Study Edition of the Ordinary

[bpbasilphx]

A Study Edition of the new English translation of the Ordinary of Mass is availble for download at

www.adoremus.org

Click on the appropriate link.

Changes I noticed in my cursory reading:

1. “And with your spirit”
2. New versions of Gloria, Creed, and Sanctus.
3. “For many” and not “for all”.
4. Some prayers seem to have been restored at the Offertory and Priest’s Communion.
5. Presently, the Pax is still just before Communion, though I’ve heard that His Holiness would prefer it be moved to before the Offertory (which is a historic place).

 

[benedictgal]

When it came out, I printed the study guide and gave it to my parochial vicar, my pastor and a priest friend of mine. The trio was surprised that it was out already because the priest in charge of divine worship in our diocese had not issued any statements regarding the document.

When I approached our diocesan director to ask him about a timeline to prepare the faithful, he told me that the study guide was only for the priests. However, as the OP pointed out, that is not entirely the case. I have suggested to our diocesan director of Adult Religious Education that a class should be offered soon to teach the faithful about these new and welcome changes.

 

[Phemie]

I discussed that with my bishop a while ago. The Conferences have plans to provide materials to prepare the faithful and it looks as though all will do it around the same time, a few months before the changes go into effect. He seemed annoyed that I would even bring it up at that time.

 

[Joannm]

I discussed that with my bishop a while ago. The Conferences have plans to provide materials to prepare the faithful and it looks as though all will do it around the same time, a few months before the changes go into effect. He seemed annoyed that I would even bring it up at that time.

As a member of our diocesan liturgy commission this issue also came up at the last meeting and will come up at next week’s FDLC meeting. The USCCB will come up with materials for catechesis and a time line for preparing both the priests and assembly. Some priests seem to be jumping the gun. Several priests in our diocese have called the Office of Worship looking for printed editions for use in their parishes begining now. WRONG! The missal is not complete and probably will not be promulgated for another 3 years. The study edition is meant basically to help composers with the texts of sung prayer and for the conference to develop catechetical materials. I believe it says that right on the USCCB website. However, the bishops of England have already come up with some materials that we here in the US may adopt (why reinvent the wheel). The worst thing is for individual parishes to begin to teach the people the new responsed when they are not going to be used for another 3 years. Talk about confusion. Also, the major change in the texts is the presider’s prayers and it is going to take awhile for the priests to get used to them.

The bottom line is…don’t start any impletation or catechesis until word comes from the USCCB.

 

[benedictgal]

I am not calling for my diocese to implement the new translations; however, I believe that we should do what we can to get the word out that the translations are coming in under two years time. Furthermore, the USCCB put these translations onto their website in order to prepare both the priests and the faithful.

Francis Cardinal Arinze made it very clear in his letter that we are not to use the translations until the appointed time; however, he has allowed them to be released in order to educate the priests and the faithful and to also allow composers time to write new pieces for the revised parts of the Mass (with no paraphrasing allowed). The text of the letter, which was dated June 23, 2008, reads:

This Discastery has no little satisfaction in arriving at this junction. Nevertheless, the Congregation does not intend that these texts should be put into liturgical use immediately. Instead, the granting now of the recognitio to this crucial segment of the Roman Missal will provide time for the pastoral preparatoin of priests, deacons and for appropriate catechesis of the lay faithful. It will likewise facilitate the devising of musical settings for the parts of the Mass, bearing in mind the criteria set forth in the Instruction Liturgican Authenticam, n. 60, which requires that the musical settings of litugical texts use only the actual approved texts and never be paraphrased.

On another note: having gone to FDLC meetings in the past, I am somewhat leery as to how the new translations will play out. Hearing some of the members talk while at these conferences made me wonder if we were all on the same page. Granted, I did learn some very useful things and received clariification on others, there were some activities that left me with a lot of questions.