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THE NEW ENGLISH EDITION OF THE ROMAN MISSAL WHICH WILL BE INTRODUCED LATER IN THE YEAR
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 This page of the website will contain all information that will prepare parishioners for the introduction of the New English edition of the Roman Missal later in the year - the text on this page will be added to/updated each week.
At the end of the page you will also find a link to the Diocese publications "Praying the Mass".
The first of these, "Praying the Mass 1", was published in February 2011. Further editions will be added to the website each month over a six month period.
An introduction Video to Praying the Mass can be found on the Diocese of Westminster website: http://www.rcdow.org.uk/ click on Video/audio and select Praying the Mass in the Video section
UNDERSTANDING THE REVISED MASS TEXTS
Week (1)
Let’s begin with a prayer,
Good and gracious God,
open our minds and hearts to a new approach.
Help us to listen carefully,
to trust in the work of your Holy Spirit,
and to find your presence in this as in all our lives.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The words we say at Mass have undergone a revised translation. However, the flow of Mass is not changing at all. It will still take place in four parts: Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, and Concluding Rites. In each part, many of those words will not change, but some of them will.
This revised translation pertains to the book called, The Roman Missal. It will not affect the scripture readings, the Prayer of the Faithful, or your favourite hymns. The new translation pertains to the words we speak or sing at every Mass, and to the prayers that the priest recites alone from The Roman Missal.
The Introductory Rites
Entrance Chant
If the Mass you attend begins with an opening song, you should not experience any change to this practice.
Sign of the Cross and Greeting
The priest says the words for the Sign of the Cross and we answer “Amen”.
All of us make the gesture together. There is no change to the words or gesture for the Sign of the Cross. The priest chooses from three different formulas to greet the people. Perhaps the best known of these options is “The Lord be with you” Those words are not changing.
The response, however, is. You have been responding, “And also with you”, but soon you will answer, “And with your spirit”. This is a closer translation of the Latin Et cum spiritu tuo, and it matches the response that already exists in most other major languages, including Spanish, French, Italian and German.
The translation we have been using is adequate, but the revised translation is richer. The purpose of this greeting is not just to say “Hello” or “Good Morning”. It alerts participants that they are entering a special time of prayer.
Week (2)
The Penitential Act
When the priest uses one of the formula for the Penitential Act which ends with the people saying, ‘Lord, have mercy’, ‘Christ, have mercy’, & then ‘Lord, have mercy’ again, - this will not change. However, perhaps the most popular form of the Penitential Act is the prayer known by its Latin title, the Confiteor. It begins, ‘I confess to almighty God’. There will be a new translation for this. It’s almost the same as the one you know, but different enough to cause some initial confusion. This is the new translation
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.
Many of you will recall similar words some 40 or so years ago. As then we are now asked again to strike our breast at the words, ‘Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault’.
At first, saying the phrase ‘I have greatly sinned’, striking our breast at ‘through my fault’, repeating those words, and then adding, ‘through my most grievous fault’, all make it look as though we are a lot more sinful now then we used to be.
Remember, though, that the guiding principle of the translation is a closer adherence to the words in Latin. The new translation does have us express more grandly the seriousness of our sin and the sincerity of our contrition. It offers a humbler way to collect ourselves before stepping any further into prayer.
The Confiteor still concludes with the ‘Lord, have mercy’, and we may still use ‘Kyrie, eleison’ instead.
Another option for the Penitential Act has not been used very much, and it is undergoing a rather complete re-translation. This is now as follows:-
Priest: Have mercy on us, O Lord.
All: For we have sinned against you.
Priest: Show us, O Lord, your mercy.
All: And grant us your salvation.
Before the Penitential Act concludes, the priest proclaims an absolution - though this is not to be confused with the one he gives in confession.
The priest will still say: ‘May almighty God have mercy on us / forgive us our sins, / and bring us to everlasting life’. Your response is the same: ‘Amen’.
Week (3)
THE GLORIA - Part 1
The ancient and joyful prayer called the Gloria, which begins with the words that the angels sang at the birth of Jesus, has been sung and prayed for ages. This prayer praises God in several ways. In it we name some of the many wonderful things God has done, such as taking away the sins of the world. We describe who God is: ‘heavenly king’, ‘Lord’, ‘Holy One’, etc. We ask God to ‘receive our prayer’ and to ‘have mercy on us’. We acknowledge that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In this hymn we give glory to God and pray for peace to his people here on earth. It is very appropriate to begin our celebration by praising him in this way and by reminding ourselves of who our wonderful God is.
When we start using the revised English translation of the Order of Mass, one of the biggest changes you’ll notice is the words of the Gloria. The rules governing the use of this prayer have not changed. We will still sing or recite it on all Sundays of the year, except for those during Advent and Lent. The new translation of the Gloria is somewhat longer than the present Gloria.
Have a look at the revised translation.
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 Holy One,
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.
Week (4)
THE GLORIA (Part 2)
Last week we saw the revised translation of “The Gloria” and now we see the explanation given to us.
The revised translation changed “his people on earth” to “people of good will”. Again, the guiding principle for all translations is to let the English express more literally the sentiments of the Latin original. In this case, the previous text describes to whom the people belong (“his” = “God’s “), where now the new one describes their quality (“of good will”). Not only is this faithful to the original Latin prayer, but it better connects with Luke 2:14. Those familiar with the Christmas story will hear in the opening line of the Gloria an echo of the angels announcing peace at the birth of Jesus.
“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”. This replaces a shorter text in the previous version. The one we have been singing probably abbreviated this section because it seemed a bit excessive. Now all the descriptions for God have been restored, and the result is indeed excessive - but that is the point. We are so overcome with awe in the presence of God that we practically babble and stammer. We keep searching for words to describe the experience, and the result - word upon word - seems the best way to demonstrate the overwhelming experience of meeting God in prayer.
The words “Only Begotten Son…..Son of the Father” represent a slight change from the previous version, “only Son of the Father”. The earlier version chose an economy of words to express the same dogma, that Jesus is the only Son of God. On paper, there are more capital letters in this phrase. Of course, you won’t pronounce those words any differently, but the capitals appear in English because they exist in the Latin original at the words
Fili Unigenite. Latin uses only one word for “Only Begotten” - so when it is translated into English, both words are capitalised to indicate the sanctity of this title to Jesus.
At the words “you take away the sins of the world”, the phrases appear in a different order in the new translation, to imitate the order of the words in Latin. A small change appears in this line. We have been singing about “sin” in the singular, but the new translation has “sins” in plural. The difference indicates that Jesus takes away not just generic sin from the world, but an individual sin. He forgives people their personal sins.
On the whole, the revised translation for the Gloria reflects the long tradition of this hymn, while making it suitable for singing. It roots us in the scriptures, gives us words to praise God, and is an occasion to reflect the forgiving power of Jesus Christ.
Week (5)
THE ‘COLLECT’ OR OPENING PRAYER
The word ‘Collect’ comes from the Latin, meaning ‘to bring together’ or ‘to collect’. The purpose of this prayer, then, is to bring our thoughts and minds together, to this place, in this assembly. The members of the assembly may have many other things on their minds. But this prayer joins us together as one people with one voice. The prayer directs our thoughts to the celebration, to the Word we will hear, and the Eucharist we will share.
The Introductory Rites conclude with the Collect, of the Mass. All the collects have been completely re-translated, and they will sound a little different to you. The sentences are longer and more complex and may be difficult to follow at first. However, over a short period of time your ear should tune in to the flow of the prayer and make it easier for your heart to join its intention.
In the first English translation, which we use at present, opening prayers conclude with a formula that usually begins, ‘We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ’. This formula has been revised tool. You may not notice the difference, but it should make the role of the Persons of the Trinity more precise.
You conclude the Collect with the word ’Amen’, just as you do now. It solemnly affirms your belief in God and the unity of the prayers of everyone present.
Week (6)
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
There are few changes being made to the Liturgy of the Word, i.e. First reading, Responsorial Psalm, Second reading, Acclamation before the Gospel, Gospel, Homily, Creed and Prayer of the Faithful.
The first two readings will be introduced in the same way. However, the Acclamation which the reader makes at the end of the first & second readings will be ‘The word of the Lord’, instead of ‘This is the Word of the Lord’. Our response remains the same, ‘Thanks be to God ‘. The new translation of the reader’s Acclamation better translates the Latin, and is closer to the parallel Acclamation which accompanies our reception of Holy Communion ‘The Body of Christ/The Blood of Christ.
When the priest or deacon stands at the lectern and greets you, he will still say, ‘The Lord be with you’, but your response will now be, ‘And with your spirit’. This follows the practice established in the Introductory Rites of the Mass. When the Gospel is announced, you say, ‘Glory to you, O Lord’. The word ‘O’ has been added throughout the Missal before words such as ‘Lord’ and ‘God’ in sentences that are prayers. It slightly lengthens the one-syllable form of address to God, and intends to show respect. The change affects the priest more than it does you, although you have experienced it already in the Gloria. At the conclusion you still say, ‘Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ’
This new translation will not affect the scripture readings. The scripture readings are in separate volumes entitled the Lectionary for Mass and the Book of the Gospels. A new translation for these is also underway, but it is a separate project and it does not pertain to the changes you will soon experience.
This is why we are being advised not to buy new prayer books or mass books for the time being because they would need to be changed again, when the readings from scripture change at some point in the foreseeable future.
Week (7)
THE PROFESSION OF FAITH - THE CREED
First of all look at the Old & the New translations. The Explanations for the changes will be given next week.
Previous Translation
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen, and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made. For us men and our salvation he came down from heaven: All bow
by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
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New Translation
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, At the words that follow up to and including and became man, All bow. and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
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Week (8)
THE PROFESSION OF FAITH - THE CREED (continued)
The Nicene Creed is both a prayer and a statement of belief. When we pray this Creed, we echo what Catholics have prayed and believed through all those centuries. What a wonderful reminder of what we hold as central to our faith! Praying it is a kind of catechetical review. The Creed begins with the Trinity, specifying the role of the Father as Creator. It recalls what we believe about Jesus Christ, his role in the Trinity, his life, death, and Resurrection as well as the future in his eternal kingdom. The Creed then states the important role of the Holy Spirit. Finally, we pray about our belief in the Catholic Church, the importance of Baptism, and our future bodily resurrection in eternity. This prayer is rich with meaning, history, and faith. It is to be prayed with conviction and one voice with the entire community.
Spanish speakers
have been saying the
Spanish equivalent
Of ‘I believe’ all along
‘I believe’. You will notice right away that the Creed begins with ‘I’ instead of ‘We’. The Creed is still the faith of the entire Church, but each of us proclaims it to assert our personal faith together with other believers. ‘I believe’ is a literal translation of the Latin word Credo, and it is consistent with the translation that has been used in many other countries around the world since the Second Vatican Council. At first it will sound a little unusual to English speakers, but not to Spanish speakers, for example, who have been saying the Spanish equivalent of ‘I believe’ all along.
‘Of all things visible and invisible’. The choice of these words over ‘seen and unseen ‘ makes this line a little more precise. Some things that are visible by nature are actually unseen at certain times and places. Your relatives who live across the country are visible, but unseen to you. Your great-great grandfather was visible once upon a time, but now he is unseen. We believe that God is the maker not only of things we cannot see for whatever reason, but also of things that are in fact invisible -for example, the saints and angels who occupy a place in our belief and worship.
‘Only Begotten Son’. These words also appear in the Gloria. They replace the word ‘only’, and translate the Latin more fully. They reaffirm our faith that Jesus did not merely materialise as the Son of God, but that he was intentionally begotten; his presence has always been part of the divine plan.
‘Born of the Father before all ages’. This replaces the words ‘eternally begotten of the Father’, and makes them more precise. Jesus dwelled with the Father before time began. See, for example, the first two verses of John’s account of the Gospel.
Week (9)
THE PROFESSION OF FAITH - THE CREED (continued)
‘Consubstantial’. This word is a mouthful. In the entire revised translation of the Mass, this is probably the one word which will raise the most eyebrows. It replaces the expression ‘of one Being’, and it describes the relationship between Jesus and the Father. In the previous translation, ‘of one Being’ was thought to be more comprehensible and closer to the original Greek of the Creed. However, the revised translation chooses a word that lies closer to the Latin equivalent, consubstantialis.
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CONSTUBSTANTIAL DESCRIBES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JESUS AND THE FATHER.
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The question of how Jesus relates to the Father has
immense importance. Heresies have divided Christians
over this very issue. The early Church councils forged a
vocabulary that carefully articulates orthodox faith, and
they chose this word to express the dogma of Jesus’
divinity. The Latin word means ‘having the same substance
which is even more fundamental than ‘of one Being’.
‘Consubstantial’ is a very unusual word. We don’t use if for
anything else. But it is describing a very unusual thing -
the nature of Jesus Christ. He is not like anything or
anyone else.
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‘Adored’. The new translation chooses this word to replace ‘worshipped’. It more nearly resembles the word in Latin, and it is so translated consistently throughout the Missal.
‘I confess’. This replaces ‘We acknowledge’, and is a more forceful expression. In this context, ‘confess’ means ‘profess belief in’ - not ‘express sorrow for sins’. It sounds stronger than ‘acknowledge’ because it involves the heart, not just the head.
‘I look forward to the resurrection’. At the end of the Creed, instead of saying merely that we ‘look for the resurrection’, we say we ‘look forward to’ it. This is a clearer translation of the Latin, but it also resounds with confidence. It summons a certain tone of voice. With confidence we state belief in God who gives us faith.
Week (10)
THE PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL (BIDDING PRAYERS)
Background
The Prayer of the Faithful concludes the Liturgy of the Word. The word ‘catholic’ means ‘universal’; the Catholic Church embraces the world. Praying for the world’s needs seems important at a time just before we become ‘one bread, one body’ with that world in Christ. If someone suffers from a tsunami in Japan, we share that suffering in Ware or Preston. This corresponds to the work of the Church at its best. If a hurricane wreaks havoc in Haiti, people turn to the churches for food, water, and shelter. International organisations such as the Jesuit Volunteers, CAFOD, Christian Aid, or Catholic Relief Services are often the first to help at the scene of a natural disaster. To keep parishioners connected with the greater, and often suffering, world the liturgy has intercessions for the world at large.
The first English translation included samples, and new versions of these are appearing in the new edition of the Missal. But the entire text of the Prayer of the Faithful may be freely composed in your local community: the priest’s introduction, the individual petitions, the people’s response, and the priest’s concluding prayer. This part of Mass enjoys the greatest flexibility. It expects that the leaders of your community know best what you should pray for, and it calls upon them to formulate those petitions in an artful way.
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The petitions are supposed to
cover four considerations: the
needs of the Church, public
authorities and the salvation of
the whole world, those burdened
by any kind of difficulty, and the
local community. Within these
guidelines, the content of the
petitions is completely alterable.
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You should not experience any difference in these prayers. They will continue to vary from week to week, but in the same way they always have in the past.
Week (11)
THE PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the
Preparation of the Gifts. This part of Mass is
brief, and there will be only a very few changes
to the words when we start using the revised
translation.
Once the priest has received the gifts and stands
at the altar, he praises God, who has provided them.
To each of these prayers - one over the bread and
one over the wine - your response remains the same:
‘Blessed be God for ever’.
The words of the priest though, will be slightly
different. For example, while holding the bread
the priest will say, ‘Blessed are you Lord God
of all creation, / for through your goodness we
have received / the bread we offer you: / fruit
of the earth and work of human hands, / it will
become for us the bread of life’.
The priest has been saying, we have ‘bread to offer’, but soon he will say that we are in the act of offering it, and that we are offering it to God. This text ends the same way, so you should have no trouble making the appropriate response.
The words the priest will say while holding the chalice make a similar distinction: ‘Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, / for through your goodness we have received / the wine we offer you: / fruit of the vine and work of human hands / it will become our spiritual drink’
After he washes his hands, the priest invites you to pray. His invitation is slightly different: ‘Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters), / that my sacrifice and yours / may be acceptable to God, / the almighty Father’.
You will notice here the expansion from the words ‘our sacrifice’ to ‘my sacrifice and yours’. In keeping with the Latin text, this implies that more than one sacrifice is being offered. On the one hand, the Mass is a single sacrifice offered by all present. On the other hand, each baptised member of the assembly is offering a sacrifice, in keeping with his or her priestly role. The first letter of Saint Peter says we are meant to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (see 1 Peter 2:5).
Your response to this plea changes by the addition of one single word: ‘May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands / for the praise and glory of his name, / for our good / and the good of all his holy Church’
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The word ‘holy’ appears in Latin, so it is being added to the English. The Preparation of the Gifts concludes as the priest turns to the appropriate page in the Missal and says the Prayer over the Offerings. The content of this prayer changes with almost every Mass. Each of these prayers throughout the Missal has been re-translated. The words may sound a little different to you, but the prayer ends the same way: You respond with the word ‘Amen’.
Week (12)
DIALOGUE - PREFACE - HOLY,HOLY,HOLY
DIALOGUE
Your opening dialogue with the Priest will have a few alterations. It begins when he says, ‘The Lord be with you’.
Look at the Previous and the New Translations.
Previous Translation
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to
the Lord our God.
All: It is right to give him thanks and praise.
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New Translation
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to
the Lord our God.
All: It is right and just.
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At the end of this dialogue the priest says, ‘Let us give thanks to the Lord our God’. Those words are the same as the ones you have been hearing. But your response will be different. You have been saying, ‘It is right to give him thanks and praise’, but now you will respond, ‘It is right and just’. This is much closer to the Latin - just a declarative statement without explanation.
PREFACE
Your response, ‘It is right and just’ will also provide a more natural bridge to the Preface. The Preface begins with a phrase such as, ‘It is truly right and just’. So when the priest begins his part, he expands on what you have just said. The Preface will explain why it is truly right and just to give God thanks on this particular occasion. During a given season of the liturgical year, or when celebrating a day in honour of a saint, the Preface recalls something pertinent about God’s wonderful deeds. Other prefaces are more generic, but they always give specific reasons why we give God thanks on this day.
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY
At the end of the Preface, all join in the Holy, Holy, Holy. There is a slight change in the first line of this acclamation. The rest remains the same.
Previous Translation
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of power and might.
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New Translation
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
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The English translation of the first line has changed from ‘God of power and might’ to ‘God of hosts’. In Latin, the word for ‘hosts’, appears as Sabaoth. Actually, that word is in Hebrew. Latin borrows it without change because it could find no better word. The replacement word, ‘hosts’, means the angelic hosts, the invisible powers that work at God’s command.
Week (13)
THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER, THE CONSECRATION ACCLAMATIONS AND THE DOXOLOGY
THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
The Eucharistic prayer is the heart of the Mass, the template for our lives. It tells the story of God’s saving love for God’s people, from creation to Jesus and his Last Supper, then his death, Resurrection, and presence in our midst at the altar. This story reminds us who we are and whose we are. Even more, it helps us become what we eat and drink, the Body and Blood of Christ.
In the Eucharistic Prayer, the priest speaks more words than you do.
In the new translations the sentences are longer and more involved
and the vocabulary is broader. It may be a struggle at the beginning.
In time, though, the new translations should become more comfortable
for the priests to say and for everyone else to hear.
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The sentences are longer and more involved, and the vocabulary is broader.
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THE CONSECRATION ACCLAMATIONS
At present we have four acclamations from which to choose after the Consecration. In future we will only have three, and these will not be quite the same as we have at present. However, the one that is perhaps the best known, ‘Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again’, is not one of the new three. The three new ones will be:-
Previous Translation
Dying you destroyed our death,
rising you restored our life.
Lord Jesus, Come in glory.
When we eat this bread and drink this cup,
we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus
until you come in glory.
Lord, by your Cross and resurrection
you have set us free.
You are the Saviour of the world.
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New Translation
We proclaim your Death, O Lord
and profess your Resurrection
until you come again.
When we eat this Bread and drink this cup,
we proclaim your Death, O Lord,
until you come again
Save us, Saviour of the world,
for by your Cross and Resurrection,
you have set us free.
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THE DOXOLOGY
The Eucharistic Prayer comes to a close with the priest’s doxology and the people’s Amen. The word Amen means ‘So be it’ - or even, ‘I agree’ or ‘I believe’. It is a holy word that has resisted any further translation, and it is staying the same.
Week (14)
THE LORD'S PRAYER; THE SIGN OF PEACE AND THE LAMB OF GOD
THE LORD'S PRAYER - THE OUR FATHER
The Lord’s Prayer itself has not changed. You will continue to use the same words you have prayed all through your Christian life. The Lord’s Prayer we know has achieved a level of holiness that cannot be replaced. English speakers have used this translation for many, many years, so no change has been made. The same applies to the acclamation that concludes the Lord’s Prayer. After the priest says his prayer, you will still state, ‘For the kingdom, / the power and the glory are yours / now and forever’.
THE SIGN OF PEACE
When the priest greets you, he will say the same words: ‘The peace of the Lord be with you always’, but your response echoes other places in the Mass. Instead of ‘And also with you’, you will reply, ‘And with your spirit’.
THE LAMB OF GOD
These words are not changing but just before the distribution of Holy Communion, the priest makes an announcement, and then he joins you in the response, ‘Lord, I am not worthy’. Both parts of this dialogue will have some changes.
Previous Translation
Priest: This is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of the world.
Happy are those who are called
to his supper.
All: Lord, I am not worthy
to receive you,
but only say the word and I shall
be healed.
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New Translation
Priest: Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of
the world.
Blessed are those called
to the supper of the Lamb.
All: Lord I am not worthy
that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word
And my soul shall be healed.
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Holy Communion remains exactly the same as it is now, as does the Prayer after Communion, but the ‘Dismissal’ changes.
For this, the new translation offers some new options to the deacon or priest. He may say, ‘Go forth, the Mass is ended’, ‘Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord’, ‘Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life’, or just ‘Go in peace’. When Mass concludes, we do not just leave the building. We enter the world with a mission.
Even though the words of dismissal are new, your response remains the same. You end Mass with words of praise, words we say when we experience exhilaration or relief, surprise, or ecstasy: ‘Thanks be to God’.
NATIONAL PASTORAL LETTER ON THE NEW TRANSLATION OF THE ROMAN MISSAL
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
At the beginning of Advent this year, when we gather for Mass, we shall be using the new translation of the Roman Missal. This will be the case not only in England and Wales but throughout the English-speaking world. The Mass will remain the same but parts of it will sound different.
Since the Second Vatican Council, the Church has produced three Latin editions of the Roman Missal. At present, we are still using a translation of the first edition which was published in 1973. Although the texts we have been using have served us well, since that time there has been much development in the liturgical texts themselves and in our understanding of them.
We all become very accustomed to the words we hear; and the fact that we have been praying in a certain way for so long has imprinted that style of language and words upon our consciousness and made them very special. The changes in the language now to be introduced, however, do not represent change for change’s sake, but are being made in order to ensure greater fidelity to the liturgical tradition of the Church. In the earlier translation not all the meaning of the original Latin text was fully expressed and a number of the terms that were used to convey the teachings of the faith were lost. This was readily acknowledged by the bishops of the Church, even back in the 1970’s, and has become an increasing cause of concern since then.
There is an old adage in Latin which states that the way we pray forms the way we believe. So words and language are important for the teaching and the handing-on-of the faith.
So what does the new translation offer us? First of all, there is a fuller expression of the content of the original texts. Then, there is a closer connection with the Sacred Scriptures which inspire so much of our liturgy. Also, there is a recovery of a vocabulary that enriches our understanding of the mystery we celebrate. All of this requires a unique style of language and expression, one that takes us out of ourselves and draws us into the sacred, the transcendent and divine.
The publication of the new translation of the Missal is a special moment of grace in the English-speaking world. It offers an opportunity to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the mystery we celebrate each week. This itself will help us to move towards that fuller and more conscious and active participation in the liturgy to which the Church invites us. It will help us also to examine the dignity with which we celebrate the ‘source and summit’ of the Church’s life.
At the end of his visit last year, Pope Benedict asked us to use this moment for genuine renewal. He said: “I encourage you now to seize the opportunity that the new translation offers for in-depth catechesis on the Eucharist, and renewed devotion in the manner of its celebration. ‘The more lively the Eucharistic faith of the people of God, the deeper is its sharing in ecclesial life in steadfast commitment to the mission entrusted by Christ to his disciples’”(Sacramentum Caritatis, 6).
In order to achieve this, the bishops have produced resources for all our parishes and, as from September, we will gradually begin to use the new liturgical texts at Mass and hear why certain changes have been made. Each diocese is already preparing its priests and deacons, catechists and liturgical ministers. Programmes for schools are being developed and new musical settings are being composed. From September until Advent everyone will have the opportunity to study the new texts and familiarise themselves with the prayers and chants. In addition, this period of preparation will allow us to pray these new texts.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist is a gift, something we receive from God through the Church. Saint Paul spoke of it as coming from the Lord Jesus himself. Writing to the Church in Corinth, he said, “for I received from the Lord what I in turn also handed on to you” (1 Corinthians 11:23). So the Eucharist is not something of our making but a gift received. Like Saint Paul, therefore, let us receive it with reverence and care, knowing that we are being faithful to what the Lord himself passed on to the Apostles, which has been handed on since, in faithfulness, by their successors to every generation of the Church.
Let us welcome the new translation of the Roman Missal as a sign of our unity and a powerful instrument of God’s grace in our lives.
Published by the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales
Thursday 12 May 2011
You can view all editions of Praying the Mass here - please page down to select and view any edition.
February 2011- Praying the Mass 1
March 2011- Praying the Mass 2
April 2011- Praying the Mass 3
May 2011- Praying the Mass 4
Jun 2011- Praying the Mass 5
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