Slowing down on the new Mass translations
A new blog and Facebook campaign is asking the bishops to slow down on implementing the new English translations of the Mass, planned for 2010. It's based on an America essay by the pastor of the Seattle cathedral. I've signed up, you can too.
There's plenty of precedent for experimentation: The much-maligned original liturgical reform of the late 1960s included several years of experimentation with provisional translations. That led to improvements that eventually made it into the 1970 translation of the Roman Missal.
There's also precedent for a little grassroots activism: The enemies of the modern liturgical reform have relentlessly lobbied bishops and Rome for the last 30 years, and despite their small numbers, they have in effect won the expansion of the Latin Mass and a profound change in how liturgical translations are done.
It's time for those of us who continue to support the liturgical reforms of Vatican II--vernacular that makes sense, legitimate cultural adaptation, expansion of scripture in the liturgy, full participation of the faithful--to speak up. Maybe it's not too late. We'll be stuck with these translations for decades; it's now or never!
Comments (28)
A matter of language
By Joseph S. O'Leary (not verified) on Sunday, February 28, 2010I prayed the Third Eucharistic Prayer last Sunday and was pleased to note again how clear, eloquent, effective it is. The new translation of it is a total mess and in no way more accurate than the present text. Just consider this:
"Look, we pray, upon the oblation of your Church, and, recognizing the sacrificial Victim by whose death you willed to reconcile us to yourself, grant that we, who are nourished by the Body and Blood of your Son, and filled with his Holy Spirit, may become one body, one spirit in Christ."
Would any enthusiasts for the new translation care to justify this text as a replacement for:
"Look with favor on your Church's offering, and see the Victim whose death has reconciled us to yourself. Grant that we, who are nourished by his body and blood, may be filled with his Holy Spirit, and become one body, one spirit in Christ."?
The issue is not an ideological one. It is simply a question of a bad, incompetent translation, that has not been properly checked by the bishops (only FIVE of them had offered any comments or suggestions before the November 2009 meeting, though the text was on their desks for months.)
You've got to be kidding......
By Anonymous (not verified) on Wednesday, March 3, 2010Give me a break. The liturgy needs a spring cleaning of unprecedented proportions. If you think that orthodox Catholics like myself are going to let the likes of you to continue to have your way.......you are mistaken. The current liturgy in the Novus Ordo....is almost a joke. You people are scared of Latin? You think you'll continue to have your way? All this liturgical abuse which you call the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass? I don't think so. And neither does Pope Benedict. He's on our side. You people are borderline Heretics. Period. I shall now stop typing and offer a rosary......and pray to Our Blessed Mother for your souls.
Pax
It is IMPORTANT to stick to
By Lloyd Baltazar (not verified) on Wednesday, February 3, 2010It is IMPORTANT to stick to our Roman Catholic theology. If you are a true Roman Catholic, you are, by the decree of Roman doctrine to accept that the Roman Catholic faith is the supreme Christian faith above anything else in the world. There is no salvation outside the church, and this is stressed in the accurate translation of the Eucharistic mass.
We, as Roman Catholics must assert the fact that while Jesus Christ died for all, NOT ALL will be saved. Therefore, the Eucharistic mass cannot be offered to ALL, but only to Many----referring to those who are loyal to Christ, his Church and the Roman Catholic faith.
The problem with the English language is that everything comes loose with the modern translations that were proposed by evil Protestants in Vatican II. The richness of the original Latin Text is IMPORTANT to preserve because it goes hand in hand with our tradition. If we allow these devil protestants to "simplify" our faith and modernize them according to their liberal/safe translations, it is only a matter of time that our Church might be totally desacralized! And I refuse to see that day come!
New Translation of the Mass
By Lloyd Baltazar (not verified) on Wednesday, February 3, 2010Americans, by nature and culture are very liberal people. I am not culturally an American and I TOTALLY understand the importance of having an important accurate translation of the Mass from the original Latin Text.
VATICAN II produced MANY MANY MANY MANY heresies and heretics. While their intent may be genuine, it goes against the traditions of our holy Mother, the Church. Tradition and austere religious practice is important in the celebration of the Eucharist. We, as Roman Catholics CANNOT afford to lose the richness of the Latin mass as we must try our best to be as accurate if we use the English language. If not, then let us just go back to the original Tridentine rite.
EITHER Roman Catholics use the accurate Latin translation or we go back to the original Tridentine Mass! Either of the two is the ONLY acceptable option. LEX ORANDI, LEX CREDENDI, LEX VIVENDI!
Vat II said you can't change
By Fred (not verified) on Saturday, January 23, 2010Vat II said you can't change the Mass. But that's what the current English translation does. Notice French, Italian, Spanish, German and Portugeese speaking Catholics all have a literal transaltion.
A chunk of the Glory to God... is deleted. Holy Church becomes Church, rather than being incarnate of Mary Jesus is simply born and scriptural reference after scriptural reference in the Latin is diluted.
If you don't know what consubstantial means (for eg) than look it up. It doesn't help to learn about ones faith. Us English speakers do have brains :)
If we are to have Mass in English lets pray it properly.
If we don't like it when the uber-trads whine then let's not be hypocrites and lets accept the authoity of the Church.
"no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority." Vatican II, Constitution on the Liturgy, para. 22, #2.
Before you mess with the Mass
By Jim (not verified) on Monday, January 11, 2010Go to any parish in America and attend Mass for a week. Count how many people use the missalette for the prayers. If your experience is like mine, it won't be many. Why? Because it's the same every week, and most adults have memorized the Mass. There's a lot of comfort in that.
And, if this new translation is perceived as change for the sake of change, there will be a lot of resistance. When you attend Mass on Sunday, count the number of people who make the required bow during the Creed.
The thing that revisionists forget is how many Mass goers would say the rosary during the Latin Mass. The historical reason for ringing the bell at the consecration was to alert the people-how else would they know? The vernacular Mass makes it accessible to the people.
Slowing Dow Mass Translations
By Hirotomi Takemistu (not verified) on Sunday, January 10, 2010These dissident progressive priests and Bishops (Trautman et al) will stop at nothing to derail both the new Mass translations, but the entire Pontificate of Benedict XVI, especially regarding liturgy.
Like it or not, the now discredited 1970 liturgical translations caused a massive turnaway from the Catholic Faith, and in one generation caused us to loose nearly all of our Catholic identity and become much close to the likes of the way Protestant Episcopalians, Lutherans, and even some Baptists worship. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be turned into a Protestant. I find in it nothing of any value to immitate or adopt for the Catholic Church.
Those liberal Catholics who wish to keep the old 1970 translated Mass would be better served to leave the Catholic Church and join any of the 6,000 or so liberal Episcopalian churches in the USA. They are and will continue to be much more like 1970's Catholicism than Catholics will be when the new Mass translations come into force.
But I would hurry to join the USA Episcopalians if I were you....because from what I've read about them...they're declining faster than the liberal wing of the Catholic Church, and may be all gone within a generation!!!!
I don't know what you're
By Stool (not verified) on Saturday, January 9, 2010I don't know what you're freaking out about Bryan, it's not like your progressive priests follow the current translation accurately. Too many have neutered the Mass because they perceive it as being offensive. Imagine that, the greatest prayer we have to God is seen as offensive...
Goodbye to these rubbish priests and bishops. They have murdered out Church with their dissent and selfishness.
What you people continue to
By Toad (not verified) on Thursday, January 7, 2010What you people continue to refuse to accept is that the current translation is flawed, in both its accuracy, and theological meaning.
