THE Catholic Church is pressing ahead with plans for a controversial
new prayer book, parts of which will be introduced two months ahead of
schedule.
Bishops will launch an information campaign within weeks to prepare Mass-goers for acceptance of the new prayer book.
On the weekend of May 7, leaflets entitled 'Introducing the New Missal' will be distributed in all parishes in Ireland's 26 dioceses.
It will explain why the Roman Missal is replacing the current prayer book, which has been in use since 1975.
The resource materials aim to ease concerns among Catholics that they had been saying the wrong prayers up until now.
And
from September 11, changes for the new missal will begin to be
introduced at Masses in many dioceses -- some 10 weeks before the new
edition is used in its entirety.
"The changes to the text that
affect the congregation are relatively small in number -- but Mass will
sound different," the bishops said in a statement.
The timetable
was announced yesterday in spite of warnings from the recently formed
Association of Catholic Priests that archaic and sexist language in the
new Mass book will annoy lay people.
Currently, when the priest
says "The Lord be with you", the congregation replies, "And also with
you".
But the revised translation will give a literal translation from
Latin, which requires the people to say to the priest, "And with your
spirit".
Other changes will relate to the Apostles' Creed; the longer Nicene Creed, and the acclamations of the Eucharistic Prayer.
The Association of Priests will hold a meeting in June to consider its response.
Concerns
Leading
cleric Fr Tony Flannery said: "While the bishops listened to our
concerns, we regret to say that, judging by their response, they failed
to take on board what we said and did not furnish any reasons for not
accepting the concerns."
But a senior bishop insisted yesterday that there had been consultations during 10 years of preparing the new missal.
It was prepared for use in 11 English-speaking countries, in consultation with the Vatican.
Bishop
of Dromore John McAreavey said he believed the new missal would provide
a more accurate and nuanced translation from the original Latin.
"It is important that the people be given proper preparation for the new missal's introduction," he said.