New English translation of the Mass

[JohnW]

When will the new English translation of the Mass be in use?

 

[BobP123]

When will the new English translation of the Mass be in use?

If it’s the “pro multis” translation you’re referring to, that was supposed to be immediate, like within a year or two of when the directive came out of Rome.

 

[JohnW]

I understood there is a new translation in process, do you know when it will be in use?

 

[Morning_Star15]

It’s scheduled to be implemented next year (2008).

 

[JohnW]

Thank you very much

 

[francesco920]

I am very excited about this new translation!

I am very hopeful that it will be much more faithful to the Latin than our present “translation.”

 

[BobP123]

I am very excited about this new translation!

I am very hopeful that it will be much more faithful to the Latin than our present “translation.”

So am I. But don’t expect the changes to be embraced with open arms. After all they went to a lot of trouble to break with the Old Rite as much as possible after Vatican II. Not to mention that Rome might be implying that the “for all” phrase may have invalidated all their communions they received since its inception.

 

[Rolltide]

Not to mention that Rome might be implying that the “for all” phrase may have invalidated all their communions they received since its inception.

I certainly think that this is an overstatement. There is a colossal difference between a poor translation and changing the words of consecration. The original Latin that the translation was based on was never changed, and so no invalidation would have occurred. When the changes of Vatican II were instituted, the initial English translation was rushed out so it could be immediately used. It was always meant to be a first draft, and people knew that it wasn’t the greatest. Now, after 40 years, the Church is finally going back and fixing the errors that were made, as it always intended to do.

 

[Swiss_Guard]

The real question is when will the US bishops insist the priests use the new translation?

I’m not holding my breath on that one.

 

[Rolltide]

It’s scheduled to be implemented next year (2008).

Vox Clara is the group responsible for undertaking the new translation. It is meant to correct errors and standardize the English translation across all English-speaking countries. If you search under “New English Translation” or “Vox Clara” on here you should come up with some of the changes. As of October, they had completed the Ordinary of the Mass, and had just finished the Advent Propers. All of the rest of the Propers have yet to be completed. There are indeed rumors that the pope would like to use the new translation for the first time at World Youth Day in Sydney in 2008, but this may be a bit optimistic. Most people expect that it will be at least 2 years before we start seeing the changes. The good news is that just the other day, Vox Clara announced that they were going to start putting together preparatory materials to distribute to churches to get people ready for the changes. They will include DVD’s, booklets, pamphlets, and so on.

 

[BobP123]

I certainly think that this is an overstatement. There is a colossal difference between a poor translation and changing the words of consecration. The original Latin that the translation was based on was never changed, and so no invalidation would have occurred. When the changes of Vatican II were instituted, the initial English translation was rushed out so it could be immediately used. It was always meant to be a first draft, and people knew that it wasn’t the greatest. Now, after 40 years, the Church is finally going back and fixing the errors that were made, as it always intended to do.

Your point about being “rushed” is debatable.

The fact is that the “for all” phrase became inserted (after lot of discussions AND SUPPORT) even before the Novus Ordo was introduced. Why was it so rushed and where was Rome then? This was an obvious heresy.

But even so, the ICEL still had lots of time to rectify the situation. They chose to seize the moment and concentrate on other changes on their agenda. I guess people were all supposed to accept “for all” as being valid and not question it??

I don’t want to sound sarcastic here but would people have accepted “This is my blood…only for Americans” as being valid had those with that on their agenda plate been powerful enough to push that through?

 

[Elzee]

I hope this new translation is one that our U.S. Bishops enforce once it’s implemented, and that they don’t encourage/allow exceptions to the words…I am so tired of saying “Healer of Souls”, “Morning Star” and “Light of Life” instead of “Lamb of God”.

It would be wonderful if Pope Benedict inaugurated the translation duirng World Youth Day.

 

[Rolltide]

Here’s an article published just yesterday from The New Liturgical Movement:

thenewliturgicalmovement.blogspot.com/index.html

Friday, March 02, 2007
Worth Sharing

Father Richard John Neuhaus, editor-in-chief of First Things, weighs in on the ongoing battle over liturgical translation in the current issue of that fine journal of religion and culture. He writes:

Thanks to a working group called Vox Clara, headed by George Cardinal Pell of Australia, and to the hard work of a reformed ICEL (International Commission on English in the Liturgy), it seems that Catholics will soon have a new sacramentary with an actual translation of the Latin texts of the Mass **rather than the loose and clunky paraphrases that were hastily contrived in the 1960s. The old guard of the liturgical establishment that was responsible for the dumbed-down paraphrase is not happy.** Bishop Donald Trautman, who will be chairman of the U.S. bishops conference's committee on liturgy for a little while longer, gave the keynote address at the January meeting in Toronto of the North American Academy of Liturgy. Criticizing the work of Vox Clara and ICEL, he said liturgists must be "prophetic" in defending a liturgy that is "accessible and pastorally aware." I don't know how liturgy can be aware, but Catholics who are aware may be somewhat amused by the warnings of Trautman and others that changes in the rite might alienate some of the faithful. After forty years of eat-your-spinach diktats from the liturgical guild, it seems a little late to be worrying about alienating the faithful. By now everybody is familiar with the quip about the difference between liturgists and terrorists: You can sometimes negotiate with terrorists. Thanks to Vox Clara and ICEL, it seems that at least one war on terrorism is being won.

-- "While We're At It," First Things 171 (March 2007): 61

 

[Rolltide]

Another article from Catholic News Service (March 1):

catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0701189.htm

LITURGY-EDUCATE Mar-1-2007 (430 words) xxxi

English-speaking liturgists design multimedia education project

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

ROME (CNS) – Although a new translation of the Mass probably is a couple years away from parish use, a group of liturgy specialists from the United States, England and Australia is designing a multimedia package to help Catholics prepare.

Msgr. James P. Moroney, executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat for the Liturgy, said the liturgy offices of other English-speaking bishops’ conferences will be invited to participate in the education project, which could be ready by late 2008.

He said the project flowed from informal discussions about how little was done to prepare people for the Mass in English after the Second Vatican Council; many people felt efforts to get the original English Mass into use were "very hurried."

As the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, or ICEL, continues to prepare new English translations of the Mass prayers and as bishops’ conferences await Vatican permission to use the translations they have approved, the group met in Rome in late February to continue outlining what members believe an education package should include.

The six participants began work in November, deciding they wanted to produce a DVD with video, slide show and text presentations, which would include the history of the liturgy, liturgical spirituality, liturgical language and how to preside at the liturgy.

“Ministry guides” and bulletin inserts also would be part of the package they hope would get “massive distribution in the English-speaking world,” Msgr. Moroney said.

He said the materials would include suggestions “to help priests effectively proclaim the (new) texts, but a discussion about translations is only a very small part of the project.”

Most Catholics, he said, are aware of the Second Vatican Council’s call for “full, conscious and active participation in liturgical celebrations” on the part of all the faithful, but many have overlooked the council’s warning that participation is unlikely unless priests are “fully imbued with the spirit and power of the liturgy and capable of giving instruction about it.”

Msgr. Moroney said the group was not convoked by the Vatican or by the ICEL, although ICEL chairman Bishop Arthur Roche of Leeds, England, and its executive director, Msgr. Bruce Harbert, are involved.

The three other participants are: Father Allen Morris, secretary of the Department for Christian Life and Worship of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales; Msgr. Peter Williams, executive secretary of the Australian bishops’ National Liturgical Commission; and Msgr. Kevin Irwin, dean of the school of theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington.

 

[tee_eff_em]

It’s scheduled to be implemented next year (2008).

That sounds rather optimistic (at least to those of us in the states) (well, to me anyway).

The last I’d heard, the CDW may approve the various English adaptations (from the several regions) by July of this year. But then allowing time for printing and acquisition of new missals, I would not expect it to be implemented before Advent for the 2009 Liturgical year, at the earliest. (Which would be the end of the 2008 calendar year) (WYD 2008 would be a reasonable exception)

But that’s just my pessimistic :twocents:
tee

 

[Manfred]

The real question is when will the US bishops insist the priests use the new translation?

I’m not holding my breath on that one.

In this, thou hast answered rightly.

 

[BobP123]

The last I’d heard, the CDW may approve the various English adaptations (from the several regions) by July of this year. But then allowing time for printing and acquisition of new missals, I would not expect it to be implemented before Advent for the 2009 Liturgical year, at the earliest. (Which would be the end of the 2008 calendar year) (WYD 2008 would be a reasonable exception)

But that’s just my pessimistic :twocents:
tee

And after all that, then the parish liturgical committees will have to adapt it to their own parishes. Then the presbyter will select one of those versions for his 8am. And another for his 10am. What an opportunity to improve the liturgy further.

I’m being fascetious, of course!

 

[Morning_Star15]

That sounds rather optimistic (at least to those of us in the states) (well, to me anyway).

The last I’d heard, the CDW may approve the various English adaptations (from the several regions) by July of this year. But then allowing time for printing and acquisition of new missals, I would not expect it to be implemented before Advent for the 2009 Liturgical year, at the earliest. (Which would be the end of the 2008 calendar year) (WYD 2008 would be a reasonable exception)

But that’s just my pessimistic :twocents:
tee

Well, as I said, that’s the scheduled year for its release, one that the priests I’ve spoken to are expecting to have the new translation, anyway, and they’ve been saying 2008 for years now. I really hope there won’t be any delays, as these priests are really looking forward to having a more accurate translation of the Missal (after all, they say Mass every day with the current translation, some of them for decades now). For their sake, I’ll remain optimistic that it will be ready next year as planned.