Readings in two languages

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Is there any documentation (one way or the other) on the practice of having a Reading at Mass in two different languages? That is, read it once in one language and then start over and read it again in another language.
 
JMJ_coder said:
Is there any documentation (one way or the other) on the practice of having a Reading at Mass in two different languages? That is, read it once in one language and then start over and read it again in another language.
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It’s done regularly in our parish, except that each reading is not repeated. We alternate between French and English for each reading (one in French, one in English, one in French, or one in English, one in French, one in English). The priest usually uses both languages in his homily.
 
JMJ_coder said:
Is there any documentation (one way or the other) on the practice of having a Reading at Mass in two different languages? That is, read it once in one language and then start over and read it again in another language.
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It should not be done. The only time this was done was during World Youth Day back in 2005 and even after that, it was stopped.

According to the General Introduction to the Lectionary, the only time that you can have multiple readers doing the same reading is for the Passion.
 
benedictgal said:
It should not be done. The only time this was done was during World Youth Day back in 2005 and even after that, it was stopped.

According to the General Introduction to the Lectionary, the only time that you can have multiple readers doing the same reading is for the Passion.
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And it was two readers, one for each language. But, what if a single reader read for both languages?

Also, what is the paragraph number (link?) of the Lectionary Introduction? And what binding force does it have (same authority as GIRM?)?
 
JMJ_coder said:
And it was two readers, one for each language. But, what if a single reader read for both languages?

Also, what is the paragraph number (link?) of the Lectionary Introduction? And what binding force does it have (same authority as GIRM?)?
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This really should not be happening. What we have done is to have one person proclaim one reading in a particular language and the second one in another, like what Ora Labora noted. Furthermore, the text is written in the opposite language so that those who do not understand the language proclaimed can follow along.

Now, while it does not say explicitly, here is what the General Introduction to the Lectionary states:
  1. The liturgical assembly truly requires readers, even those not instituted. Proper measures must therefore be taken to ensure that there are certain suitable laypeople who have been trained to carry out this ministry.91 Whenever there is more than one reading, it is better to assign the readings to different readers, if available.
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Thus, it’s one person per reading. It does not state that the same reading is to be re-read in a different language. I am still looking for that multiple-reader reference, so please bear wtih me.
 
I’ve seen it done in many Bi-lingual Masses (which I refuse to attend, any more).
 
cameron_lansing said:
Not much is developed in this regard. usccb.org/liturgy/q&a/general/multi.shtml might be viewed but it is of limited use.
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May parish is an ethnic Slovak parish ( I form up part of the ‘Irish’ contingent 😉

Mostly speaking, we do have a Slovak Mass, several English Masses, and a Latin ( both EF and OF) Masses.

On special occasions, such as this week’s ‘May Crowning’ or Corpus Christi, the 9:30am English Mass and 11:30 Slovak Masses are combined into a single 10:00 Mass.

At those Masses, one reading is said in English, the other in Slovak, with the Psalm being in one or the other.

The Gospel is read twice, once in English and once in Slovak. using the procedure listed above.

The only ‘addition’ is a brief statement after the end of the Gospel in English for the faithful to remain standing for the reading of the Gospel in Slovak.
 
Brendan said:
Mostly speaking, we do have a Slovak Mass, several English Masses, and a Latin ( both EF and OF) Masses.
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Talk about lucky!!! We get French, English, bilingual F/E. No Latin either in the EF or OF. However a local Benedictine monastery, to which I am affiliated, does a great OF Mass in French, but with Latin propers and Kyriale; the entire Mass, including the readings, is in plainchant on the traditional Gregorian melodies. The Propers (introit, gradual, offertory and communion hymn) as well as the Kyriale (kyrie, gloria, sanctus, agnus) are in Gregorian chant in Latin (except for the Kyrie, of course, in Greek).
 
cameron_lansing said:
Not much is developed in this regard. usccb.org/liturgy/q&a/general/multi.shtml might be viewed but it is of limited use.
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How old is this observation? I ask this because at the last Papal visit to the US, the Gospel was proclaimed only in English. I also question why the USCCB is giving weight to a document that came out of the FDLC.

Please note that I am not disagreeing with you; however, I just find it odd that the USCCB is not referencing an authoritative document in this case.
 
benedictgal said:
I also question why the USCCB is giving weight to a document that came out of the FDLC…I just find it odd that the USCCB is not referencing an authoritative document in this case.
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The page explains why they are citing the document:
While the liturgical books are otherwise silent concerning the question of multi-lingual liturgies, dioceses and parishes have developed a variety of strategies
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They are basically saying, “There is no official rule. However, when others thought through this issue, here’s what they came up with…”

As cameron_lansing said, it’s of limited value; it is what it is.
 
Lacking definitive directions, perhaps this is meant to be a pastoral decision (bishop or parish pastor). When significant numbers of two groups attend the same mass, it’s surely a good thing that members of each group are able to hear the readings proclaimed in a language they understand. How uncharitable it would be to have an attitude of “if they live here they should speak English (or whatever is the local language)”.
 
i live in a traditionally French neighborhood and we have a French mass but not a French-speaking priest. there used to be a French-speaking priest. now the mass is bi-lingual. everything else that doesn’t involve the priest speaking or singing is done in French (first and second readings, psalms, prayers or the faithful, etc) while the Gospel and Homily are in english. no readings are repeated

the other parish close by that has a French mass has a French speaking Deacon who would read the Gospel in French

in most places i have been that speaks two languages, i hardly have seen bi-lingual masses. in the Philippines where i’m from, we’re all bilingual by nature. and in some of the provinces, local dialects are used as a third language for mass. but its always one language each mass, never a mix. i think if there is a sizable population in a parish that speaks a particular language and the parish can support it, then there should be a specific mass in that language. but not a bilingual mass, if it can be avoided.
 
JMJ_coder said:
Is there any documentation (one way or the other) on the practice of having a Reading at Mass in two different languages? That is, read it once in one language and then start over and read it again in another language.
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The first time I went to Bali, Indonesia for a holiday the Mass at the local church was in Bahasa and English. Unfortunately it meant the Mass lasted for more than 2 hours and sitting in church for that length of time in 35 celsius (95 fahrenheit) without aircon was really unpleasant.
I have to admit my subsequent holidays to Bali were planned so that I was not there on a Sunday.
 
thistle said:
The first time I went to Bali, Indonesia for a holiday the Mass at the local church was in Bahasa and English. Unfortunately it meant the Mass lasted for more than 2 hours and sitting in church for that length of time in 35 celsius (95 fahrenheit) without aircon was really unpleasant.
I have to admit my subsequent holidays to Bali were planned so that I was not there on a Sunday.
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a little off topic, so where do you go to mass in the Philippines? i know there’s an ever growing number of churches that’s installing air conditioning, especially in the richer neighborhoods

the issue about bilingualism in the Philippines is that even in an English mass, i find some priests would switch to Filipino or Tagalog during Homily, even if the entire mass is in English. no problem for Filipinos, but it must be hard for non-Filipinos like yourself who would have to sit through the Homily without understanding at least half of it
 
I recently heard that a neighboring church provides headphones with simultaneous translations for English speakers who attend their Vietnamese masses. Haven’t heard how it is working out, but an interesting idea.
 
choy said:
a little off topic, so where do you go to mass in the Philippines? i know there’s an ever growing number of churches that’s installing air conditioning, especially in the richer neighborhoods

the issue about bilingualism in the Philippines is that even in an English mass, i find some priests would switch to Filipino or Tagalog during Homily, even if the entire mass is in English. no problem for Filipinos, but it must be hard for non-Filipinos like yourself who would have to sit through the Homily without understanding at least half of it
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I attend Our Lady of Fatima Church in Las Pinas, Metro Manila. It does not have airconditioning but has lots of electric fans. Also it helps that 3 sides of the Church are open.
On Sundays we have 10 Masses. 9 in English and 1 in Tagalog. However, you are right that often in the homily a priest will lapse into Tagalog but I just ask my wife what he is saying and I can tie that to the Gospel and readings. Its never all in tagalog though. They switch in and out of English.
 
thistle said:
I attend Our Lady of Fatima Church in Las Pinas, Metro Manila. It does not have airconditioning but has lots of electric fans. Also it helps that 3 sides of the Church are open.
On Sundays we have 10 Masses. 9 in English and 1 in Tagalog. However, you are right that often in the homily a priest will lapse into Tagalog but I just ask my wife what he is saying and I can tie that to the Gospel and readings. Its never all in tagalog though. They switch in and out of English.
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i see

i used to go to mass in a variety of parishes, depending on where i am on a Sunday
but around Metro Manila, the ones that are airconditioned are Christ the King in GreenMeadows, Sanctuario de San Antonio in Forbes, and Sanctuario de San Jose in GreenHills

its good you have your wife to translate for you. i remember years ago when i was working in hong kong, i overslept and missed the earlier mass which was in english, so i was forced to attend the next mass which was in cantonese. it was difficult to be mentally present there. that is until i discovered more parishes with more masses later in the day in english. i’m not an early bird 😃
 
choy said:
i see

i used to go to mass in a variety of parishes, depending on where i am on a Sunday
but around Metro Manila, the ones that are airconditioned are Christ the King in GreenMeadows, Sanctuario de San Antonio in Forbes, and Sanctuario de San Jose in GreenHills

its good you have your wife to translate for you. i remember years ago when i was working in hong kong, i overslept and missed the earlier mass which was in english, so i was forced to attend the next mass which was in cantonese. it was difficult to be mentally present there. that is until i discovered more parishes with more masses later in the day in english. i’m not an early bird 😃
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When we lived in Hong Kong we used to attend the English Masses at Rosary Church in Chatham Road South.
 
i forgot the names of the churches i went to

the first one was just off Causeway Bay, my friend lived in that area and i was at North Point. then we discovered the one in Central which even had a Filipino (Tagalog) mass. then later on i discovered one just three blocks from where i live in North Point, but i rarely go there because i go to mass with my friend in Causeway Bay

i’m satisfied with how the masses handled in English are in Hong Kong. i never came across a Bilingual mass that would alternate languages within a mass. first time i really came across it is here in Canada.
 
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