Local Paper Faith and Values Section—Roman Catholic missal newly revitalized

Posted by Kendall Harmon

In the case of the Catholic Church's new missal, the liturgical book parishioners follow during the celebration of the Mass, it took nearly 11 years of linguistic labor since Pope John Paul II issued his 2000 directive to produce a new English version of the Mass liturgy -- fast by any church standards.

Today, the first Sunday of Advent, English-speaking Catholics in the U.S. will use a new missal for the first time in nearly 40 years, and likely for a long time to come.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Christian Life / Church Life • Liturgy, Music, Worship • * Religion News & Commentary • Other Churches • Roman Catholic • * South Carolina

6 Comments
Posted November 27, 2011 at 11:59 am [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. Anglicanum wrote:

Used it for the first time last night, then again this morning. (I’m the music director for our parish.) I was struck with the simplicity and beauty of the language ... had a few “and also with your spirit” moments, and reverted to my Rite I days once (“and with thy spirit”), but it’s a beautiful translation.

November 27, 3:47 pm | [comment link]
2. Laura R. wrote:

My experience too, Anglicanum—I am delighted with it.  And Advent is a beautiful time of year to begin using it.

November 27, 5:47 pm | [comment link]
3. libraryjim wrote:

I hope the ACNA version of the Prayer Book will take as great a care for faithful theology and beauty of phrasing as the Roman missal.

November 27, 7:54 pm | [comment link]
4. Charles52 wrote:

Same on the ‘‘and with THY spirit’‘.  Rich and interesting.

November 27, 9:16 pm | [comment link]
5. Dan Crawford wrote:

I frankly hope the ACNA will cling to much of the lovely language of the old prayer books. The language in the collects and the eucharistic prayer might need adjusting to make them more “contemporary”, but better that than some of the more awkward Latinisms in the new Missal.

November 28, 2:21 pm | [comment link]
6. New Reformation Advocate wrote:

libraryjim (#3),

So far, the only new liturgy approved by the ACNA is the rare rite for ordinations.  However, it’s notable that it uses the same response seen in the new Roman Missal.  IOW, after the presider says, “The Lord be with you,” the people’s response is “And with your spirit.”  Such language was also carefully used at the formal Investiture of +John Guernsey in September as the new Bishop of the Mid-Atlantic, with ++Bob Duncan presidijng.

I guess I’m going to have to trek over to one of the local RC parishes to witness the use of the new translation firsthand.  After all, it’s one thing to read a liturgical text; however, it’s another thing entirely to experience it in actual use.  I’m curious to see how the Faithful receive this new revision.

I’m glad the article highlights how slowly the processes of liturgical revision normally work, especially in Roman Catholicism.  It took 11 long years for this new translation to be finalized and implemented.  I suspect it will take the ACNA at least as long to come up with its new BCP.  After all, that gigantic task involves much more than merely translation work, and much more than just the Eucharist.

David Handy+

November 28, 3:21 pm | [comment link]
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