If you are a Catholic, you have heard about the revisions to the Roman Missal translation for the United States, which will be implemented on the first Sunday of Advent, November 27th. I admit, I am a person who enjoys change so I feel a little excited about these more eloquent translations. However, I am not a cradle Catholic, so it has taken me 13 years to follow along comfortably with the liturgical responses as they are now! It'll be comforting to think that all Catholics will be feeling a little awkward together as we get used to new responses during Mass. For the members of my family who are not Catholic, they will be thrilled to have something to follow along with when attending church with our family.
Since I am by far not the best resource for the details of what has changed or why, I will share a few resources with you where you can find out for yourself:
1. Pat Gohn has written a four part series at Patheos detailing the new translations. This is a great place to begin.
2. Rebecca Teti wrote a piece for Faith and Family Live that is brief and I loved her take on seeing this as an opportunity for us to pay closer attention to the words we say at mass. Seeing these changes as a way to deepen our connection to Christ encouraged me.
3. Finally, this website has put all the new changes into musical chant. These chants are the sound of holiness to me. Here is a sample of the new Greeting where the laity will no longer respond with , And also with you, but instead with the much lovelier, And with your spirit.
Thank you for the links, Misty!
ReplyDeleteWe've been using the new translation for some months now. The pew cards are very helpful though a bit unwieldy. It's a bit difficult to bow heads while reading the prayers on the big stiff cards!
The words of the new translation are so beautiful. And it hasn't taken us long to get used to the new responses. Some of the shorter responses are coming automatically now.
It's funny how we get so used to saying our prayers without any effort. I guess in a year or so we'll all have left the old patterns and habits behind and we'll have absorbed the new. They will feel comfortable and 'right'.
And the new words give us all a chance to read what we are saying carefully and to think about their meaning. So yes, the change is good!
Thank you for sharing that Sue. I am glad to hear that you also like the new translations. I can't wait to start both the new missal as well as Advent!
ReplyDeleteI am so excited for it. When I spent a year in Spain as a new Catholic, I really loved the wording..it was so much more deeper and closer to the Latin and I always wished it was like that in English. I'm just SO excited that now it will be!!
ReplyDeleteElisa - please tell me your year in Spain was 1994 or 1996? I would have been there at the same time. Wow - we must share some Why I LOVE Spain stories someday!
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