After the Second Vatican Council, vernacular translations of the Rite of Mass were introduced, aiming to restore and promote the sacred Liturgy. We were told that we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people”, and that fully conscious and active participation in the liturgy is both our right and our duty, by reason of our baptism – it is the source of the true Christian spirit.


None of this has changed – but the methods by which it is to be achieved have been re-examined.


The Rite of Mass in English, which has now been in use for almost forty years, was intended to be simple and accessible to everyone in the congregation without the need for explanation.  Translators were told to choose plain, easily understood language, and given licence to render the meaning of the whole passage instead of slavishly translating the individual words.


However, in Jubilee Year 2000, Pope John Paul II announced a revised version of the Missale Romanum. In 2001 when the document Liturgiam Authenticam was published, the translation of the liturgical texts from the official Latin originals was considered to be“… not so much a work of creative innovation as it is of rendering the original texts faithfully and accurately into the vernacular language.”   This document states uncompromisingly that "…the original text, insofar as possible, must be translated integrally and in the most exact manner, without omissions or additions in terms of their content.”


Why the change? In the years after the Second Vatican Council there arose a desire for more formal and literal translations of the original Latin texts. Consequently the new translation will employ the best of what has been learned about translation and liturgical language in two generations of celebrating the Liturgy in the vernacular. It will provide an opportunity to reflect ever more deeply on the Eucharistic celebration that lies at the heart of the Church’s life. The revised translation follows the style of the original Latin texts more closely, including concrete images, repetition, and rhythm, and a more formal and dignified style of English. Where possible, the texts follow the language of Scripture and include many poetic images.


We have been blessed with this opportunity to deepen our understanding of the Sacred Liturgy, and to appreciate its meaning and importance in our lives. Pope Benedict XVI described the provision of the new missal as “an immense service to Catholics throughout the English-speaking world”, and encouraged us “to seize the opportunity that the new translation offers for in-depth catechesis on the Eucharist and renewed devotion in its manner of celebration.”

Introduction

THE NEW TRANSLATION
Here is a series of short articles, taken from the parish bulletin, which will help us to understand what these changes are and why they have come about. This is a great opportunity for us all to learn more about the Mass and deepen our understanding of the liturgy and its meaning and relevance for us.

WHOSE IDEA WAS IT ANYWAY?

Until the early 1960s, Mass was celebrated in Latin throughout the world. Wherever you happened to be on Sunday the Mass would be celebrated in the language you were used to.

At the Second Vatican Council, in the early 1960’s, it was agreed that Mass could be said in the language of the country in which it was being celebrated. There would be no fundamental change to the Mass itself, just the language being used. This would enable us to understand more fully what was being said and help us to participate more fully. An English translation was made available as quickly as possible, but it was intended to be temporary. A more considered translation would be issued later.

Now, some forty years have since passed! This translation has at last been agreed by Rome and we will begin using it in parts from September. 

FOUR WAYS IN WHICH CHRIST IS PRESENT
The Second Vatican Council reminded us of our ancient faith: Christ is always present in his church, especially in its liturgical celebrations. So, each time we come to Mass we experience the presence of Christ in four different ways:

  1. 1.Christ is present in the congregation – the people gathered together;

  2. 2.Christ is present in the person of the priest;

  3. 3.Christ is present in the Scriptures that we listen to during Mass;

  4. 4.Christ is present in the bread and wine when it becomes Christ’s Body and Blood.

The more we are able to understand and join in the Mass, the more we will come to love it.

The new translation will help us to do that because the words we will now use will say more clearly what our faith is teaching us.

BIBLICAL INFLUENCES
As we use the new translation more frequently we will perhaps notice more biblical connections than we have been used to.

The texts of the Mass are precious to us, partly because they were inspired by Sacred Scripture which we believe is the work of the Holy Spirit in its revelation of God. These prayers and responses used at Mass have come down to us over the centuries, and most are rooted in Scripture.

When we gather for Mass, we are praying with words that have been given to us by our ancestors, who knew the Bible well and prayed it well. The revised translation of the Prayers and Responses which came from the original Roman Missal tries to make the connections between Sacred Scripture (the Bible) and the Mass clearer than it is now.

“AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT”

One of the first things we will notice with the new translation is that, when the priest says ‘The Lord be with you’, we now say ‘And with your spirit’.

This is much closer to the prayer in Latin, and both the greeting and the reply come from the Bible.  Paul concludes four of his letters with a very similar expression.  For example, at the end of his Second Letter to Timothy, Paul ends by saying, ‘The Lord be with your spirit.  Grace be with you’.

If you think about it, for nearly 2000 years Christians have been greeting each other, ‘The Lord be with you’, ‘and with your spirit.’

The new translation will bring unity to this response in all the languages of the world - and with all previous Christian generations

“THE WORD OF THE LORD”

At the end of the readings and the Gospel at Mass, we are used to hearing ‘This is the Word of the Lord’; ‘This is the Gospel of the Lord’.

In the new translation, the phrase ‘This is’ is now left out and we will hear ‘The Word of the Lord’ and ‘The Gospel of the Lord’.

One of the reasons for this change is that the original prayer in Latin does not include ‘This is’. But there is more to it than that. If the priest or deacon lifts the book and says ‘This is’, it can suggest that he is talking about the book itself. In fact, he is talking about the Word of God - which is alive and active, incarnate in Jesus - the Word made flesh. It is not print, or pages in a book; The Word is the person of Jesus Christ.

The proclamation at the end of the readings is announcing a great event. It is telling us that God has spoken; that Christ is present. We respond ‘Thanks be to God’, or ‘Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ’ which is our acknowledgement that what we have heard is, indeed, the Word of God.

For more about the Word of the Lord, please click here to see ‘Verbum Domini’ by Benedict XVI.

THE GLORIA AND THE CREED

As we begin to phase in the New Translation of our Mass prayers, we will notice some changes in the Gloria and the Creed. In fact, there is not a great deal of change in the new words that we will pray so we will have to be careful that we don’t slip into the old texts!

The first lines of the Gloria itself echo the angels’ message to the shepherds, announcing the birth of Christ (Luke 2:14). Because of these changes, new music is being written so that we will be able to sing the new translation, too. When it comes to the Creed we will notice the first change immediately - ‘I believe’, not, ‘We believe’.

The creed is still the faith of the entire Church, but each of us proclaims it to assert our personal faith together with other believers. “I believe” is a literal translation of the Latin word “Credo”. To say ‘I believe’ makes it quite clear that each one of us believes everything we are saying.

THE MYSTERY OF FAITH

For Catholics, a ‘mystery’ is not a puzzle that cannot be solved. It is a truth that is so deep that we know we’ll never be able to get to the bottom of it; a truth we’ll never completely be able understand. One example of this is our belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

We believe that Christ is truly present but we can’t wholly explain it. The priest shows us the host and then the chalice. Then he genuflects and says ‘The mystery of faith’. We continue with one of three responses. These are all different from the ones we have been used to and they come directly from the New Testament.

So, when the priest says ‘The mystery of faith’ he is inviting us to welcome this Real Presence of Christ. We then make our response, which we address to God.

LORD I AM NOT WORTHY
As the priest invites us to receive Holy Communion, he will say ‘Behold’, rather than ‘This is’, ‘the Lamb of God’. ‘Behold’ means ‘to look at’ and is our invitation to adore Christ who we are about to receive in Holy Communion.

We are used to saying ‘Lord I am not worthy to receive you’ ... This will change to: ‘Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed’. This is almost exactly what the Roman Centurion said when he came and begged Jesus to heal his servant. When Jesus says he will come to the Centurion’s house, the man knows that Jesus doesn’t need to do that, that just his word will be enough. The Centurion says: ‘Lord I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word and my servant will be healed’.

Our new reply changes only one word of the Centurion’s speech - “my servant” becomes “my soul will be healed.” Some people may confuse the word “roof” with the roof of one’s mouth, which may be why the current translation omits this word. By quoting the centurion, you’re telling Jesus of your sins and that you are not worthy to have him enter the place where you live. Your words are about your sinfulness, not a part of your body.

THE MASS PRAYERS

These will be introduced in our Parish from 10th-11th September.

Familiar prayers such as the Gloria and the Creed will have some new words and phrases, and some of the responses we make to the priest will change.

Laminated cards with the new prayers will be available for our use at all masses from that date and the sheets we presently use at weekend masses to follow the Scripture readings will be withdrawn.

Our readers will proclaim the Scriptures in a way that all of us can absorb by listening rather than by reading along with their proclamation.

CHANGES IN KNEELING, STANDING AND SITTING

These changes will be introduced in our parish from 10th-11th September.

Laminated cards with the new prayers will be available for our use at all masses from that date. 

Please take home and read the separate printed leaflet and also check out the article by Bishop Joseph Toal in this week’s Catholic Observer headed, Leaving Liturgical Comfort Zones