Tuesday, November 09, 2010

New Catholic missal has major changes

For the first time since 1970 the Vatican has published a new Roman Missal—the book that is used by Catholics every Sunday for mass–with major revisions in its translation.

The Roman Missal, Third Edition also has prayers and guidelines on how to celebrate Sunday Mass.

It was approved by the Discipline of the Sacraments and the Congregation for Divine Worship, according to the Third Edition Roman Missal website.

The original Missale Romanum in Latin was issued by Pope Paul VI in 1970. 

In 1973 an English translation was issued, prompted by the Second Vatican Council of 1962, which ordered that mass be said in a parish’s local language, CNN said.

Minor revisions were added in 1975 and in 2000 by Pope John Paul II including prayers for new saints, added prefaces to Communion prayers, added masses for specific needs and intentions, and updated instructions on celebrating the mass, the website said.

The Third Edition’s updated translation is expected to lend deeper meaning to the mass. It will be used on November 27, 2011 to coincide with the First Sunday of Advent, the website reported.

Benedictine Father Jeremy Driscoll of Mount Angel Abbey was an adviser to an important committee of English-speaking bishops that was convened by the Vatican, the Catholic Sentinel reported.

Driscoll told a group of priests in Oregon that the old Missal lacked the “inner voice” of the Latin version. With the new translation Driscoll factored in context, time, place where it was written, emotion, tone and pertinent vocabulary with multiple meanings, the Catholic Sentinel said.

Driscoll also said that in translating the missal they noted that the liturgy is mysterious and divine, yet with a concrete manifestation, particularly the trinity and communion, according to Catholic Sentinel.

Driscoll said while the old missal, for example, calls Jesus God’s “son” or “only son,” the Latin version is more adequately translated as “only begotten son,” lending emphasis to the fact that Jesus is “consubstantial with the Father,” the Catholic Sentinel said.

In terms of tone, Driscoll compared the Easter preface of the former, which says, “The joy of the resurrection renews the whole world while the choirs of heaven sing forever to your glory,” which pales to the new translation, the Catholic Sentinel reported.

The new preface captures the original Latin version’s exuberance, namely, “Therefore, overcome with paschal joy, every land, every people exults in your praise. And even the heavenly powers with the angelic hosts, sing together the unending hymn of your glory,” the Catholic Sentinel said.

Driscoll said the longer sentences will require that the priests be more knowledgeable of the text and say it correctly. 

Churchgoers will also have to be more attentive, according to the Catholic Sentinel.

According to CNN it is hoped that in the long term, the new translation will make churchgoers more appreciative and aware of the mysteries in the Liturgy. 

The website said the translation is important because what is prayed is directly linked to the substance of one’s faith, CNN said.

SIC: TU/INT'L