Inclusive Language in the Mass

[jlkeegan]

During mass at our parish there are a few word changes in the liturgical text intended to be “inclusive” in nature. A few examples:

During the Gloria, instead of “…and peace to His people on earth…” we recite “…and peace to God’s people on earth…”

During the preparation of the gifts, instead of “…for the praise and glory of his name…” we recite “…for the praise and glory of God’s name…”

During the Eucharistic Prayer, instead of “…It is right to give him thanks and praise…” we recite “…it is right to give God thanks and praise…”

I believe in the past that some “inclusive language” has been permitted by the Bishop’s Conference. But my question is, would some or all of these examples be contrary to Redemptionis Sacramentum, paragraph 59, which states “The reprobated practice by which Priests, Deacons or the faithful here and there alter or vary at will the texts of the Sacred Liturgy that they are charged to pronounce, must cease. For in doing thus, they render the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy unstable, and not infrequently distort the authentic meaning of the Liturgy”?

Thank you and God Bless.

 

[Phemie]

Not only Redemptionis Sacramentum, it also violates the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, “SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM”, which says:

1. 1. Regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See and, as laws may determine, on the bishop.

1. In virtue of power conceded by the law, the regulation of the liturgy within certain defined limits belongs also to various kinds of competent territorial bodies of bishops legitimately established.

1. Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.

As for the response during the Preparation of the Gifts, Rome has already spoken on that in its rejection of the ICEL translation of the Roman Missal a few years ago: grammatically, “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of God’s name, for our good and the good of all God’s Church” means that ‘the Lord’ and ‘God’ are two distinct entities, something which is clearly wrong here.

 

[bpbasilphx]

I have no objection to inclusive language if the sense of the original (usually the Scriptures) is clearly inclusive.

However, refusing to use masculine language for God is an entirely different issue.

On the other hand, only people of very simple minds and understandings would think that the masculine language for God has the same implicatoins as masculine language for anyone in creation, including human beings.

 

[love4mary]

Inclusive language drives me nuts!

I absolutely hate reading anything where they constantly combine the pronoun he and she either using it as s/he or he/she,just makes things harder to read for me.

When referring to God, to use any other term other then He, goes against most the scripture I have ever read. Jesus referred to God as Father, Jesus is a male so it just stands to reason the Holy Spirit is male as well. Yes, I am aware that God (the Father) is pure spirit having no actual human body, but Jesus Himself referred to Him as Father so we should as well.

As a woman, I do not find it the least bit insulting when the male pronoun is being used to reference All people. I still say fireMan, policeMan, mailMan and so on. Just easier for me and I Know that women perform these same exact jobs at the same level of professionalism.

My personal pet peeve about my priest is that he will say Woman and Man instead of Man and Woman when THAT is how it is written, but I still love the man for he is a terrific Shepard
.

 

[DiZent]

It is so distracting when these substitutions for male pronouns are made - one of our priests does this. It started very subtly - when in the Nicene Creed “for us men, and for our salvation” was shortened to “for us and for our salvation”. It has really snowballed, and I don’t think any of these substitutions have been approved. The hymnals have also been re-written - or at least the ones used by the choir and the cantor - the ones in the pews still have the male pronouns.

 

[japhy]

During the Gloria, instead of “…and peace to His people on earth…” we recite “…and peace to God’s people on earth…”

During the preparation of the gifts, instead of “…for the praise and glory of his name…” we recite “…for the praise and glory of God’s name…”

During the Eucharistic Prayer, instead of “…It is right to give him thanks and praise…” we recite “…it is right to give God thanks and praise…”

Not one of them is permitted. That’s one of the reasons the English translation of the latest edition of the Roman Missal is delayed: the translators suggested those poor “translations”.

 

[Maritsa]

I went to a parish like that. Did you know there is an entire hymn book made of songs without the word “he” in them?

If the priest is doing this to the Mass, he’s tweaking what the church says elsewhere, too. It would probably be best for your faith if you left that parish.

 

[kristie_m]

It gets to me too…particularly in the music. Remember the song “Cry of the Poor”. They changed the line from “For He hears the cry of the poor” to “Who will hear the cry of the poor.”

I can’t listen to that song now, without putting a question mark on the end of it. Yeah, who WILL hear the cry of the poor?

 

[meh56]

I think it is crazy. It is Politically correctness run a muck. I know a priest who told me he has baptized thousands in the name of the Creator the word made flesh and the sanctfier. After the Holy Fathers letter a few months ago. He must notify them that the baptism was invalid. I asked Him WHY???

I guess i am funny. If it is not in writing i wound read it.

 

[peary]

Not only Redemptionis Sacramentum, it also violates the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, “SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM”, which says:

As for the response during the Preparation of the Gifts, Rome has already spoken on that in its rejection of the ICEL translation of the Roman Missal a few years ago: grammatically, “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of God’s name, for our good and the good of all God’s Church” means that ‘the Lord’ and ‘God’ are two distinct entities, something which is clearly wrong here.

Unfortunately, it’s up to the bishop to enforce it in his own diocese. Many times, however, this is not the case. It just seems that some priests are going to do what they want when they want irregardless of what they are expected to follow. Sadly, this causes confusion on the part of the laity and allows them to fall into the “don’t tell me what I can do and what I can’t do” mentality, which, as a form of disobedience to the Church, is sinful.

 

[system]

Inclusive language drives me nuts!

Yeah, me too!

My wife has not 8, not 12, but 16 years of Catholic schooling… with HS and College being in all-girl schools. This means she went through completely feminist-catholic training and has been indoctrinated to remove the male pronouns from Mass.

Being as hardheaded as her, I will correct her EVERY time, at every mass. She actually says: “…was born of the virgin Mary, and became human.” As we walk home from Mass, I’ll say things like, “born human eh? did he have a gender?!” or, hey the lady down the street is pregnant - think she’ll have a human?!"

 

[meh56]

It is almost as if these people are making fun of centuries of debate that occured when they agreed on the prayers we sould say.
I find it funny that it is only a problem in english, other languages KNOW it will cchange the meaning. I woulder if it is just here in the United States?

 

[NicPais83]

Most of these changes are really sloppy anyway, grammatically. I mean, you don’t say like, “Is Mike, driving Mike’s car today?” all to avoid using “his,” for example. My mother always says “sloppy language leads to sloppy thinking!”

 

[peary]

As a woman, I do not find it the least bit insulting when the male pronoun is being used to reference All people. I still say fireMan, policeMan, mailMan and so on. Just easier for me and I Know that women perform these same exact jobs at the same level of professionalism.

I found this a bit comical because at our neighborhood school, teachers are instructed to use the terms “fireperson,” “firepeople,” etc., although they are ‘safe’ to say “policeman” and “policewoman.” However, when using the plural, children can only say “police.” And did you know that there is no such thing as a “mailman” anymore? H/she is called a “letter carrier”.

 

[baltobetsy]

• And did you know that there is no such thing as a “mailman” anymore? H/she is called a “letter carrier”. *
  And his friends who stay behind in the Post Office are Postal Workers. Hope they don’t get disgruntled.

I’m just waiting for the opportunity to tell some inclusive language nut that, as a woman, I’m insulted by the assumption that I cannot comprehend the conventions of the English language, such as “men” meaning all mortal flesh. I’ll bet it has not occurred to many of them that such adjustments are really a form of talking down to women.

Betsy

 

[Auntie_M]

I went to a parish like that. Did you know there is an entire hymn book made of songs without the word “he” in them?

If the priest is doing this to the Mass, he’s tweaking what the church says elsewhere, too. It would probably be best for your faith if you left that parish.

The song book…and you know this, How…during mass do you just flip thru the song book?

I have read alot of post, from all of them, and I see a pattern coming on…Is this the year we run off all the priest and WE do the masses? It sure seems that from what I’ve read, there are very few priest really appreciated for what they do and have done.
You know, they did give up their life just so some people put them down at every chance…

 

[peary]

The song book…and you know this, How…during mass do you just flip thru the song book?

I have read alot of post, from all of them, and I see a pattern coming on…Is this the year we run off all the priest and WE do the masses? It sure seems that from what I’ve read, there are very few priest really appreciated for what they do and have done.
You know, they did give up their life just so some people put them down at every chance…

It’s not a matter of dissing priests. If something is worth doing, it is worth doing well. If Mass is worth doing, it is worth doing well and in accord with the official mandates of the Church, not personal ‘tweaking’.

 

[meh56]

I think society as a whole is too politically correct. for example why is it when you drive up to an automatic teller machine…the numbers have braille on them? Are blind people going to DRIVE?

 

[kristie_m]

I think society as a whole is too politically correct. for example why is it when you drive up to an automatic teller machine…the numbers have braille on them? Are blind people going to DRIVE?

lol it’s something to ponder, isn’t it???

I actually knew a guy once whose sight was so poor that he was declared legally blind, but able to retain his driver’s licence. SCARY STUFF!!!

 

[japhy]

Braille on the ATMs is because the keypads are produced generically; that is, the same keypads are produced for drive-up ATMs and for walk-up ATMs, and blind people most certainly do use walk-up ATMs.