THE ASSOCIATION of Catholic Priests is to meet in Portlaoise next
Thursday, June 2nd, to discuss rejection by the Catholic bishops of
their request that the introduction of the new Roman missal be postponed
for five years.
The missal, produced by the International
Commission on English in the Liturgy, in consultation with the Vatican’s
Congregation for Divine Worship, is to be introduced in all Catholic
churches throughout the island by Sunday, November 27th next.
The
association has expressed “pastoral, theological, linguistic and
literary” concerns about texts in the new missal and its leadership team
was asked at a meeting of priests in Athlone last January to seek a
meeting with the bishops to discuss those concerns and to request that
introduction of the missal be postponed.
A subsequent statement
from the association said it was “gravely concerned that this literal
translation from Latin has produced texts that are archaic, elitist and
obscure and not in keeping with the natural rhythm, cadence and syntax
of the English language”
It pointed out that “many women will be rightly enraged by the continued deliberate use of non-inclusive language”.
The
association of priests “strongly opposes the introduction and use of
any texts which will insult and offend women who are at the heart of
every Christian community in Ireland”.
The statement suggested
“that the Irish bishops take a lead from the German bishops, who have
objected to ‘good German texts’ being replaced with ‘unfamiliar new
interpretations’ and to assert the right of the Irish conference of
bishops to make its own decisions in regard to the celebration of the
liturgy in Ireland”.
The association has invited the bishops and
some lay groups to attend next week’s meeting, which is closed to the
public and media.