROMAN MISSAL
The changes in detail
1. Greeting
Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
People: And with your spirit.
Scriptural sources: Galatians 6:18, Philippians , and 2 Timothy 4:22. In each case, St. Paul
The meaning: Throughout the Mass, whenever the priest greets the people with “The Lord be with you,” the people respond with a greeting that is less like the “hello” of the familiar “and also with you”. By saying “and with your spirit,” we acknowledge the spiritual nature of Christian community. We are entering a sacramental realm in unity with the priest.
When a man is ordained a priest, the Holy Spirit comes upon him in a unique way, enabling him to perform the sacred rites of the Mass and consecrate the Eucharist. By responding, “And with your spirit,” we acknowledge the Spirit’s activity through the priest during the sacred liturgy. It is Jesus Christ who is the head of the community gathered for Mass and it is his Spirit who is the primary actor in the liturgy, regardless who the particular priest celebrating Mass may be.
2. I Confess
I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done
and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done
and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
FORM B
Priest: Have mercy on us, O Lord.
People: For we have sinned against you.
Priest: Show us, O Lord, your mercy.
People: And grant us your salvation.
Scriptural source: 1 Chronicles 21:8
The meaning: We are taking more seriously the reality that we are sinners in need of Christ’s salvation. We are expressing more clearly our accountability. Speaking these words increases our humility and makes our contrition more sincere. We are less likely to mindlessly run through the Penitential Rite without truly intending to repent.
It helps us to cultivate a more humble, sorrowful attitude towards God as we confess our sins. We repeat three times “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault” while striking our breasts in a sign of true repentance. This repetition more fully expresses our sorrow over sins. It helps us to recognize that it is no light matter. It is apologising several times to show we are really sorry for our sin is ‘great’ and ‘greivious’.
3. I Confess
THE GLORIA
Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you, we bless you,
we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you, we bless you,
we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
Scriptural source: Luke 2:14
The meaning: We have been forgiven. Now we praise God for his mercy and acknowledge his supreme authority in a spirit of joyful gratefulness. Instead of “his people on earth” we are “people of good will,” indicating that because we are God’s forgiven people, we have his good will – his favor rests on us.
Note that “sin” in the singular has become “sins” plural: Jesus takes away our individual sins, not just generic sin.
Jesus is addressed as the “Only Begotten Son.” This more closely follows the theological language used in the early Church to highlight how Jesus is uniquely God’s Son, sharing in the same divine nature as the Father. This also reflects the biblical language in John’s gospel, which uses similar wording to describe Jesus’ singular relationship with the Father. While all believers are called to a special relationship with God as his sons and daughters through grace (see John 1,12; 1 John 3,1), Jesus alone is the eternal, divine Son by nature. He is the “only begotten Son” of the Father (John 1,14; 1,18; 3,16; 3,18).
4. The Creed
THE NICENE CREED
I believe in one God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit
was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit
was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified
under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in gloryto judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic
and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection
of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection
of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Scriptural sources: Colossians 1:16; 2 Corinthians 3, verse 17, then verse 6; John 15:26, and 2 Peter 1:21.
The meaning: Instead of saying, “we believe,” we are taking personal ownership of our faith. The “I believe” unites us with the rest of the Catholic world in using the singular. It makes the creed more personal and challenges each individual to interiorize the faith. As CCC explains, “I believe” expresses “the faith of the Church professed personally by each believer” (no. 167).
Instead of saying that God created the “seen and unseen” (which could imply “what I see here at church and what I cannot see at home right now because I am in church”), we now more clearly refer to the “visible” (for example, people) and “invisible” (such as the angels).
Jesus is the Son of God the Father as an intentional (begotten) part of the salvation plan. And yet he has existed since before time began.
The word “consubstantial” means “with the same substance.” Jesus is not just “one in Being” with the Father, which could seem like they are merely united in heart and soul, but they are the same divine substance: The Father and the Son have the same nature, the same essence; they are one God. Jesus is acknowledged as the eternal Son of God, equal to the Father. It reflects more on the divine nature of Christ and the mystery of the Trinity.
“Was born of the Virgin Mary” is now “was incarnate of the Virgin Mary”. This phraseology more accurately reflects the Latin text of the Mass, which includes the word ‘incarnatus’ (“incarnate”). This theological term refers to “the fact that the Son of God assumed a human nature in order to accomplish our salvation in it”. In John’s Gospel we read, Word Became Flesh. Accordingly, we now say that the Son “by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man”. It tells that the Son of God was not just born of the Virgin Mary; he actually took on human flesh.
Instead of saying Jesus “suffered, died, and was buried,“ as if these were three separate events, we acknowledge that death is what Jesus suffered. Because he is eternal, to give up his life for our sakes is very significant.
While we “believe” in all we have professed, we “confess” or proclaim the value of being baptized into the life of Christ. Furthermore, life in Christ gives us life after death, and so we “look forward” to heaven (we don’t just “look for” it).
5. Offertory
Priest: Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
People: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
It is not just the priest who offers sacrifice. The Mass is one sacrifice offered by all in unity with Christ. At the same time, each Christian present at Mass offers the sacrifice because of the priestly role given to all of us in our baptisms.
6. The Sanctus
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts
Scriptural Source: Isaiah 6:3
The Meaning: The ‘holy, holy’ comes at a significant moment of the Mass.
7. Eucharistic Prayer Preface
Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right and just.
Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right and just.
The meaning: “It is right and just” is closer to the original Latin than “it is right to give him thanks and praise.” Lifting our hearts to the Lord is not only right for a good faith life, but it’s “just”, i.e., God deserves it. This attitude of humble appreciation of God’s superiority helps us enter into a closer relationship with God.
8. The Words of Institution
Priest: Take this, all of you, and eat of it: for this is my body which will be given up for you.
The meaning: The only difference is the insertion of the words ‘of’ and ‘for’. These two changes bring us to the original text in Latin i.e. ‘ex io’ meaning ‘of it’. The body of Christ is a common source which unites all of us, and we don’t eat it, but each one of us eats of the same body. Furthermore, the reason we share this food is because it is the Body of Christ, given up for us. The word ‘for’ draws out this purpose.
Priest: 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 meaning: This is no ordinary cup, but Eucharistic cup (Luke 22,30; 1 Corinthians 11,25ff) that the Lord consecrated at the Last Supper. This most sacred of vessels has traditionally been called a ‘chalice’, and this is the term used in the new translation.
The covenant is called ‘eternal’ instead of ‘everlasting’ Everlasting in English means something like – long-lasting. If refers to something within the confines of time. However, eternal is beyond any possible measurement of time. The duration of God’s covenant with us cannot be measured.
Instead of ‘shed’, the new translation uses ‘poured out’. Jesus did not merely shed his blood at the inflicting of his wounds; he poured out his blood for us. The passion is not just something that happened to Jesus, but something he freely chose to undergo.
The shift from ‘for all’ to ‘many’ remains closer to Jesus’ actual words of institution in the gospels (Matthew 26,28). It has implications for understanding how Christ’s saving work is applied to our lives. It points out that Jesus died for all, but not everyone chooses to accept this gift. Each individual must choose to welcome the gift of salvation in Christ and live according to that grace, so that they may be among ‘the many’ who are described in this text. The word ‘many’ recalls ‘the many’ used by the prophet Isaiah in 53,10-12 i..e bearing the sins of many. It contrasts the one person who dies – the Lord’s Servant (Jesus) with the many who benefit from his atoning sacrifice.
9. Invitation to Communion
Priest: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
Scriptural sources: John 1:29; Rev. 19:9
The meaning: “Behold” is an acclamation that says, “Look! This is important! See Christ your Saviour in the Eucharist.” “Happy are those” has been changed to “Blessed are those” because we are blessed by the Eucharist even when we are experiencing sorrow.
It highlights that the Eucharist is no ordinary meal. It is the climatic moment when Jesus comes to unite himself to his people in a great heavenly wedding feast. It echo’s Revelation 19,9, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb”.
It is the intimate, loving communion with our Lord Jesus. Holy communion is a participation in that heavenly wedding supper of the Lamb, which celebrates the union of Jesus with his bride, the Church.
People: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
Scriptural source: Matthew 8:8
The meaning: Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. In a final act of humility, we ask Jesus to enter into us and heal whatever is not yet fully unified to his Spirit.
These new words reflect the humility and trust of the Roman centurion in the gospels who asked Jesus to heal his servant who is at his house, paralyzed and in distress. He expresses a great faith that surpasses that of many others in the gospels and amazes even Jesus. Jesus praises this man for his faith. Like the centurion, we, at this moment in the Mass, recognize our unworthiness to have Jesus come sacramentally under the ‘roof’ of our souls in holy communion. Yet just as the centurion believed Jesus was able to heal his servant, so do we trust that Jesus can heal us as he becomes the most intimate guest of our souls in the Eucharist.
Courtesy: The Internet, The Examiner and A Guide to the New Translation of The Mass by Edward Sri.
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