Article on the Revised Translation

[benedictgal]

Here is Part II:

Another change that will sound very familiar to those who assist at Spanish-language Masses will be the prayer the faithful recite before Holy Communion. Currently, in English, the prayer reads: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but, only say the word and I shall be healed.” The revised translation reads: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, but, only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” Not only does this prayer match the Latin word-for-word, but, it also matches the Gospel account of the Roman centurion’s plea to Jesus that he is unworthy to have the Lord come under his roof, but only a word of healing is sufficient enough.

A big change affects the Memorial Acclamations that are sung after the priest chants, “The mystery of faith”. Gone will be the familiar “Christ has died; Christ has died; Christ will come again” and “Dying, you restored our death. Rising, you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory.” The “Christ has died” acclamation is somewhat of an anomaly because it does not appear in the original Latin text. In fact, it does not show up in any other vernacular version of the Roman Missal except the English one. Neither does “Dying you destroyed our death”. Instead, the acclamations return to the original three options: “When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, O Lord, until come again;” “We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again;” and “Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.”

Other changes include the Confiteor (I confess), which restores the triple “through my fault, my fault, my most grievous fault” that in Spanish reads “por mi culpa, por mi culpa, por mi gran culpa.” The Gloria and the Credo (Creed) also have major revisions. In the Credo, instead of praying “We believe”, we will recite “I believe.” But, that is not the only significant change in the text of the Creed. The language will now more accurately reflect the essence of the Church’s faith by using words such as “incarnate” and “consubstantial” (which means “one with the First Person of the Trinity, in the unique, singular identity of God”, as author Russell Shaw explains it).

These revisions and restorations, the Church tells us, are important. What we pray is as important as how we pray. “Lex orandi, lex credandi” means the law of prayer is the law of belief. As Benedict told the Vox Clara committee, “Through these sacred texts and the actions that accompany them, Christ will be made present and active in the midst of his people.”

The current translation of the Roman Missal expires on the First Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011. By then, the revised translations should be in place. For those interested in seeing the entire text of the Order of the Mass, log on to the USCCB Roman Missal formation website at usccb.org/romanmissal/. ICEL has also released new musical settings for the revised texts. These can be found at icelweb.org/musicfolder/openmusic.php . In addition, author Jeffrey Pinyan has written an excellent book, “Praying the Mass”, which not only offers a look at the revised translations in greater detail, but, it also serves as an excellent primer for the Liturgy. The second book in his three-part series, concentrating on the parts of the priest, debuts at the end of September.
-30-

I hope it will fly. And yes, japhy has been duly notified.

 

[rosary_kat]

I think it’s very important for everyone watch these videos. They repeat a lot of what you’ve included, benedictgal, but may give you even more insight. EVERYONE should watch these videos!!! One of the most thrilling parts in these videos are what it means to the PRIEST for the language to be changing. I learned a LOT.

romanmissal.us/dvd.htm

 

[benedictgal]

Our local secular newspaper printed the articles as letters to the editor. Part I appeared yesterday. Here it is:

When Pope Benedict XVI travels to the United Kingdom to beatify the Venerable John Cardinal Newman this weekend, he will not only be raising a new blessed to the altars of the Church, but he will also partially roll out a change that will affect English-speaking Catholics the world over: a revised translation of the prayers of the Mass. The revised parts are the Gloria, the Sanctus and the Memorial Acclamation, presented in a musical setting, the Mass of Blessed John Henry Newman. Locally, Laredoans can catch the broadcasts on EWTN.

The revision process began in 2001 when the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (the department that oversees the Liturgy for the entire Church) published a document called Liturgiam Authenticam (Authentic Liturgy), which sets the guidelines for new translations in the various languages of the faithful. In our case, these revised translations were made by the International Commission on the English Language (ICEL), composed of bishops from the various English-speaking countries. Another commission established by the CDWDS, Vox Clara, headed by Australia’s George Cardinal Pell, also provided guidance on the translation.

In this first of a two-part series, we will look at the history behind these revisions. In part two, we will look at some of the changes themselves so as to better acquaint the faithful with the revised prayers. Up until about 1964, the Church celebrated the Mass in Latin. While the homily was preached in the vernacular, that is to say, the language of the people, all of the prayers were in the Church’s official language, Latin. But, as early as 1964, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (which eventually merged into the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) published a Roman Missal in English and Latin.

After the Second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI ordered a new Roman Missal (the official Mass prayer book) to be published both in Latin and in the vernacular. This new missal debuted in Advent 1969. However, while the different language groups retained much of the original Latin version, the original ICEL used a French document that employed “dynamic equivalence”, meaning that translators would attempt to keep the essence of the Latin original, but, not use a literal translation. For example, in Spanish, the celebrant greets the faithful with these words: “El Señor este con vostros.” The faithful respond, “Y con tu espíritu.” In the current English translation, the celebrant says “The Lord be with you”. The faithful respond, “And also with you.”

Later on, Rome revised the Roman Missal twice. When ICEL translated the second typical edition of the book in 2001, it was submitted to the CDWDS for the necessary recognitio, (approval). However, the CDWDS denied the recognitio, restructured ICEL and ordered the creation of the Vox Clara committee. Also during the same time period, Venerable Pope John Paul II promulgated the third typical edition of the Roman Missal and ordered the CDWS to implement Liturgiam Authenticam. “Dynamic equivalence” gave way to a revised, formal translation of the Roman Missal for English-speaking Catholics.

The key word in all of this is “revised”. The format of the Mass does not change. The Liturgy of the Word, including the scriptural readings, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist remain the same. However, the big shift comes in the style of language the celebrant and the faithful use to pray the Mass. The revised translations take on a more elevated tone. For Catholics, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the prayer par excellence of the Church. According ot the Second Vatican Council, it is the “source and summit” of the Church’s life. The faithful enter into the very presence of God and the Paschal Mystery of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. Thus, the language used for the Church’s highest prayer needs to take on a dimension of the sacred. It needs to be language that goes beyond the ordinary because the mysteries that unfold at every Mass are, the Church holds, extraordinary.

In the next part, we will examine some of the actual changes in the texts of the prayers of the Mass.

Yesterday’s timing could not have been more ideal since it coincided with the Papal Mass in Scotland.

 

[benedictgal]

This is what appeared in this morning’s paper:

When Mass begins, the celebrant greets the faithful using a greeting that is as ancient as the Church. “The Lord be with you.” He does not say “Good morning” nor “Hello”. He uses the same words that St. Paul used in his greetings to the various communities of the early Church. The current translation calls for the faithful to respond “And also with you.” While the statement is adequate, it does not match the Latin original which reads “Et cum Spiritu tuo.” Spanish-speaking Catholics respond “Y con tu espiritu.” The revised translation brings us into conformity with the Latin, “And, with your spirit.”

Other changes include the Confiteor (I confess), which restores the triple “through my fault, my fault, my most grievous fault” that in Spanish reads “por mi culpa, por mi culpa, por mi gran culpa.” The Gloria and the Credo (Creed) also have major revisions. In the Gloria, the second stanza of the prayer presents us with a litany of praise to God, the Father: “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.” This sounds very much like its Spanish counterpart: “Te alabamos, te bendecimos, te adoramos, te glorificamos, te damos gracias por tu imensa gloria.” Intererestingly enough, the revisions made to the Gloria are almost word-for-word identical to the 1964 translation that the United States bishops first released. In the Credo, instead of praying “We believe”, we will recite “I believe.” In the Latin original, the word is “Credo”, in the first person singular. The Spanish translation also follows the first person singular “Creo”. But, that is not the only significant change in the text of the Creed. The language will now more accurately reflect the essence of the Church’s faith by using words such as “incarnate” and “consubstantial” (which means “one with the First Person of the Trinity, in the unique, singular identity of God”, as author Russell Shaw explains it).

A big change affects the Memorial Acclamations that are sung after the priest chants, “The mystery of faith”. Gone will be the familiar “Christ has died; Christ has risen; Christ will come again” and “Dying, you restored our death. Rising, you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory.” The “Christ has died” acclamation is an anomaly because it is not in the original Latin text. In fact, no other venrnacular version of the Roman Missal has it, except the English one. Instead, the acclamations return to the original three options: “When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, O Lord, until come again;” “We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again;” and “Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.”

Another change that will sound very familiar to Spanish-speaking Catholics will be the prayer the faithful recite before Holy Communion. Currently, in English, the prayer reads: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but, only say the word and I shall be healed.” The revised translation reads: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, but, only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” Not only does this prayer match the Latin word-for-word, but, it also matches the Gospel account of the Roman centurion’s plea to Jesus that he is unworthy to have the Lord come under his roof, but only a word of healing is sufficient enough.

These revisions and restorations, the Church tells us, are important. What we pray is as important as how we pray. “Lex orandi, lex credendi” means the law of prayer is the law of belief. As Benedict told the Vox Clara committee, “Through these sacred texts and the actions that accompany them, Christ will be made present and active in the midst of his people.”

The current translation of the Roman Missal expires on the First Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011. By then, the revised translations should be in place. The entire text of the revised prayers can be found at the USCCB Roman Missal formation website at usccb.org/romanmissal/. ICEL has also released new musical settings for the revised texts. These can be found at icelweb.org/musicfolder/openmusic.php . In addition, author Jeffrey Pinyan has written an excellent book, “Praying the Mass”, which provides both a detailed explanation of the revised translations as well as catechesis on the Mass.

I am hoping that these letters will spur the diocese into formulating some sort of catechetical program.

 

[JHow]

Hello. I like your article. What I don’t understand is why the English translation ended up so different from everyone else. You mentioned the use of “dynamic translation”, and you gave examples of differences in other languages (Spanish) using a more “literal” translation, but what I felt was missing was discussion of how it got this way. I ask because I first started hearing mass in Polish, although English is my native language. When I returned to the US, the differences were immediately obvious (e.g., z duchym twoim - with your spirit, etc. and many more as noted in your article). Maybe this is clear to everyone else, but I am a convert, and also, I was extremely young in the sixties, so I am missing the history here.

 

[benedictgal]

Hello. I like your article. What I don’t understand is why the English translation ended up so different from everyone else. You mentioned the use of “dynamic translation”, and you gave examples of differences in other languages (Spanish) using a more “literal” translation, but what I felt was missing was discussion of how it got this way. I ask because I first started hearing mass in Polish, although English is my native language. When I returned to the US, the differences were immediately obvious (e.g., z duchym twoim - with your spirit, etc. and many more as noted in your article). Maybe this is clear to everyone else, but I am a convert, and also, I was extremely young in the sixties, so I am missing the history here.

There was a lot to have to compress in the 600-word limit that the newspaper gave me. However, I think that if you pick up a copy of the book, “Praying the Mass”, it could give you a good historical catechesis on where we were, where we are and where we are heading.

 

[JHow]

There was a lot to have to compress in the 600-word limit that the newspaper gave me.

Makes total sense.

…pick up a copy of the book, “Praying the Mass”,…

I’ll look for it. Who is the author?

 

[benedictgal]

Makes total sense.
I’ll look for it. Who is the author?

Japhy is the author. He is one of our forum members.

 

[drforjc]

Good job. You remained objective, yet positive.

 

[benedictgal]

Good job. You remained objective, yet positive.

Thank you. I gave my spritual director my word that I would. As I said in a previous post, I do hope that this will initiate some dialogue between the faithful and their pastors.

 

[roadsend]

You have done a fine job.
I very much appreciate your effort and your dedication.

 

[rosary_kat]

I agree, your article is a good one. The substance is sound and well-stated. Thank you!!!

:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping:

 

[FrDavid96]

Thank you. I gave my spritual director my word that I would. As I said in a previous post, I do hope that this will initiate some dialogue between the faithful and their pastors.

Great article. Thanks for writing it, and thanks to the newspaper for printing it!

Now, should we start a “countdown to 27 November 2011”?

I do hope that there will be some provision for parishes to begin using the new text whenever they (text and parish) are ready.

 

[FrancisB]

Great article. Thanks for writing it, and thanks to the newspaper for printing it!

Now, should we start a “countdown to 27 November 2011”?

I do hope that there will be some provision for parishes to begin using the new text whenever they (text and parish) are ready.

I agree. I wish we could start using them sooner. Maybe not do one enormous change all at once, but slowly phase them in until by 27 November of next year we were al the way done with the changes. I think a good start would be “And with your spirit.” We say it enough that if we were to institute it now, it would rapidly feel normal. The new texts for the ordinary would also be an easy switch, once the music is available, since people could just look along in the book. Then perhaps we could phase in the preface dialogue translation, which I imagine will take a little longer to adjust to. The Creed (I know it’s traditionally part of the ordinary, but let’s be honest…) might have to come later, and would require a lot of time during which the people are reading from missals. The priest’s parts, since he reads them anyway, could also be phased in as the priests feel comfortable, although I would like to hear “for you and for many” starting tomorrow.

 

[Joannm]

Great article. Thanks for writing it, and thanks to the newspaper for printing it!

Now, should we start a “countdown to 27 November 2011”?

I do hope that there will be some provision for parishes to begin using the new text whenever they (text and parish) are ready.

When I went to one of those meetings that the BCDW are holding, it was stated that the bishops want everyone to start on the same date. I will be at the FDLC meeting in two weeks so I’ll ask about that. I usually have dinner with Msgr. Sherman and some others when we go and he is the best person to ask as Secretary of the BCDW.

We are having a meeting with all our parish staff and the faculties of the two schools in April where I will be making a presentation and doing an in-service. I made the suggestion that if it is allowed we want to use the new translation at Mass, more of as a teaching tool. I called our diocesan director of worship but he seemed to think we would need specific permission, even for just a “teaching mass.” Like I said I’ll find out more when I go to the FDLC meeting.

Also the director of ICEL will be there as well so we may get updates on what is upcoming on the agenda.

 

[MarkThompson]

Great article. Thanks for writing it, and thanks to the newspaper for printing it!

Now, should we start a “countdown to 27 November 2011”?

Your bishops have started it for you – see the top right of the page here!

 

[benedictgal]

I got some feedback from a deacon and a couple of folks from the diocese. They read the letter and said that something needs to be done soon. One of the youth ministers is thinking of incorporating a review of the revised translations in their youth program. Like Fr. Z says, “brick by brick.”

 

[benedictgal]

This was certainly refreshing to hear. It comes at the end of the Holy Father’s address to the Bishops of England and Wales:

One is the imminent publication of the new translation of the Roman Missal. I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the contribution you have made, with such painstaking care, to the collegial exercise of reviewing and approving the texts. This has provided an immense service to Catholics throughout the English-speaking world. 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. “The more lively the eucharistic faith of the people of God, the deeper is its sharing in ecclesial life in steadfast commitment to the mission entrusted by Christ to his disciples” (Sacramentum Caritatis, 6).

I feel validated!

 

[Nokomis70]

Benedictgal, you did very well considering the word limit. I’m 70 and never changed how I said the Creed or the others so its not a big change for me. I speak a few languages and cannot believe how liberal translations anywhere can be…often changing the meaning.

I had so hoped the words of Consecration would be restored to what Jesus says in the Bible and how it was for 1950 years…this is addressing the “omni” vs “multi” problem. Ill just continue to pray for that, because it wasnt a mistranslation but a total change in that word.

 

[benedictgal]

Benedictgal, you did very well considering the word limit. I’m 70 and never changed how I said the Creed or the others so its not a big change for me. I speak a few languages and cannot believe how liberal translations anywhere can be…often changing the meaning.

I had so hoped the words of Consecration would be restored to what Jesus says in the Bible and how it was for 1950 years…this is addressing the “omni” vs “multi” problem. Ill just continue to pray for that, because it wasnt a mistranslation but a total change in that word.

“Pro multis” has been restored!