Edward Pentin, who reports for the National Catholic Register and for the Catholic Herald, reports this morning that the Congregation for Divine Worship will approve the new ICEL translation of the Missal later today.
Must check the Bollettino before going out for lunch today...
The texts of the Ordinary of the Mass have already received recognitio so this decision would relate to the proper texts of the Missal. Cardinal Pell told the Register yesterday that although formal approval would be given today, the newly translated Missal would not be available until 2011.
Now I am old enough to remember the last time we had a new translation. For several years, priests were using bits of paper with new texts until finally the printed Missals were published. Nowadays it would be easy enough to produce good quality, dignified pdfs which could be discreetly inserted into the altar Missal. Would it be too much to allow priests to use the texts of the Eucharistic Prayers and other prayers said by the priest alone? For one thing, it would help people to become gradually used to the new translation. For another, it would be a great relief to be able to pray the actual texts in a reasonably accurate translation rather than the defective and erroneous versions we have had to use for far too long.
11 comments:
Good idea, I whole-heartedly agree. But it's not the blogosphere that will give you permission, it's the bishops! Have you asked your bishop? And is there anything that we laity can do with our bishops?
Oh, wonderful! Thanks for the heads-up, Father!
I can very much imagine it would be so heartening, and such a relief, for a Priest to able to say the Mass as it really is (well, as much as one can say that of a translation).
Personally, I cannot wait until they bring in the New Missal for Easter 2011, and I really hope they do gradually introduce it beforehand as well. It would so deepen my experience of the few Masses in English I currently attend.
Yes, brings back memories of the late 60s & early 70s. Some of the older, retired priests at my school, on the occasions when they would say a Mass for us boys, were quite prone to "lapse" and they'd say "Dominus vobiscum... ohhh, ehm, the Lord be with you...". They very frequently got totally lost in the various "new" Missals. Quite entertaining for a bunch of pre-and early teens... who were much more innocent than their equivalents today.
But in relation to the new translations, I saw on the NLM that the Psalms will also be revised and that an updated version of the Grail psalter will be used. So is it the intention to revise the entire lectionary i.e. the readings as well? Of course the new Missal will go ahead anyway (for which relief much thanks) but will the revised lectionary follow at a future date, or will it be ready for late 2011? I'm a bit confused on that issue, although it's all good news of course. At last.
A Catholic Reader - oh yes, and I will keep on doing so as well as suggesting the same at diocesan meetings.
Peter - I'm afraid I think that that launch date is not until Advent 2011
Jaykay - yes the lectionary is to be revised. Unfortunately they are using the NRSV which has to be shorn of inclusive language first: instead of the RSV which Fr Fessio has already edited to accord with Liturgiam Authenticam. My guess is that the Missal will be ready first.
URGH not the NRSV, why?! Is that unchangeable?
Great, thank you for what you're doing - is there anything we can do?
This is excellent news! :) Now I can replace the "[???]" in my book on the priest's prayers with "April" (as I had hoped it would be).
I am curious to know if the new translation of the renewal of baptismal vows has rendered Abrenuntiátis Sátanae as "Do you renounce Satan?" instead of the current "Do you reject Satan?"
Anyway, I'm thrilled, and will find a suitable way to celebrate.
I would rather have the missal implemented in an orderly manner, even if we have to wait another 18 months. It will feel less provisional and haphazard that way. "Setting the cast" in a deliberate way will lead to a greater sense that this is permanent, and it's settled. End of discussion.
It also allows priests and parishes to prepare. Not everyone is obsessed with this stuff like we are.
Finally, there is one HUGE upside to this. Starting with Advent Sunday this year, we get to have a weekly celebration about how this is the LAST TIME we ever have to hear these old ICEL translations. We can then compare them to what we'll hear in a year. It will be a weekly celebration of liturgical goodness.
Thanks for that clarification, Father. The major thing is of course the new Missal, and I think we can struggle on with the current lectionary for a while longer... it's actually not all that bad and mercifully isn't "inclusivised".
That said, I have noticed that one of the publishers of the Sunday Mass sheets here in Ireland (the Paulist Press) have taken it upon themselves to insert the inclusive language, with sometimes very ugly results. There was a particularly egregious example some weeks ago back in Lent, can't recall it but it was so clumsy it was teeth-grinding! Quo usque tandem...
Jeffrey - April?
Sorry, Fr. The context of my [???] was a sentence in the introduction of my second book, on the priest's prayers:
"By late 2009, all the English-speaking conferences of bishops had given their approval to the remainder of the translation, and in [???] of 2010, the Holy See gave their recognitio to the whole translation."
That [???] is now "April".
Thanks, Jeffrey. I just worried in case you thought they were being authorised for use next April (i.e. Easter rather than Advent)
Good to hear of progress on your second book.
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