Catholics priests prepare to usher in Mass changes
By KATE SHELLNUTT, HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Updated 08:34 p.m., Saturday, November 19, 2011
- The Catholic Church will begin using a new translation of its English liturgy, the Roman Missal, on Nov. 27, the first Sunday of Advent.
Photo: Nathan Lindstrom / ©2011 Nathan Lindstrom
Page 1 of 1
For decades, whenever a Roman Catholic priest said, "The Lord be with you," the congregation responded, "And also with you." But not anymore.
At the start of Advent on Nov. 27, Catholics will adopt changes that make the words spoken during Mass in English closer to the church's official Latin, adding dozens of small substitutions to the liturgy many Catholics pray instinctively. It's the biggest shift in the Mass since Vatican II.
"And also with you" becomes "And with your spirit" in the third translation of the English Roman Missal, the result of years of work under the direction of Vatican and international committees. The changes force English-speaking Catholics in Houston and across the globe to re-examine the theology behind their traditional language.
The new translation sounds richer, more reverent and it better matches the versions being used by other languages, like Spanish, said the Rev. Michael Buentello, chaplain at the University of St. Thomas.
"It will reflect a more noble use of language," he said. "There's a tendency of being too casual with God, and in the new translation, we get to reinforce these beautiful theological terms that we use."
The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston organized months of training for priests, ministers, parishioners and Catholic students, and this fall, most parishes began incorporating new liturgical music that goes along with the new Roman Missal, the book priests use to lead Mass.
Church leadership hopes that by rolling out the new translation during the Christmas season, when services are better attended, they'll reach more families.
"I guarantee you that somebody's going to say, 'What's this all about?' There will always be someone like that, but we have been very aggressive about keeping people informed," said Monsignor Bill Young at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church on Buffalo Speedway.
Vatican directive
As have most priests, Young has spoken about the new changes before every Mass for weeks, in addition to providing online training and literature about the new missal.
Until churches can budget for updated hymnals - St. Anne's Catholic Church in River Oaks estimates spending $14,000 to $15,000 on them in the upcoming year - many plan to use booklet inserts and cards with the new responses.
The new translation was spurred on by a 2001 Vatican directive to improve liturgical translations and ended up with final approval from the Holy See last year.
Older Catholics remember the dramatic shift that came with the Second Vatican Council, which ultimately reformatted the Mass, turning the priest toward the parishioners as they prayed together in native languages instead of the traditional Latin.
The same group that helped implement English in the '70s, the church's Internal Commission on English in the Liturgy, directed the move to the new translation, which follows the Latin text word-for-word rather than simply by concept. For the past decade, the Vatican Committee Vox Clara, or Clear Voice, has overseen the process.
Format unchanged
Unlike Vatican II, the new translation only affects wording and does not alter the format of the Mass.
The archdiocese has used the updates to re-educate area Catholics on how the liturgy articulates church teachings and Scripture.
"It's an awakening to the power of the Mass and its role in my life," said Clarence Mallett, a retiree and lifelong Catholic living in Missouri City. "It's not only understanding the change … but what's already been there. That's the beauty of it."
Some Catholics have complained that the wording has become too formal. For example, in the Nicene Creed, "One in being with the Father" becomes "consubstantial with the Father." In the Gloria, the line sung about Jesus as the "only Son of the Father" is now translated as "Only Begotten Son."
"Any change in familiar prayers can become frustrating," said the Rev. John Rooney at St. Angela Merici Catholic Church in Missouri City. "Change is always hard … but it's not mine to play with. It's an injustice for me to put my own spin on it."
That means, even if parishioners preferred things the old way, all English-speaking parishes must begin using the new translation next Sunday, from the mass greeting to concluding rites."This really isn't simply about changing a few words," said Sister Deborah Clark, who helped Rooney lead sessions on the changes. "On a deeper level, it's really about what we're doing, what we're praying together when we pray the liturgy."
No comments:
Post a Comment