USCCB resource shows Scriptural influences of new translation

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released a guide today via Twitter showing how the Revised Roman Missal draws from the Bible.

So, using this resource, we can understand that when we sing "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will," we are referencing Luke 2:14: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests”

Click HERE to read the resource.

Nun's video talk on what to expect from New Roman Missal

Daughter of St. Paul Sister Anne Flanagan, aka the Nun Blogger, gave a talk Thursday on "What to Expect from The New Roman Missal." Watch it here (note: you can skip the intro if you jump to 3:05 on the video).

A priest's spirited explanation of the 'And with your spirit' greeting

One of the most prominent changes to the people's part of the Mass come Nov. 27 will likely be the switch from "And also with you" to "And with your spirit."

In an article posted today on the Catholic Herald's website, Dominican Father Austin Milner explains the significance of the change, which runs deeper than the fact that "And with your spirit" is the literal translation of the Latin liturgy's et cum spiritu tuo. The greeting's usage goes back to several of St. Paul's letters, and, Father Milner notes, is only found in Christian writings. He writes:

Let us begin by asking what St Paul might have meant when he used the phrase. A great deal of work has been done on this by New Testament exegetes which may help us to understand the liturgical formula.

First of all, we must ask whether St Paul is referring to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit. And at first sight it would seem that he cannot be referring to the Holy Spirit because he speaks of “your spirit”, and the Holy Spirit does not belong to any human being or group of human beings. So he must be referring to the human spirit. Paul sometimes speaks of the human being as composed of body, soul and spirit, but like the rabbis of his time he also tends to use “spirit” and “soul” as interchangeable terms. “Spirit” can designate the whole person regarded as a thinking and feeling being. So “with your spirit” could well be simply a way of saying “with you”. Certainly Paul has no intention here of speaking of the human spirit or soul as distinct from the body.
Most of the Pauline letters end with the wish that the grace of Christ may be with those to whom he has written: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Cor 13:13) or “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you” (1 Cor 16:23; 1 Thess 5:28; 2 Thess 3:18) or simply “Grace be with you” (Col 4:18; 1 Tim. 6:21; Titus 3:15; cf Eph 6:13). Why then, in the four Epistles mentioned above, does he express the wish that the grace of Christ may be with their spirit. What, if anything, does this add to his greeting?

It would seem that St Paul always regards the human spirit as a God-given spirit. For the Christian it is a new thing, which, though a created part of the Christian’s nature, is received from God, set in the believer by God: “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry “Abba! Father!” it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rm 8:15-16; cf 1 Thess 5:23). Fundamentally there is for St Paul only one Spirit of God imparted severally to individuals (cf Rm 1:9; 2 Cor 11:4). It would seem then that in the four cases in which St Paul changes the “with you” of his final greeting to “with your spirit” he wants to do two things: he wants to remind his readers of the special human participation in the Spirit of God which they have received, and because he speaks of “your (plural) spirit” he seems to be referring to something that exists in, or has been received in common by, the whole church to which he is writing.

In several places in the Bible, however, the word “spirit” is used to refer to gifts of or effects of the Holy Spirit as in Isaiah 11:2: “And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD” (RSV). St Paul also uses the word in this sense when he says, for instance, “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful” (1 Cor. 14:14), where a clear distinction is made between the spirit of the one praying in a strange tongue and his or her mind, or again when he says: “And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets” (1 Cor. 14:32). St Justin Martyr (c 250 AD) tells us that those who believe in Christ receive gifts, when they are baptised, each one as they are worthy. “The one receives the spirit of understanding, another of counsel, another of fortitude, another of healing, Another of foreknowledge, another of teaching, and another of the fear of the Lord” (Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, c39 [PG 6, 560]).

In the ordination prayers of The Apostolic Tradition the Church prays that the bishop will receive “the spirit of leadership”, that the presbyter will receive “the spirit of grace and of council of the presbytery so that he may aid and govern your people with a pure heart”, and that the deacon will receive “the spirit of grace and zeal”.

This sense fits well with the liturgical response, “and with your spirit”. Up to late in the fourth century the Eucharistic prayer, and indeed the other prayers of the liturgy, were spontaneous compositions, even though they followed one of several traditional patterns. Such spontaneous prayer was related to the gift of prophecy. A Christian work of the end of the first century called The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles says that at the Eucharist the prophets should be allowed to give thanks as much as they desire. Thus when the assembled people replied to the presider’s blessing, they prayed that the Lord would be with the charism he has received. By the end of the fourth century this spontaneous prayer had been replaced by the use of written prayers. In the church of Antioch and Syria preachers like St John Chrysostom and Theodore of Mopsuestia were saying that the word “spirit” in the response referred to the charism or grace of the priesthood which the bishop or presbyter had received.

Click HERE to read the entire article.

Resources for getting young Catholics ready for Mass changes

Life Teen's CatholicYouthMinistry.com blog is encouraging those who work in youth ministry to embrace the catechetical opportunities relating to the implementation of the revised Roman Missal.

"[F]or the young people we serve, this will be the first major liturgical change they have ever experienced. As youth ministers and Core Members, it is our privilege to walk with them and help them grow in understanding and love of the Holy Mass," writes Lisa Epperson on the blog.

She also details the resources Life Teen will offer relating to the changes:

• Soon here on CatholicYouthMinistry.com there is a section specifically dedicated to the new Roman Missal. It will contain blogs and videos for music ministers, liturgical ministers, youth ministers and Core Members. New content will continue to be added to this section throughout the year.
• The May Life Support box will include both a written resource about the Mass and the new Roman Missal. It can be used as a weekend retreat for teens or a Life Night “mini-series” in the fall. It will also include a session for Core Members and parents.
• The May Life Support box will also include a DVD resource that will supplement the written resource. It will walk through some of the changes in the new Missal and why they changed. This can be used with parents, Core Members and teens.
• The September Life Support box will feature a small booklet for teens that will walk through some of the new words and phrases heard in the new Missal. It will provide short, insightful explanations of the phrases – what they mean and where they came from.

Click HERE to read more.

New Roman Missal translation and hopes for authentic liturgical renewal

The implementation of the new English translation of the Roman Missal is "a perfect moment in the life of the Church for a new 'eucharistic catechesis.'" So said Denver Auxiliary Bishop James D. Conley in a talk to choir members and church musicians at a Colorado parish last fall. Next month's edition of the Adoremus Bulletin includes text from the bishop's message. Here is an excerpt:

We believe in a God who is transcendent. Yet through the pure gift of His grace, this God has humbled Himself to share in our humanity, so that we might share in His divinity. This is what is going on in the offering of the Mass. The mission of Christ’s incarnation continues in every celebration of the sacred liturgy. In the Mass, God stoops down to lift us up to His level. He makes it possible for us, though we are but creatures, to sing and worship with the angels, in praise of our Creator.

A lot of the liturgical renewal since the Council has got this dynamic exactly backwards. And that’s because a lot of the so-called renewal started from exactly the wrong place.

Pope Benedict XVI has described the problem this way. He has said that too many people interpreted Vatican II with a “hermeneutic of discontinuity and rupture”. Now “hermeneutic” is a big word that means “way of interpreting”. What the pope is saying is that some people interpreted Vatican II as a decisive break — a rupture and rejection of all that had gone before in the Church. I remember in the 1980s when I was in the seminary some of my professors would refer to the “pre-Vatican II” Church and the “post-Vatican II” Church as if these were two totally different Churches.

In reality, the right way to understand the Council is with a “hermeneutic of continuity”. In other words, we should interpret the Council’s reforms not as a break with the past, but as a natural, organic and integral development of the tradition that has been handed down to us from the apostles.

I say all of this by way of background and context. Because I believe that in this new edition of the Missal, the Church is trying to reassert the continuity of the Novus Ordo with the ancient liturgy of the Church.

In particular, I see in the changes a real effort to restore the transcendent dimension of the liturgy and to reassert the proper balance between God’s transcendence and His immanence — so that the Mass always reveals and makes real our communion and intimacy with God.

Click HERE to read the bishop's entire address.

New Roman Missal prayers and responses guide ...

Or, if you prefer, a nifty cheat sheet for those trying to get the hang of saying "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof," and other Mass changes that are coming Nov. 27.

OSV recently published a pew card for the Revised Order of the Mass. The laminated sheet lists the new prayer and response translations of the Greeting, Penitential Acts, Gloria, Nicene Creed, Apostles' Creed, Sanctus and Mystery of Faith, among other things.

For example, here's the Confiteor:

I confess to almighty God

and to you, my brothers and sisters,

that I have greatly sinned

in my thoughts and in my words,

in what I have done

and in what I have failed to do,

through my fault,

through my fault,

through my most grievous fault;

therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,

all the Angels and Saints,

and you, my brothers and sisters,

to pray for me to the Lord our God.

The pew cards come 50 per package, convenient for parishes or for individuals who want to make sure all of their friends are properly prepped.

Click HERE for more information.

Liturgical conference to spotlight Mass of Renewal created for new Missal translation

People who come a little early to the Feb. 2-5 Southwest Liturgical Conference in Salt Lake City, which has the theme of "Ever Ancient, Ever New: Preparing for the Revised Roman Missal," will be able to attend a pre-conference session spotlighting David Kauffman and William Gokelman, composers of "Mass of Renewal", which took first place in new Mass setting contest sponsored by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians. The Diocese of Salt Lake City's Intermountain Catholic offered these details:

Kauffman and Gokelman are well-known liturgical composers, and the spotlight will be a tremendous opportunity for those attending the conference to speak with them, said Karin Hurley, core program committee chairperson for the Southwest Liturgical Conference.

The "Mass of Renewal" will be published as part of the music resources that will accompany the changes to the Roman Missal, which will be implemented the first Sunday of Advent.

The spotlight will be "almost like a musical short course to us," allowing the composers to teach the music, which is both prayerful and spiritual, Hurley said. "I think the people that attend will come away from it filled … with the Holy Spirit."

Click HERE to read more about the liturgical conference. Listen to a sampling of the Mass of Renewal below:

New pamphlet explains the 'why' of Mass changes

Most Catholics in the English-speaking world have at least an inkling that the Gloria, the Nicene Creed and other parts of the Mass will be changing beginning Nov. 27, but do they know why?

OSV recently released a pamphlet, "Why Is the Translation of the Mass Changing?" to explain why some of the words that are said in Mass are changing.

The pamphlet, which was written by Joseph D. White, Ph.D., also gives a brief history of the Mass in English and tells Catholics exactly what is changing.

For ordering information, click HERE.

Listen to a version of the Gloria that uses new Roman Missal translation

Corpus Christi Watershed, a nonprofit organization, has uploaded a video on YouTube of a version of the Glory to God that uses the Missal translation that will debut Nov. 27. The composer, Jeff Ostrowski, explained his intention here:

My intention was to create a dignified setting that was not too long, would not become tiresome over the years, yet was easy enough for an average congregation to sing well.

Check it out:

Catholic parishes in England, Wales will begin using new Missal in September

As dioceses and parishes in the United States prepare parishioners for the new translation of the Roman Missal, it may be easy to forget that other English-language countries are making similar preparations. Here is a glimpse of how the bishops of England and Wales plan to roll out the new translation:

The new English translation of the Order of Mass will be used in parishes in England and Wales from September, it was announced today.

The bishops’ conference said it would be introduced into parishes three months before the new Missal is published in Advent and would thus provide an opportunity for “in-depth catechesis on the Eucharist and renewed devotion in the manner of its celebration.”

To finish reading, click HERE. Or, if you'd like to view the UK bishops' website on the new Roman Missal, click HERE.

Toledo priest gives overview of Missal changes at 'Theology on Toast' gathering

Last week, Father Jeffrey McBeth, a priest of the Diocese of Toledo, addressed about 25 people gathered at a Theology on Toast event (sort of like Theology on Tap, but for older adults) about the upcoming changes to the Roman Missal.

The priest, who emphasized he's no expert on the subject but just a "regular priest," spoke about the opportunities the revised Mass affords Catholics:

"I think it will make us appreciate the words we say at Mass better, especially because we've been using the same words for so long, we almost don't even think about it," he said. "We really can focus on the words and what they mean. And it's also an opportunity to appreciate the liturgy even more while we're going through the new words."

Click HERE to read the rest of what Father McBeth said.

Longtime catechist will host free Roman Missal changes webinar in February

Next month, catechists and parish leaders will get a chance to hear from a well-known catechist and author about the Roman Missal changes and how they will affect the Mass.

Joseph Paprocki, a fourth-grade catechist, author and blogger who serves as national consultant for faith formation at Loyola Press, will offer a free webinar titled “What You Need to Know about the Roman Missal Changes” on Feb. 8 and Feb. 9.

According to the Loyola Press website, some of the topics will include:

Background on the changes in the Roman Missal

Explanations of why the changes are taking place

In-depth look at specific texts that are changing in the Mass

For information about the webinar, click HERE.

What 'consubstantial with the Father' means

Beginning Nov. 27, when Catholics recite the Nicene Creed at Sunday Mass, they'll profess that Jesus Christ is "God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father" rather than "one in Being with the Father." (Click HERE to see the entire text of the Creed and other parts of the Mass.)

What on earth does "consubstantial" mean? It turns out there's a good reason the Church wants Catholics to learn this word. Dominican Father Romanus Cessario, senior editor for Magnificat, unpacks its meaning in the Boston Pilot:

For the last 40 years or so, Catholics have become accustomed to express their belief in the sameness of the Father and the Son by the expression, "one in Being with the Father." This translation came about because certain experts had opined that a literal translation of the Latin term "consubstanialem," that is, consubstanital, would be too unfamiliar to the everyday churchgoer.

However, the expression "one in Being with the Father" does not translate "consubstantialem." The expression is too vague. Since God creates and sustains all that exists, everything in some sense can be said to be one in being with God. Not that everything is the divine nature but that everything outside of God remains dependent on the divine nature for its borrowed existence. The sameness that the Eternal Son enjoys with the Father is not like that. Instead, this sameness arises from the specific substance or nature of the Godhead. Catholic faith holds that each of the three Divine Persons share one and the same divine nature or substance. Just as the mystery of the Blessed Trinity stands at the heart of our belief, so also it grounds our salvation.

The Greek expression adopted at the Council of Nicaea is "homoousious," which is translated into English as "con-substantial." The Eternal Son, who was born of the Virgin Mary, is neither "like" the Father nor "practically the same substance" as the Father. The Eternal Son enjoys the very same substance as the Father. The Son possesses fully the Godhead of the Father. So today, the Church again confesses in the English rendition of the Creed that Jesus Christ is "consubstantial with the Father."

Click HERE to read Father Cessario's entire column.

Oregon parish declares "Our Year of the Mass" to deepen understanding of revisions

A priest known for his ministry to youths will help Oregon teens and adults better understand the upcoming revisions to the Roman Missal next month.

Father John Amsberry, pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Portland, Ore., whose website is urareloved.com, will speak on the new translation at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Lake Oswego, Ore., on Feb. 13, after a Life Teen Mass.

The event is just one way Our Lady of the Lake is preparing its parishioners for Nov. 27, when the new translation is implemented. The parish has declared 2011 "Our Year of the Mass" and will incorporate the Mass revisions into its Lenten faith sharing program. Parishioners are also able to submit questions about the Mass in a bulletin question-and-answer box.

For more information, click HERE.

How Diocese of Davenport is getting Catholics ready for Nov. 27

According to the Quad-City Times, the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa, which has a Catholic population of 100,000, has set up implementation committees in each parish, and has issue guidelines for ushering in the new translation of the Roman Missal. It also has dedicated a page on its website to the Roman Missal, with sample prayers and a link to its implementation policy.

The emphasis, it seems, is on renewal and deepening Catholics' relationship with Christ.

"I'm excited, but I think it will be a challenge," Eleanor Kiel, director of music and liturgy at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Bettendorf, told the newspaper. "I hope people see this as a learning opportunity, as a renewal."

To read more, click HERE.

San Francisco archdiocese launches Year of Renewal in advance of implementation

As the Church in the United States counts down to the implementation of the new translation of the Roman Missal, Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco has declared a Year of Renewal in Worship and Prayer.

In a column in Catholic San Francisco, Patrick Vallez-Kelly, archdiocesan director of the Office of Worship, explained how Catholics can prayerfully prepare for the upcoming changes.

"Just within the past week the Church has seen the liturgical season of Christmas come to a close, yet the rich and powerful mystery of God becoming human in the person of Jesus Christ remains. We will do well to be mindful of the mystery of the Incarnation, especially as we make our way through this year’s administrative and catechetical process that, at times, may seem all-too-filled with human limitations. Through it all we should look for God’s hand in the work and remember our own Christian potential to help bring about the renewal that we all desire."

Read more of Vallez-Kelly's column HERE.

Buffalo TV show preps Catholics for changes

Catholics in the Diocese of Buffalo, N.Y. — and anyone who has access to YouTube, for that matter — are getting a chance to learn the reasons for the new translation of the Roman Missal, and how it will affect them, thanks to the diocese's "Matters of Faith" TV show. So far, the show has aired three segments on the upcoming changes, including how the music of the Mass will adapt to accommodate them.

At Theology on Tap, bishop addresses new Roman Missal

Last month, Bishop R. Walker Nickless of Sioux City, Iowa, addressed the coming changes to the Roman Missal translation in a Theology on Tap gathering with about 20 young Catholics.

“Things we see in the Mass are going to be changed, the words are going to be different,” said Bishop Nickless talking about changes to the Roman Missal. “It gives every bishop, every priest a chance to re-educate the faithful in all aspects of the Mass. I think the new translation is going to be a help to us to try to get back some of the dignity, the solemnity and the nobility of the Mass that we have lost.”

Read the entire story here.

Kansas bishop appoints missal implementation commission

Bishop Robert W. Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph has appointed an eight-member commission to guide the implementation of the new Roman Missal translation in his diocese over the coming year.

According to an article in The Catholic Key, the commission head, Deacon Ralph Wehner, director of the diocesan Office of Sacred Worship:

"said the commission will assess needs throughout the diocese on the implementation of the Missal and recommend solutions. The commission will also review resources on the implementation and recommend which ones will be the most useful to parishes."

For more, and for a list of the members of and consultors to the commission, read it all here.

Worcester, Mass., priest played big role in missal translation changes

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Mass.) — the newspaper I delivered by bicycle every afternoon when I was a kid — has a report on a local priest who played a big role in the new translation of the Roman Missal.

The priest is Msgr. James P. Moroney, rector of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Worcester, who also serves as executive secretary of the Vox Clara Committee, which was created by the Vatican in 2002 to guide the translation of the Missal and other liturgical texts into English.

“There might be some confusion when the new Missal is introduced, but I don’t think there will be any serious problems,” said Msgr. Moroney.

 Here's the entire piece.