Bishops Approve Icel Gray Book Translation of the Proper of Seasons and Revised Grail Psalter

BALTIMORE—The U.S. bishops approved the ICEL Gray Book Translation of the Proper of Seasons November 11, at their General Assembly in Baltimore, in a 189-30 vote. The bishops also approved the Revised Grail Psalter by the Monks of Conception Abbey for liturgical use in the United States in a 203-5 vote.

The Committee on Divine Worship placed the Gray Book edition of the Proper of Seasons, the Mass prayers for special parts of the liturgical year like Advent and Lent, before the bishops at their June 2008 meeting in Orlando, but the vote taken was inconclusive. After a subsequent mail ballot was sent to the Latin rite members of the conference who had not voted, the translation did not receive the necessary two-thirds approval. The bishops proposed modifications, which were reviewed by the Committee on Divine Worship. Now that the bishops have approved the modified text, it will be submitted for recognitio, or approval by the Holy See.

The Revised Grail Psalter will also require recognitio by the Holy See. The Revised Grail Psalter, which is already used in the breviary used by priests, was recommended to the bishops by the Committee on Divine Worship because it can be easily sung and chanted, it is faithful to the original Hebrew, it is familiar to those who read the breviary, and it is critically aware of Christological references.

Vatican prepares three alternative endings for dismissal at Mass

By John Thavis
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican has prepared three alternative endings for the priest's words of dismissal at Mass, to emphasize the missionary spirit of the liturgy.

Pope Benedict XVI personally chose the three options from suggestions presented to him after a two-year study, Cardinal Francis Arinze told the Synod of Bishops in mid-October.

The Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, published an interview Oct. 17 with Cardinal Arinze, head of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.

He said along with "Ite, missa est," the Latin phrase now translated as "The Mass is ended, go in peace," the new options are:

-- "Ite ad Evangelium Domini annuntiandum" (Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord).

-- "Ite in pace, glorificando vita vestra Dominum" (Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life).

-- "Ite in pace" (Go in peace).

The idea for alternative words at the end of Mass was raised at the 2005 Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist. Many bishops wanted the final words to reflect a more explicit connection between Mass and the church's mission of evangelization in the world.

Cardinal Arinze said the concern was that, for many Catholics, the present words of dismissal sounded like "The Mass is ended, go and rest."

The cardinal said his congregation undertook a wide consultation and came up with 72 different possible alternative phrases. Of these, the congregation chose nine and presented them to the pope, who chose the final three.

The three alternatives were published in October in the latest edition of the Roman Missal, along with "Ite, missa est," which has not been abolished, Cardinal Arinze said.

The cardinal said the congregation still was studying another suggestion made during the 2005 synod, that of moving the sign of peace to a different part of the Mass.

In 2005, the pope said the sign of peace had great value, but should be done with "restraint" so that it does not become a distraction during Mass. He asked for the study on moving the sign of peace from a moment just before Communion to another time in the liturgy.

Cardinal Arinze said that, after consultation, the congregation had written to bishops' conferences asking their preference between leaving the sign of peace where it is now and moving it to an earlier moment, after the prayer of the faithful.

He said the responses from bishops' conferences were expected to be in by the end of October, and the question would then be presented to the pope for a final decision.

Cardinal Arinze said that in addition to its timing some have suggested that the sign of peace be limited to an exchange between the Massgoer and those in his or her immediate vicinity. He said that in some churches today, the sign of peace is extended to the point that it becomes "almost a jamboree."

Cardinal Arinze said a third suggestion from the 2005 synod, a "eucharistic compendium," also has made progress and is near publication.

He said the compendium would include doctrinal notes on the Mass, as well as prayer texts, passages of papal liturgical teachings, canon law tracts and other explanatory materials. He emphasized that the compendium would propose ideas, not impose them.

Cardinal Arinze said a fourth project of the worship congregation, working together with Vatican congregations for doctrine and clergy, was the drawing up of a list of homily themes that correspond to Sunday scriptural readings and to the church's doctrinal teachings.

"This is not a matter of model homilies, but general indications in which, for each theme, elements are furnished to be able to develop the theme," he said.

So we're bringing the bells back.

A: The ringing of bells at the elevation is now omitted during the consecration; the reason given is that since the Mass is now said in the language of the parishioners, they should be aware of what is happening and are not in need of bells to tell them. Does not the ringing of bells at the elevation draw attention to the great event that has occurred on the altar? — E.H., Williamsford, Ontario Q: The General Instruction of the Roman Missal refers to bell ringing in No. 150: "A little before the consecration, when appropriate, a server rings a bell as a signal to the faithful. According to local custom, the server also rings the bell as the priest shows the host and then the chalice." The text makes it clear that ringing a bell at the consecration is an option, not an obligation. Since the GIRM's presumption is that Mass is celebrated in the local tongue, the use of the vernacular, in itself, cannot be used as a reason for the abolition of the bell ringing. There may be other good reasons, but they should be weighed carefully. A long-standing custom should not just be swept away unless more is to be gained by dropping it than retaining it. The birth of the custom of a signal bell at the consecration, probably during the 13th century, had more to do with the recitation of the canon in a low voice than to the language of the Mass as such. It may also have been inspired by changes in church architecture in which the people were more physically separated from the altar by the choir — and in some cases a significant number of faithful were impeded from seeing the altar during Mass. Thus the use of the bell became necessary. Some centuries later the bell was also rung at other moments such as the Sanctus and before Communion. Certainly the practical reasons for ringing the bell have all but disappeared. Yet, it can still serve a purpose as an extra aid to call attention to the moment of the consecration, as a jolt to reawaken wandering minds and a useful catechetical tool for children and adults alike. In an age when people are ever more in thrall to audiovisual means of communication, and less attentive to abstract discourse, it seem strange that we set about removing those very means that, as well as forming part of our tradition, could prove most effective in transmitting a message of faith. A similar argument could also be made regarding the decline in practices such as the use of incense during Mass. The Holy See has maintained the practice of ringing the bell at the consecration in St. Peter's Basilica, although it has an excellent sound system. I also had the experience of a parish that restored the use of the signal bell after many years without it. Not only were there no complaints but the general reaction was very positive from all age groups. * * * Follow-up: Bells at the Consecration [09-06-2005] A reader from Crawfordsville, Indiana, has added some very informative comments to our piece on the use of bells during Mass (Aug. 23). He writes: "Apropos your fine response to the question of ringing bells at the consecration, it may interest you to know that the issue is perhaps a bit more complicated than you suggest. Father Adrian Fortescue, so much lionized by liturgical traditionalists for his rubrical manual of the old rite, [...] was not a fan of bells, and points out in his 'History of the Roman Mass' that there was much variation in Europe about when they were rung. He says that traditionally bells were never rung at St. Peter's in Rome at the consecration, where the papal liturgy continued right through the reforms to be an odd combination of extreme Baroque elaboration and pre-medieval archaism. I suspect that after the papal liturgy was essentially abolished by Paul VI, and replaced with the ordinary Mass the Pope now celebrates, bells were later restored on the false assumption that they had been used, and there were not enough clerics left in the papal household who remembered the old tradition to set people straight." Certainly Dr. Fortescue (1874-1923) was no fan of liturgical fastidiousness in spite of having penned what he termed his "dreadful ceremonies book." As he wrote in 1920 before attempting the correction of the book's first edition: "Not one halfpennyworth of principle or of historic research is affected by the question whether the thurifer should stand on the left or on the right at any given moment. I would just as soon spend hours verifying the hours at which trains start on some railway line that I shall never use." His distaste for liturgical minutiae was apparent and it ironically fell to one of his sharpest critics, Canon J.B. O'Connell, to correct and review the subsequent 12 editions. Notwithstanding the author's reservations, the book remains a valuable resource for the knowledge of the previous rite and for clarifications regarding some aspects not covered in the present books. All the same, I have often found L. Trimeloni's Italian "Compendio di Liturgia Pratica" (1963), more complete and better referenced. As with thurifers, so with bells et al. Many liturgical customs arose from practical concerns and only later became codified into law with the result that what may have arose as a simple pastoral solution, or a gesture of courtesy, was transformed into a strict obligation. While one sometimes desires greater clarity and precision from the present liturgical books, in general we can be grateful that they no longer attempt to legislate each and every detail and allow for reasonable adaptations to concrete circumstances. I think we should see the question of the use, or non-use, of the bells at St. Peter's in this light. I believe that the use of this bell dates from somewhere toward the middle of Pope John Paul II's pontificate, for I remember assisting at some Masses where it was not yet used. I think therefore that the question asked was not so much if this bell forms part of papal tradition but rather if it serves a legitimate pastoral purpose at a papal Mass. Evidently, the response is that it certainly does. ZE05090621

Solemnitites, Feasts, and Memorials

ROME, OCT. 8, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.

Q: We as Catholics commonly use the word "feast" to cover everything from church feasts of various saints and the Blessed Mother, to Corpus Christi, etc. We also understand that there are three kinds of feasts/celebrations: memorial, feast, solemnity. Could you kindly elaborate on these three categories? Also, why is Corpus Christi not a holy day of obligation? -- R.D., Enderamulla, Sri Lanka

A: Effectively we use the word "feast" to cover all levels of celebration, even though the word also has a precise technical meaning in the hierarchy of celebrations. There is no great difficulty in this, as the context usually clarifies whether we are speaking technically or in general.

The three basic classes are those mentioned by our reader, although memorials are often divided up into obligatory and optional. There are some other means of classifying the celebrations which give different numbers and categories. For example, if one classifies on the basis of which Masses may be celebrated on a given day, one comes up with seven groupings of celebrations.

The difference between the three basic categories resides in their importance, which in turn is reflected in the presence or absence of different liturgical elements.

Solemnities are the highest degree and are usually reserved for the most important mysteries of faith. These include Easter, Pentecost and the Immaculate Conception; the principal titles of Our Lord, such as King and Sacred Heart; and celebrations that honor some saints of particular importance in salvation history, such as Sts. Peter and Paul, and St. John the Baptist on his day of birth.

Solemnities have the same basic elements as a Sunday: three readings, prayer of the faithful, the Creed and the Gloria which is recited even when the solemnity occurs during Advent or Lent. It also has proper prayer formulas exclusive to the day: entrance antiphon, opening prayer, prayer over the gifts, Communion antiphon, and prayer after Communion. In most cases it also has a particular preface.

Some solemnities are also holy days of obligation, but these vary from country to country.

A solemnity is celebrated if it falls on a Sunday of ordinary time or Christmastide. But it is usually transferred to the following Monday if it falls on a Sunday of Advent, Lent or Easter, or during Holy Week or the Easter octave.

A feast honors a mystery or title of the Lord, of Our Lady, or of saints of particular importance (such as the apostles and Evangelists) and some of historical importance such as the deacon St. Lawrence.

The feast usually has some proper prayers but has only two readings plus the Gloria. Feasts of the Lord, such as the Transfiguration and Exaltation of the Holy Cross, unlike other feasts, are celebrated when they fall on a Sunday. On such occasions they have three readings, the Gloria and the Creed.

A memorial is usually of saints but may also celebrate some aspect of the Lord or of Mary. Examples include the optional memorial of the Holy Name of Jesus or the obligatory memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

From the point of view of the liturgical elements there is no difference between the optional and obligatory memorial. The memorial has at least a proper opening prayer and may have proper readings suitable for the saint being celebrated. The readings of the day may be used, and the lectionary recommends against an excessive use of specific readings for the saints so as not to interrupt too much the continuous cycle of daily readings.

On the other hand, the specific readings should always be used for certain saints, above all those specifically mentioned in the readings themselves, such as Martha, Mary Magdalene and Barnabas.

During Lent and Advent from Dec. 17 to 24 memorials may be celebrated only as commemorations. That is, only the opening prayer of the saint is used and all the rest comes from the day.

Nov. 2, All Souls' Day, is something of a special class that, without being a solemnity, still has precedence over a Sunday.

It is also important to note that the same celebration may have a different classification in various geographical areas, as some celebrations and saints are venerated more in one place than in another. For example, St. Benedict, an obligatory memorial in the universal calendar, is a feast in Europe since he is one of its patrons. But he rates a solemnity in the diocese and abbey of Montecassino where he is buried.

Finally, the decision on whether a solemnity such as the Body and Blood of the Lord is a holy day of obligation falls primarily upon the bishops' conference, which decides based on the pastoral reality of each country. Some have maintained the traditional Thursday celebration and kept it as a holy day; others might have maintained the day but without the obligation. Many have preferred to transfer the celebration to the following Sunday so as to ensure its celebration with the greatest number of faithful.

The Vatican, for example, continues the traditional Thursday celebration and thus the Holy Father's procession with the Blessed Sacrament is held on that day. The Diocese of Rome, however, along with the rest of Italy, celebrates it on the following Sunday.

* * *

Follow-up: Churches Dedicated and Consecrated

Pursuant to our comment that a "blessed" church that has passed into common use is not usually dedicated or consecrated (Sept. 23), several readers pointed out a certain usage once common in some parts of the United States.

One wrote: "From talking to older priests, it seems that in the Eastern U.S. what is now called the Rite of Blessing a Church was commonly referred to its 'Dedication,' and the formal elaborate rite (now called 'Dedication') was called its 'Consecration.'

"The distinction made in these dioceses was that in many cases a parish would take out a mortgage in a secular bank in order to finance the building of its church. Once the church was built, the civil title was held by the lending institution until the mortgage was paid, which could take upward of 30 years or more. What would happen then is that the church would be blessed upon completion of the building project and then consecrated once the mortgage was paid."

Effectively this appears to have been common and was rooted in canonical principles that the consecration could only take place when there was no doubt that the building could be permanently used for the purpose of a church. As this was guaranteed only after the building was substantially debt-free, the consecration would often take place many years after the building was complete and in regular use.

Since this model of financing the building of new churches was less common in other countries, most of them were either dedicated or blessed shortly after completion.

Some readers asked about the opposite end of the stick and the thankless burden of desacralizing churches. We addressed this topic last Dec. 18 and Jan. 1.

Cathedral of Christ the Light

This week the Diocese of Oakland opened the doors of the Cathedral of Christ the Light. Althought, not yet dedicated, the Cathedral is open for the curious to peruse this odd piece of architecture. The brainchild of Bishop John Cummins and Bishop Allen Vigneron the Cathedral's name is from taken from the Second Vatican Council's Lumen Gentium, which emphasized participation of the laity and a move of outreach to other faiths.

The Cathedral will be formally dedicated on September 25.

From an architectural perspective, this edifice is quite eye-catching. The shape, and dimesions express ingenuity, vision and ambition. Bishop Vigneron gets an A+ in this area. From a liturgical perspective, one could go in many different ways. In one respect, the building seems cold and the open space seems overbearring. Space, however, could be argued, inspires, and lifts the eyes, and the soul, toward God. The Cathedral does not follow any traditional convenience. Thomas over at AmericanPapist has already likened CCTL to LA's Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral. Although both seem to be unorthodox in style, there is something to be said in its modern style, it still stands out, it draws attention to the fact that it is a house of worship, seat of the ordinary, and I am sure there will be qualities that will be inspirational. Don't get me wrong, if it were up to me, I would much rather have a Cathedral with a prominent cathedra, high altar, and stained glass windows galore in the tradition of the older cathedrals. Alas, CCTL is a modern expression of the Church in the modern world and it will be consecrated, and people will pray in it, and Mass will be offered, and the holy exchange between heaven and earth will occur... it's not that bad.

Worth of significant note, the Cathedral will have a free clinic for people of low resources. It will be funded through donations from the Knights of Malta and sits in an 1,700 square foot area in the Cathedral complex. Estimates indicate that there are more than166, 000 people in Alameda County without medical insurance . Kudos for reaching out!

Verdict: I like what I see, I like the work, and I can't wait to make it over there to check it out.

Coat of Arms above the Cathedral

Now... with this being the latest cathedral in California to be dedicated in recent years, many ask about Tod Brown's plans for a Cathedral for Orange. It's been in the planning stages for a while and it does not seem to be moving forward any time soon. Many claim it's money, others stale-mate between the Bishop and his advisors. Many priest advisors have asked Bishop Brown to move toward building a Cathedral that reflects the history and patrimony of the diocese, i.e building a cathedral in the California Mission style. It seems that his plan is to move forward with a modern style. Perhaps he has has OLA-CCTL style envy.

With economy moving the way it is and with all the disagreeing there is, it's possible that the responsibilities of building the new seat for the Bishop of Orange will fall into the hands of the new bishop, due to arrive in a few years.

The Sacred name of God, YHWH and its use in Liturgy

Last week the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops published a letter to all Bishops banning the use of God's sacred name YHWH in liturgical activity. Said letter was accompanied by a letter from Francis Cardinal Arinze, prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments explaining the rationale.

In essence, Yahweh is no longer to be used a) out of the traditional respect that is given to God's name, b) to remain more in line with the mandates of Liturgiam Authenticam which dictates that Liturgical texts must be as faithful as possible to their original languages. Since the earliest texts of Scripture (written in Greek used Kyrios and those in Hebrew used Adonai), meaning "LORD," instead of YAWEH, we should follow that directive. Furthermore, the use of Yahweh is not within our tradition.

As far as liturgical impact, Y---H is not be used in music and prayer texts such as the prayers of the faithful. Arinze's letter makes the recommendation that even within readings of sacred scripture, Lord or God be used in place of Y---H.

I for one am glad that this has been clarified for us. Sadly, one of my favorite songs of all time will be done away with in liturgy, "You are Near" by Dan Schutte. Perhaps we can change the Y---H to, "My God, I know you are near, standing always at my side..." who knows.

More on the New Translation of the Roman Missal

From the USCCB

10 Questions on the Revised Translation of the Ordo Missaefrom the Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia

1. Why the changes?
The Missale Romanum (Roman Missal), the ritual text for the celebration of the Mass, was promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as the definitive text of the reformed liturgy of the Second Vatican Council. That Latin text, the editio typica (typical edition), was translated into various languages for use around the world; the English edition was published in the United States in 1973. The Holy See issued a revised text, the editio typica altera, in 1975. Pope John Paul II promulgated the third edition of the Missale Romanum (edito typica tertia) as part of the Jubilee Year in 2000. Among other things, the third edition contains prayers for the celebration of recently canonized saints, additional prefaces for the Eucharistic Prayers, additional Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Intentions, and some updated and revised rubrics (instructions) for the celebration of the Mass. To aid the process of translation of the Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments issued Liturgiam Authenticam, the Fifth Instruction on Vernacular Translation of the Roman Liturgy, in 2001, which outlines the principles and rules for translation. In 2007, the Congregation for Divine Worship issued the Ratio Translationis for the English Language, which outlined the specific rules for translation in English.

2. Who is doing the work of translation?
The process of translation is a highly consultative work of several groups. The International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) is chartered to prepare English translations of liturgical texts on behalf of the conferences of bishops of English–speaking countries. Currently 11 conferences of bishops are full members of the Commission: the United States, Australia, Canada, England and Wales, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Scotland, and South Africa.The USCCB and the other member Conferences of Bishops receive draft translations of each text from ICEL and have the opportunity to offer comments and suggestions to ICEL. A second draft is proposed, which each Conference of Bishops approves (a Conference reserves the right to amend or modify a particular text) and submits to the Vatican for final approval.

At the level of the Vatican (the Holy See), the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments examines texts and offers authoritative approval (recognitio) of texts and grants permission for their use. Currently the Congregation is aided by the recommendations of Vox Clara, a special commission of bishops and consultants from English–speaking countries convened to assist with the English translation of the Missale Romanum.

3. What’s new or particularly different about the revised translation?
From the Ratio Translationis:
The unique style of the Roman Rite should be maintained in translation. By “style” is meant here the distinctive way in which the prayers of the Roman Rite are expressed. The principal elements of such a style include a certain conciseness in addressing, praising and entreating God, as well as distinctive syntactical patterns, a noble tone, a variety of less complex rhetorical devices, concreteness of images, repetition, parallelism and rhythm as measured through the cursus, or ancient standards for stressing syllables of Latin words in prose or poetry. (no. 112)
The texts of the revised translation of the Roman Missal are marked by a heightened style of English speech and a grammatical structure that is based on the Latin text. In addition, many biblical and poetic images, such as “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof…” (Communion Rite) and “…from the rising of the sun to its setting” (Eucharistic Prayer III) have been restored.

4. What is the significance of the translation pro multis in the words of Institution of the Eucharistic Prayer?
In October 2006 (after the bishops of the United States approved the Gray Book text of the Order of Mass), Francis Cardinal Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, communicated to Conferences of Bishops the desire of the Holy Father for a faithful translation of pro multis as “for many” in the formula for the consecration of the Precious Blood at Mass. The use of “for many” renders a translation more faithful to the accounts of the Last Supper found in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. The phrase “for many” does not mean to imply that Christ did not come to save all, but that salvation rests in part on personal acceptance of the salvation freely offered by Christ. Please see the separate section, “Six Questions on the Translation of Pro Multis” for more information.

5. What is the significance of the changes to the Nicene Creed?
Some of the most significant changes to the people’s parts in the Order of Mass are found in the Profession of Faith (the Nicene Creed). Changes to this text fall into two categories: preservation of the syntax of the original text and preservation of expressions of faith which contain Catholic doctrine. The first change is the translation of Credo as of “I” instead of “We” in the opening phrase in order to maintain the person and number indicated in the Latin text. While the profession of faith is a communal liturgical act, each individual in the liturgical assembly professes his or her own faith which is joined to the profession of the whole assembly. The second change concerns the translation of particular expressions of faith such as Unigenitus, consubstantialis, and incarnatus. The theological terminology has been preserved, in accord with Liturgiam Authenticam, in the translation to English: “Only Begotten,” “consubstantial,” and “incarnate.”

6. “And with your spirit”?
One of the more noticeable changes in the people’s parts of the Mass is the response to the greeting, “The Lord be with you.” The Latin response, et cum spiritu tuo, is rendered literally in English, “and with your spirit.” Liturgiam Authenticam calls for the faithful rendering of expressions that belong to the heritage of the ancient Church, and cites et cum spiritu tuo as an example (no. 56). Most modern languages have translated this phrase literally, so the English text now more closely parallels other vernacular translations.

7. What about the rest of the Missal?
The text of Ordo Missae I (Order of Mass) is the first of twelve (12) sections of the Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia undergoing translation. The remaining sections, which include the Proper of Seasons, Ordo Missae II (containing Prefaces, Solemn Blessings, and additional Eucharistic Prayers), Proper of Saints, Commons, Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Intentions, Votive Masses, Masses for the Dead, Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with Children, and Antiphons, as well as Introductory Material and Appendices, have undergone first drafts (called “Green Books”). The second drafts (called “Gray Books”) for several sections have been completed and await votes by the Conferences of Bishops. Each section must follow the same process as the Ordo Missae I.

8. When will all this be complete?
Because this work involves the participation of ICEL, the USCCB as well as other English–speaking conferences of bishops), and the Holy See, it is difficult to set a firm date for the completion of the process of translation and approval. The current estimate, however, for the completion of work by the USCCB is November 2010. Once the final section of the Roman Missal has been approved by the USCCB, the complete text of the Missal must still be submitted to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments for recognitio.

9. When will this be implemented for liturgical use?
The approved text of the Order of Mass has been released as a text for study and formation, but is not intended for liturgical use, that is to say it cannot be used in the celebration of the Mass. The intention of the Congregation for Divine Worship and of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is to enable and encourage a process of preparation and catechesis for both priests and the faithful, as well as to make the texts available to composers of liturgical music who can begin to set the texts, especially the acclamations, to music in anticipation of the implementation of the texts for liturgical use. It is hoped that when the time comes to use the texts in the celebration of the Mass, priests will be properly trained, the faithful will have an understanding and appreciation of what is being prayed, and musical settings of the liturgical texts will be readily available. The revised translation of the Order of Mass will be permitted only when the complete text of the Roman Missal (Third Edition) is promulgated.

10. What about the U.S. Adaptations to the Order of Mass?
When the bishops of the United States approved the translation of the Order of Mass in June, 2006, they also approved eight (8) adaptations of the Order of the Mass for use in the dioceses of the United States. These included additional texts for use in the Act of Penitence, the Mystery of Faith (Memorial Acclamation), the introduction to the Lord’s Prayer, and the Dismissal, as well as the placement of the Blessing and Sprinkling of Holy Water as part of the Introductory Rites of the Mass (rather than in an Appendix), and the insertion of a Prayer Over Water Already Blessed among the prayers of the Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling. The Congregation for Divine Worship has not yet responded to these adaptations, but at this point has granted the recognitio only for the texts to be used universally in English–speaking countries.

For the study text of the new translation click here.

Copyright © 2008 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

At the end of Summer

So summer has been lazy, reflective, and full of reading. I pulled away from the blog for a brief time so that I had an opportunity to simply relax and reflect.

Lots of things have happened in regards to liturgy in the last few weeks. Most notably, the Holy See's approval of third edition of the Roman Missal (note that it will no longer be referred to as the Sacramentary). Also worth noting is the Holy See's directive on the use of God's name within the liturgy.

Since getting my hands on a copy of the new translation I have been pouring over the new text along side the current text. Overall, I am very pleased. It is much more poetic, structured, and indeed a MUCH better translation more faithful to the Latin.

I have been sharing this with friends. The first response I usually get is, "WHY?!". Simply, the current translation does not work because it is watered down and empty of the symbolism of language and imagery that is so rich in the Latin version. From the perspective of some observers the current prayers of the English Sacramentary were a reflection of current American Society. I don't necessarily agree, but that statement is worth contemplating.

In light of Liturgiam Authenticam (2001), revision was inevitable. After years of revisions, changes, compromise, votes and headaches, the Holy See's Vox Clara Commission approved the ICEL's (International Commission on the English Language) translation.

So when do the changes begin to be in effect? Most observers seem to agree that we still have a couple of years to go. This gives time to prepare the congregations, publish the books and give liturgical musicians the opportunity to set to music the newly translated singable parts of the Mass like the Gloria and Sanctus.

Below are the Gloria and Sanctus from the new Roman Missal. Note the differences.

Gloria
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.

We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ. Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer,
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God
the Father. Amen

Sanctus
Holy, Holy, Holy
Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Other notable changes include change in the language of the Creed and of course, everyone's favorite, "and with your spirit", instead of "and also with you."

From the USCCB

Alright, I fell behind on this one. It has been several days since this comunique and this morning it crossed my mind that I should post it on here. And so the countdown to the new Roman Missal begins!

USCCB News Release

08-108
July 25, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Vatican Approves New English Translation For The Order Of Mass

WASHINGTON— The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has receivedapproval (recognitio) from the Holy See’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments for the new English-language translation of the Order of Mass (Ordo Missae).

This is the first section of the translation of the third edition of the Roman Missal. It includes most of the texts used in every celebration of the Mass, including the responses that will be said by the people.

In its letter, the Congregation pointed out that while the texts are binding, the approval “does not intend that these texts are to be put into use immediately.”

Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation, explained the reasons for providing the text at this time. The purpose is to provide “time for the pastoral preparation of priests, deacons and for appropriate catechesis of the lay faithful. It will likewise facilitate the devising of musical settings for parts of the Mass.”

The text is covered by copyright law and the Statutes of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy.

The more significant changes of the people’s parts are:

1. et cum spiritu tuo is rendered as “And with your spirit”
2. In the Confiteor, the text “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault” has been added
3. The Gloria has been translated differently and the structure is different from the present text
4. In the Preface dialogue the translation of “Dignum et justum est” is “It is right and just”
5. The first line of the Sanctus now reads “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts”
6. The response of the people at the Ecce Agnus Dei is “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

At this time, no date is available as to when the entire translation of the Roman Missal will be released

A good article I found... "Pope’s Ancient Ornaments and Vestments Underscore Continuity in Liturgy"

Rome, Jun 26, 2008 (CNA).- The Vatican’s Master of Papal Liturgical Ceremonies, Msgr. Guido Marini explained that the distinct ancient liturgical ornaments and vestments being used by Pope Benedict XVI underscore “the continuity of the current liturgical celebration with that which has characterized the life of the Church in the past. The hermeneutic of continuity is always an exact criterion for reading the course of the Church in time. This also applies to the liturgy.”

In an interview with the L’Osservatore Romano, Msgr. Marini said that “just as a Pope cites the Pontiffs that preceded him in his documents in order to indicate the continuity of the Magisterium of the Church, so in the area of liturgy, a Pope also uses liturgical vestments and sacred accessories of the Popes that preceded him to indicate the same continuity in the lex orandi (law of prayer).”

“I would like to note that the Pope does not always use ancient liturgical vestments. He often uses modern ones. The important thing is not that they are ancient or modern but that they are beautiful and dignified, aspects that are important for all liturgical celebrations,” he added.

Asked about accusations that Pope Benedict XVI is trying to impose “pre-conciliar models,” Msgr. Marini said, that terms such as “pre-conciliar” or “post-conciliar” are used by some “with the intent of indicating a discontinuity in the Church’s journey, I consider [the terms] to be erroneous and typical of very narrow ideological visions.”

“There are ancient things and there are new things that belong to the treasure of the Church of the ages and as such they are taken into consideration,” he continued, adding that “not everything that is new is true, and neither is everything that is ancient. The truth transcends the old and the new and we must tend towards it without prejudice.”

Asked about the gold staff that is in the form of a Greek cross which the Holy Father has been using lately, Msgr. Marini said this choice “does not mean simply a return to the ancient, but rather it is a testimony to development in continuity, a rooting in tradition that allows for moving forward in history in an orderly fashion,” and in addition it is “lightweight and easily manageable,” and as such is a practical choice.

Regarding the changes in the pallium which Pope Benedict will give to 41 new archbishops on June 29, Msgr. Marini said they were developments to the design used up until the time of Pope John Paul II and that they will be slightly wider and longer.

Saint Peter and Paul (Part II)

Pope: Rome, unity and mission to all peoples at feast of Peter and Paul Benedict XVI emphasises the mission of the two apostles, and that of the see of Rome, to emphasise the unity and universality of the Catholic faith. Also present Bartholomew I, patriarch of Constantinople, in Rome for the beginning of the Pauline Year. The pontiff gave 40 archbishops the pallium, sign of Christ's "care" for humanity and of collegial communion with the pope.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Side by side with the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, in the presence of 40 Catholic metropolitan archbishops to whom he gave the pallium, Benedict XVI today celebrated the liturgy of the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul in the Vatican basilica. A liturgy rich in symbols: the Greek Orthodox patriarch sat beside the Catholic pontiff; the Gospels were proclaimed by two deacons, Greek Orthodox and Latin, who brought the book of the Gospels to be kissed by the pastor of the other confession; the Creed was proclaimed together in the Greek formula of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan symbol; the fraternal exchange of peace between the pontiff and the patriarch. Unity and collegiality, "romanità" and universality, ecumenism and mission were woven together in the words of Bartholomew I and in those of the pope, while the assembly applauded both. No risk of ritualism or of abstract theology: all of the emphases, the search for theological and pastoral unity, the symbol of the pallium, the very commemoration of the martyred apostles are a function of the mission to the world, for "peace" - as Bartholomew I said - or in order to bring about, as the pope said, "a new kind of city that must be formed continually anew in the midst of the old human city, which remains under threat from the opposing forces of sin and human egoism".

After the proclamation of the Gospel, Benedict XVI introduced the address by Bartholomew I, which emphasised the profound unity and friendship that binds Constantinople ("the new Rome") and the "old Rome". He affirmed that theological dialogue "continues forward, beyond the considerable difficulties that remain and the well-known problems", and expressed his hope that soon, "as soon as possible", full unity may be reached. The visit of the delegation from the patriarchate to Rome for the feast of the holy apostles - which has become a tradition - is itself an expression of this desire, and of a form of unity already present. This year, Bartholomew I himself wanted to be present in order to repay the pope's visit to Constantinople last November, but above all to inaugurate together the Pauline Year, at the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Saint Paul. Bartholomew I said that for them as well, this is "the Year of the apostle Paul", in which the Church of the East has planned pilgrimages to Rome and to the places of the apostle's activity in Turkey (Ephesus, Miletus, etc.) and to Greece, Rhodes, and Crete.

In his homily, the pontiff emphasised above all the value of Rome, as the place of the martyrdom of the two apostles: "Through their martyrdom, they became brothers; together they were the founders of the new Christian Rome". And he added: "The blood of the martyrs does not call for vengeance, but rather reconciles. It does not present itself as an accusation, but as 'luce aurea' ... as the power of love that overcomes hatred and violence, thus founding a new city, a new community. Because of their martyrdom, they - Peter and Paul - are now part of Rome: through martyrdom, Peter as well became a Roman citizen forever. Through martyrdom, through their faith and love, the two apostles show where real hope lies, and are the founders of a new kind of city that must be formed continually anew in the midst of the old human city, which remains under threat from the opposing forces of sin and human egoism".

Benedict XVI asked "why" Peter and Paul came to Rome. "[For Paul,] going to Rome was part of the universality of his mission to all peoples. The road to Rome . . . was an integral part of his task of bringing in the Gospel to all the gentiles - of founding the catholic, universal, Church. Going to Rome was for him an expression of the catholicity of his mission. Rome must make the faith visible to all the world, it must be the place of encounter in the one faith".

For his part, the pope continued, Peter is the one who opened the doors of the pagans to the Christian faith (see the episode with the centurion Cornelius, Acts 10). "Peter", the pope explained, ". . . left the leadership of the Christian-Jewish Church to James the Less, in order to dedicate himself to his true mission: to his ministry for the unity of the one Church of God formed from Jews and pagans. St Paul's desire to go to Rome emphasises - as we have seen - among the characteristics of the Church, above all the word 'catholic'. St Peter's journey to Rome, as representative of the peoples of the world, falls above all under the word 'one': his task was that of creating the unity of the catholica, of the Church made up of Jews and pagans, of the Church of all peoples. And this is the permanent mission of Peter: to make it so that the Church never be identified with a single nation, with a single culture or a single state. That it always be the Church of all. That it unite humanity beyond all boundaries, and, in the midst of the divisions of this world, make present the peace of God, the reconciling power of his love".

The unity of the Church, guaranteed by the ministry of Peter and of his successors, is not an end in itself, but a necessity for the world, which is always divided: "Thanks to the uniformity of technology, thanks to the worldwide network of information, thanks also to the connection of common interests, there now exist in the world today new ways of unity, which are however leading to an explosion of new disagreements, and giving a new impetus to old ones. In the midst of this external unity, based on material things, we need interior unity all the more, which comes from the peace of God - the unity of all those who through Jesus Christ have become brothers and sisters. This is the permanent mission of Peter, and also the particular task entrusted to the Church of Rome".

The last part of the homily was dedicated to the 40 archbishops who received the pallium from him today, a collar made of lamb's wool, embroidered with five crosses (a symbol of the five wounds of Christ). Among the archbishops - from all over the world - there were also some from Asian dioceses: Archbishop Fouad Twal, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem; John Hung Shan-Chuan of Taipei (Taiwan); John Lee Hiong Fun-Yityaw, of Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia); Archbishop Paolo Pezzi, from Moscow. The archbishop of Patna, William D'Souza, will instead receive the pallium in his see.

"When we take the pallium upon our shoulders", the pope explained, "this gesture reminds us of the Shepherd who takes upon his shoulders the lost sheep, which on its own was not able to find the way home, and brings it back to the fold". But Jesus Christ "also wants men who will 'carry' together with Him" lost humanity.

"The pallium", he added, "becomes a symbol of our love for the Shepherd, Christ, and of our loving together with Him - it becomes a symbol of the call to love men as He does, together with Him: those who are searching, those who are questioning, those who are sure of themselves and those who are humble, the simple and the great; it becomes a symbol of the call to love all with the power of Christ and in view of Christ, so that they may find Him, and in Him, themselves".

The pallium, he added finally, is a sign of collegiality, of unity among all the bishops and with the pope: "No one is a Shepherd on his own. We are successors to the Apostles thanks only to being in collegial communion, in which the college of the Apostles finds its continuation. Communion, the 'we' of the Shepherds, is part of being Shepherds, because the flock is only one, the one Church of Jesus Christ And finally, this 'with' also refers to communion with Peter and with his successor as the guarantee of unity".

Before the conclusion, Benedict XVI wanted to recite the Angelus, and in his reflection before the Marian prayer he again emphasised the value of the Pauline Year, which will last until June 29, 2009. "This special jubilee", the pope said, "will naturally have Rome as its centre of gravity, and in particular the basilica of St Paul outside the Walls and the place of martyrdom, at Tre Fontane. But it will involve the entire Church, beginning from Tarsus, Paul's birthplace, and from the other Pauline locations that will be the destinations for pilgrimages in modern-day Turkey, as also in the Holy Land, and the island of Malta, where the apostle landed after a shipwreck and sowed the fertile seed of the Gospel. In reality, the horizon of the Pauline Year can be nothing but universal". Paul, in fact, was "the apostle of those far off". "In a world that has become 'smaller'", he added, "but in which many still have not encountered the Lord Jesus, the jubilee of St Paul invites all Christians to be missionaries of the Gospel".

"This dimension of mission", he continued, "must always be accompanied by that of unity, represented by Saint Peter, the 'rock' on which Jesus Christ built his Church. As the liturgy emphasizes, the charisms of the two great apostles are complementary for the edification of the one People of God, and Christians cannot give valid witness to Christ if they are not unified among themselves".

At the end of the celebration, to emphasize further the great harmony with the Eastern Church, the pope and the patriarch of Constantinople blessed the faithful together. They then went to the tomb of Saint Peter, beneath the altar of confession, for a shared moment of silent prayer.(from AsiaNews.com)

More bad liturgy

Just when I thought liturgical dance could not get worse! This is an abomination! Let's pray for good holy priests who will safeguard the sacredness of Liturgy. The first clip is from Brazil.

When good liturgists go bad...

Interesting...




Below are some pictures from the Palm Sunday Mass at Saint Joan of Arc's Church in... the land of scary liturgy.