Shakespeare & The New Roman Missal

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by Michael Sean Winters of the National Catholic Reporter, would you believe. Fr. Z even loves it.

Unlike many of my colleagues here at NCR, I am not filled with dread by the new Roman Missal translation we shall all be using come Advent. Yes, we can pull out a few clunky turns of phrase but you can find plenty of clunky turns of phrase in the current Missal. And, thank God we are nixing the first, and by far most commonly used, Memorial Acclamation: "Christ has died, Christ is Risen, Christ will come again." Everywhere else in the Mass, the people of God pray to the Son in the second person: "Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world..." for example. (The Lord's Prayer is an obvious and understandable exception.)

Nor am I worried about the return of some archaic language. It may be true, but very sad, that the average person in the pew is unfamiliar with the meaning of the word "ineffable" but I would submit that it is well nigh to impossible to find a better adjective to describe the Godhead - and our limited intellectual capability to exhaust the meaning of God. And, besides, if we need to avoid archaicness in the liturgy, why is the priest still dressed in what was once a toga?

But, instead of getting all in a lather, maybe we need to think of the new translation the way we think of Shakespeare. Admit it, before you go to see a play by the great bard, you re-read the text because otherwise you will miss the meaning of some of the play. Maybe it is not such a bad idea if parents read through the missal with their children before Mass. (Pastors - in the bulletin, indicate which eucharistic prayer you will be using the next week, so parents can do this! And, include the current and upcoming antiphons, many of which are beautifully poetic.) What we don't do is go to a Shakespeare play and re-write it.

John McWhorter had an interesting essay on Shakespeare last week. He quotes this passage from As You Like It in which Touchstone is pondering his marriage to Audrey:

"A man may, if he were of a fearful heart, stagger in this attempt; for here we have no temple but the wood, no assembly but horn-beasts. But what though? Courage! As horns are odious, they are necessary. It is said, `many a man knows no end of his goods`: right; many a man has good horns, and knows no end of them. Well, that is the dowry of his wife; `t is none of his own getting. Horns? Even so. Poor men alone? No, no; the noblest deer hath them as huge as the rascal. Is the single man therefore blessed? No: as a walled town is more worthier than a village, so is the forehead of a married man more honourable than the bare brow of a bachelor; and by how much defence is better than no skill, by so much is a horn more precious than to want."

Like McWhorter, I need to consult the notes in my Riverside Shakespeare to discern the full meaning of that text. But, what is so wrong with that? In short, regarding the new Missal, the time for complaints is over and the time for instruction, and for self-instruction, has begun.

The New Roman Missal: Challenge & Opportunity (Commentary)

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A couple of days ago I posted here links to five short videos by Jesuit Father John Baldovin, entitled The New Roman Missal: Challenge & Opportunity. They are a presentation explaining the historical background of the Roman Missal we will be using in Advent, with a brief overview of the changes in this translation along with some ideas for faithful ministers of the church to engage this new translation responsibly and use it as well as possible.

The last part, Part III, entitled Examination of Conscience, 12 minutes long, is a direct challenge to every bishop, priest and seminarian, all of whom should be required to watch it every time they go to Confession and to confess those sins discussed by Father Baldovin:

1. Have I prepared liturgically?
2. Have I prepared spiritually? Prayers before celebrating the Mass.
3. Have I considered the necessity of balancing the horizontal and the vertical elements of the liturgy?
4. In what ways do I make myself the center of the liturgy?
5. How well do I know the Roman Missal? When was the last time that I looked at the General Instruction on the Roman Missal?

In my opinion, these five points cover every liturgical abuse ever committed (except those committed by the laity who don’t go to Communion in the state of grace).

From Sacramentary to Roman Missal; a Presentation by Bishop Blase Cupich to the Priests of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, FL

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Last October, Bishop Blase Cupich, then of Rapid City, now of Spokane, gave a presentation to the priests of the Diocese of St. Petersburg on the new Roman Missal that will be used by the Church beginning with the First Sunday of Advent this Fall. Bishop Cupich is an old friend of St. Peterburg's Bishop Robert Lynch. The presentation was recorded as three videos.

From Sacramentary to Roman Missal

Part 1 - 57' 21" -- Introduction. History of the use of language of the Roman Missal and the timeline between 1965 and 2011. And the reasons for the need for the changes in this third Roman Missal since Vatican II. Some talk about the difficulties of gaining agreement among all the countries of the English speaking countries.

Part 2 - 46' 45" -- The parts of the people and illustrates the differences and rationale in the new translation of the Roman Missal Lots of questions on why certain words and phrases were or weren't used.

Some talk at about the 35' mark on the proper use of deviations from the Roman Missal text. Most significantly, not all prayers of the Mass will appear in the Roman Missal. For example, there are approved prayers for children's liturgies not in the missal. Specific parts of the Mass there were mentioned as being appropriate for "deviation" would be at the beginning, and at the introduction to the Our Father.

At the very end, the subject of rubrics, the priest's movements, were brought up. Should the priest, after the Consecration "elevate" high the Host and the Chalice, offering it to God?" No, the Latin words is "ostende", for "showing" it to the people; so they need not be raised high if the priest is facing the people.

Many Catholic take great offense when they hear the celebrant of the Mass deviating from what we are reading in our missalette. So it seems that some deviations are permitted. This looks to be a good research project for somebody.

Part 3 - 45' 59" -- Looking specifically at the orations and prayers of the priest in the new translation of the Roman Missal. Lots of questions on why certain words and phrases were or weren't used. Mostly translation and grammar issues. This part is probably the least interesting for a layperson.

Here's a blog comment by Bishop Lynch on the reaction of his priests, 247 of whom, out of 261, were in attendance.

Video Series Offers Historical Insights and Changes in the New Translation of the Roman Missal

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Video Series Offers Historical Insights and Changes in the New Translation of the Roman Missal

To help Jesuits throughout the U.S. to prepare for the new translation of the Roman Missal, Jesuit Father John Baldovin, Professor of Historical & Liturgical Theology at Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry, was asked to give a presentation explaining the historical background of the Roman Missal, with a brief overview of the changes in this translation along with some ideas for faithful ministers of the church to engage this new translation responsibly and use it as well as possible. His video presentation, The New Roman Missal: Challenge & Opportunity, appears in five parts below.

Part Ia: History of a Translation 14' 37"
The Roman Missal is the book containing the prescribed prayers, chants and instructions for the celebration of Mass in the Roman Catholic Church. Published first in Latin under the title Missale Romanum, the text is then translated and is published in modern languages for use in local churches throughout the world. In this video, Fr. John Baldovin, SJ, gives a background on the history of the translations, their implications and how we got to the latest translation of the Missale Romanum soon to be implemented in United States parishes in November 2011.

Part Ib: History of a Translation (Cont.) 7' 24"
Part Ia continues in this video piece.

Part IIa: Exploring the New Translation 11' 57"
In this video, Fr. John Baldovin, SJ, explains some of the most important changes occurring in this new translation of the Roman Missal including some of the well-known responses and acclamations of the people and updated translations of existing prayers.

Part IIb: Exploring the New Translation (Cont.) 12' 00"
Part IIa continues in this video piece.

Part III: Examination of Conscience 11' 45"
In this video, Fr. John Baldovin, SJ, encourages Jesuits to consider their own habits as they preside and celebrate the Sacred Liturgy with this new translation and to consider an examination of conscience as they prepare to use and engage with this new text.

This last part is a direct challenge to every bishop, priest and seminarian, all of whom should be required to watch it every time they go to Confession and to confess those sins discussed by Father Baldovin:

1. Have I prepared liturgically?
2. Have I prepared spiritually? Prayers before celebrating the Mass.
3. Have I considered the necessity of balancing the horizontal and the vertical elements of the liturgy?
4. In what ways do I make myself the center of the liturgy?
5. How well do I know the Roman Missal? When was the last time that I looked at the General Instruction on the Roman Missal?

In my opinion, these five points cover every liturgical abuse ever committed (except those committed by the laity who don’t go to Communion in the state of grace).

National Jesuit News.org H/T to the PrayTell blog

Preparing for the new Roman Missal

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Archbishop John C. Nienstedt

Part of the rich legacy that we have inherited from the now Blessed John Paul II is a new Roman Missal, a text he issued in the Jubilee Year of 2000, but not released until 2002.

The Roman Missal is the red book that the priest or bishop uses at his chair and at the altar in which he finds the prayers for that particular liturgy. More often, we hear it called the “sacramentary.”

Of course, the official language of the 2002 Missal was Latin and so an English language translation was needed for the celebration of the Mass in the vernacular. That process took eight years of intense work, but received final approval in April 2010. We will begin to use this historic text on the first Sunday of Advent of this year.

Words will change

While the Mass itself is not changing — that is, the structure of the Mass as we have known it since the Second Vatican Council is not being modified — the words of the Mass will be changing, and in significant ways.

This new translation has been guided by a new standard of rules that sets out to provide a more exact rendering of the original Latin text. The text that we currently use was translated in 1974, and while the translation has served us well for many years, the church in her wisdom has determined that a revised translation is necessary, correcting and clarifying those points of the 1974 translation that perhaps were not as clear as they need to be, or that did not do adequate justice to the beauty or power of the original Latin texts.

We will also notice in the new translation a different “register,” a term used to describe the kind of speech in a particular setting. The new translation is written in a more formal register, highlighting the dignity and importance of the sacred liturgy and the One to whom we speak.

For example, contrast this prayer of the 1974 translation,

“Father,
your love never fails.
Hear our call.
Keep us from danger,
and provide for all our needs.”

with the 2010 version,

“O God,
whose providence never fails in its design,
Keep from us, we humbly beseech you,
all that might harm us
and grant all that works for our good.”

This is but one example of many in which a more elevated style of speech will be found in the newly translated text.

To be sure, the difference in the style of the language will, at first, be challenging for all of us. I believe that the changes will be most challenging for us priests, who have over the years memorized many of the prayers, especially the Eucharistic Prayer. I know this is the case with my own life.

To meet this challenge, we must keep in mind that these changes are meant to help us better celebrate the sacred mysteries of the Eucharist and thus lead us to a deeper union with God.

The purpose of the change in translation is not arbitrary, but has rather been undertaken so as to promote the devotion and prayer of the People of God.

As we read in “Liturgiam Authen­ticam,” the Vatican’s most recent document on inculturation and the translation of liturgical texts:

“By means of words of praise and adoration that foster reverence and gratitude in the face of God’s majesty, his power, his mercy and his transcendent nature, the translations will respond to the hunger and thirst for the living God that is experienced by the people of our own time” (no. 25).

In preparing for the new texts, we should also keep in mind that the sacred liturgy is one of the primary sources of expressing, and maintaining, the unity of the church.

We worship in the same way to communicate the fact that we are united in discipleship. Thus, rubrics and liturgical rules are not just about being fussy or nitpicky. Rather, obedience to the texts and rules of the liturgy help us stay unified as church, both on the local and universal level.

So you see, there is much more involved in the reception of the new translation than just a matter of which words we use. This reality touches on the core of our union as the Body of Christ.

Personally, I see the new missal as a great opportunity to stop and re-examine our understanding of the Mass so as to renew and deepen our appreciation for the mysteries that it contains.

To help us all in our efforts of catechesis and reception, I have asked the archdiocesan Office of Worship to begin a series of articles in The Catholic Spirit on the new Roman Missal, as well as to offer resources (many of which are online) to our parishes — resources that will help them prepare for the changes.

I urge pastors, deacons, catechists, teachers, worship committees, musicians, cantors and parish staff members to enter into this time of preparation with enthusiasm and with a positive spirit.

God love you!

Fr. John Paul Erickson to write Series to explain changes coming with new Roman Missal in the Catholic Spirit

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The following is the first in a series of articles regarding the new Roman Missal, which will be used in the United States beginning on Nov. 27, the first Sunday of Advent.

“Lift up your hearts!”

These are pivotal words in the Mass, words spoken by the celebrant to the congregation during what is referred to as the “preface dialogue.”

They are pivotal words not only be­cause they form an integral part of the liturgy, but also be­cause they encapsulate beautifully the meaning of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and serve as a clarion call to that full, active and conscious participation in the liturgy that is our delightful duty as believers.

We are summoned by Christ to offer up our hearts in union with his own sacrifice — a sacrifice made present on the altar.

They are words meant to prompt devotion, remind us of love and call us to communion. Let our response be bold and zealous: “We lift them up to the Lord!”

This call to communion, a summons to offer up our lives to the Father in union with the total gift of self offered by Christ on the altar, lies at the very heart of the meaning of the whole Mass.

This meaning has always been found at the foundation of the liturgy of the church and must be the rock upon which we build any authentic understanding of the church’s prayer.

On Nov. 27 this year (the First Sunday of Advent), many of the words used at Mass to summon, remind and form us will be changing, but the foundation remains the same, as it always will.

Education necessary

It would be difficult to overestimate the importance of good catechesis during the months ahead as we prepare for the reception and use of these new words at Mass.

This catechesis is important not only because we need to know what to say on Nov. 27 and why we say it, but also because every time these sorts of changes occur, it is a privileged time to re-examine the Mass and the liturgy as a whole and to take a serious look again at our own devotion to the Mass and to the sacraments.

Change is often difficult, but it can also be immensely fruitful. Indeed, change, even difficult change, is most often necessary for life and real growth.

Beginning with this edition of The Catholic Spirit and continuing until Nov. 27, I am pleased to announce that Catholic Spirit readers will be encouraged to get to know these new texts, the reasons behind them, and some of the history of the Mass itself through a series of articles composed by writers from around the archdiocese and the English-speaking Catholic world.

I hope and pray that all who read these articles will find them helpful and be encouraged to truly pray the Mass.

In addition to these articles, parishes and pastors will be receiving practical guidance from the Office of Worship as to how to implement and prepare for these changes in the many communities of faith throughout this local church.

Good resources

I encourage all who have not already done so to visit the website of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and to examine the page the conference has produced on the new texts (http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal).

Many marvelous resources are found there, and the common questions asked about the new texts are answered. The site is simply the best resource out there on the new texts.

May God bless us all during these months of preparation and waiting for the historic changes to the words of the Mass.

May the Blessed Mother, who is the image of the church and a model of prayer, intercede for us and teach us how to truly pray with mind and heart renewed.

And may we all, clergy and laity alike, take this opportunity to refocus on the immutable meaning of the Mass, a summons to communion with Christ in the sacrifice of our hearts to the Father of all.

Lift up your hearts!

Father John Paul Erickson is director of the archdiocesan Office of Worship.

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The series

» May 12: “Why a New Missal?” A brief background on where the new missal is coming from. We’ll trace its documentary history and its close connection to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

» May 26: “The New Translation is a Plus for Catholics.” An article explaining what will be gained in the new translation and the opportunity it affords us as praying Christians.

» June 9: “New Kids on the Block.” In addition to new words, the new missal brings with it the memorials of new saints.

» June 23: “The Lord be with you — and with your spirit.” Perhaps no other change has received more attention than this brief exchange. Why is it changing and what does the change mean?

» July 7: “The Act of Penitence.” Why is it important to acknowledge our sin as Mass begins? What is changing about the wording of this rite?

» July 21: “The Gloria.” It’s appropriate that our first liturgical exposure to this retranslated text will not be Nov. 27, but rather at the Vigil Mass of Christmas, when we will gather to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Why? Because the new words sound an awful lot like the hymn of the angels at Bethlehem.

» Aug. 4: “The Creed, part 1.” Why does the Creed matter, and why is it changing from “We believe” to “I believe”?

» Aug. 18: “The Creed, part 2.”

» Sept. 1: “The Preface Dialogue.” It is right and just.

» Sept. 15: “The Roman Canon, part 1.” As a way of examining the Mass itself, we’ll explore the first Eucharistic Prayer, often called the Roman Canon. Many rich symbols and references are found within this ancient prayer, and by paying attention to the scriptural and traditional imagery, we can learn much about just what it is we are doing through, with and in Christ at the Mass.

» Sept. 29: “The Roman Canon, part 2.”

» Oct. 13: “The Roman Canon, part 3.”

» Oct. 27: “The Roman Canon, part 4.”

» Nov. 10: “Q&A.” As the implementation of the new missal becomes imminent, we will try to answer any remaining questions about the new texts and their use.

» Nov. 23: “Q&A, part 2.”

Catholic Spirit