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Religion See other Religion Articles Title: Preparing for a New Translation of the Roman Missal Preparing for a New Translation of the Roman Missal Msgr. James P. Moroney From the Nov/Dec 2006 Issue of Lay Witness Magazine On June 15, 2006, members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved a slightly amended form of the translation of the Order of Mass by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (I.C.E.L.). Now we await the consideration of that translation by several other English-speaking conferences of bishops (the Episcopal Conference of India is scheduled to vote on the text in January 2007) and a review by the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments in consideration of its confirmation by the Holy See. In the meantime, bishops, priests, liturgists, and other people have turned their attention to preparing for the implementation of these revised translations. While no one knows for certain what further changes may be introduced by the Holy See in the course of its review, some aspects of the final state of the project appear relatively certain. Equally certain is the need for proper catechesis in preparation for this important new moment in the liturgical renewal first begun by the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council more than 40 years ago. Why a New Roman Missal? The first reason for a new translation of the prayers of the Mass is Pope John Paul II’s publication in the Jubilee year of a third edition of the Roman Missal, the Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia. About 18 percent of the prayers and rites differ from the previous edition published in Latin in 1975. A further impetus to a new translation of the Missale Romanum arrived with the 2001 publication of the fifth post-conciliar "Instruction for the Right Application of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy" (Liturgiam Authenticam). This instruction from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments prescribes the ways in which the provisions of article 36 of the conciliar constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium are to be applied to the vernacular translation of the texts of the Roman Liturgy. Calling for "a new era of liturgical renewal, which is consonant with the qualities and the traditions of the particular Churches, but which safeguards also the faith and the unity of the whole Church of God," the instruction has resulted in a complete restructuring of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, the mixed commission established by the Holy See to produce drafts of the English-language translations of liturgical books. Finally, we might point to Pope John Paul II’s 1988 Apostolic Letter Vicesimus Quintus Annus, in which he called upon the Church to "reflect upon . . . certain difficulties that have . . . emerged, to remedy certain defects or inaccuracies, to complete partial translations, to compose or approve chants to be used in the Liturgy, to ensure respect for the texts approved and lastly to publish liturgical books in a form that both testifies to the stability achieved and is worthy of the mysteries being celebrated" (no. 20). The People’s Parts Parts reserved to the people have been changed only in those instances where the previous translation did not adequately convey the original Latin text. While most lines which we have previously committed to memory remain unchanged, there are some significant exceptions. Perhaps the two most notable changes concern the Gloria and the most common greeting and response of the Roman liturgy. None of the complex theological and political compositions of the Missale Romanum are easy to translate. However, few of the parts reserved to the people are as difficult to render into English as the Gloria. The 1978 English translation rearranged lines and combined phrases in an attempt to translate this hymn of praise into clear and easily understood English. The new I.C.E.L. translation has been guided by the fifth instruction, which requires that all liturgical texts "must be translated integrally and in the most exact manner, without omissions or additions in terms of their content, and without paraphrases or glosses" (Liturgiam Authenticam, no. 20). Thus the new rendering is a much closer reading of the Latin hymn. However, while ever conscious of the need for precision in producing an authentic English-language rendering, the translators worked for many years to achieve a form of English expression which is at once poetic, beautiful, and easy to proclaim. Without a doubt, the most striking of all the changes to the "people’s parts" is the translation of the response et cum spiritu tuo. Until now, this most common of responses has been translated "and also with you." In accord with the Liturgiam Authenticam, the response will now be rendered "and with your spirit" (cf. no. 56). This more accurate translation is closer to the Italian (e con il tuo spirito), French (et avec votre esprit), Spanish (y con tu espíritu) and German (und mit deinem Geiste) renderings presently in use. The response et cum spiritu tuo is found from the earliest days of the Church in the liturgies of both East and West. One of the first instances of its use is found in the Traditio Apostolica of St. Hippolytus, composed in Greek around AD 215. The dialogue is only used between the priest and the people, or exceptionally, between the priest and the deacon. The greeting is never used in the Roman Liturgy between a non-ordained person and the gathered assembly. By greeting the people with the words "The Lord be with you," the priest expresses his desire that the dynamic activity of God’s Spirit be given to the people of God, enabling them to do the work of transforming the world that God has entrusted to them. The expression et cum spiritu tuo is only addressed to an ordained minister. Some scholars have suggested that spiritu refers to the gift of the Spirit he received at ordination. In their response, the people assure the priest of the same divine assistance of God’s Spirit and, more specifically, help for the priest to use the charismatic gifts given to him in ordination and in so doing to fulfill his prophetic function in the Church. Formation for a New Roman Missal So how should we prepare to receive these "new and improved" translations of the third edition of the Missale Romanum? The first way to prepare to receive this great gift is the same way we prepare to celebrate the sacred mysteries each week: by cultivating a humble heart. For 40 years, popes and bishops, scholars and priests, liturgical commissions and ministers have labored mightily to understand and implement the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Articles have been written, learned speeches proclaimed, and a full corpus of commentaries published. Now, however, all the learned treatises on translation of liturgical texts have been duly considered by pope and bishops alike, and a translation soon will be published for the whole Church by the successors of St. Peter and the Apostles. The second way to prepare for the reception of these new translations is to recognize the doors they will open for us. These more authentic renderings will allow us, in some cases for the first time, to mine the treasury of the Latin liturgy for its theological and spiritual profundity. An age of authentic translation can become an age of authentic liturgical celebration—an age when the lex orandi of the gathered assembly deepens and strengthens the lex credendi of their daily lives. We stand, therefore, on the verge of a great new moment in liturgical reform, first envisioned by Pope John Paul II in Vicesimus Quintus Annus some 18 years ago. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, he wrote: "The time has come to renew that spirit which inspired the Church at the moment when the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium was prepared, discussed, voted upon and promulgated, and when the first steps were taken to apply it. The seed was sown; it has know[n] the rigors of winter, but the seed has sprouted, and become a tree. It is a matter of the organic growth of a tree becoming ever stronger the deeper it sinks its roots into the soil of tradition. I wish to recall what I said at the Congress of Liturgical Commissions in 1984: in the work of liturgical renewal, desired by the Council, it is necessary to keep in mind ‘with great balance the part of God and the part of man, the hierarchy and the faithful, tradition and progress, the law and adaptation, the individual and the community, silence and choral praise. Thus the Liturgy on earth will fuse with that of heaven where . . . it will form one choir . . . to praise with one voice the Father through Jesus Christ’" (no. 23). May God make us worthy of so great a work! Msgr. Moroney is the executive director of the U.S. Bishops’ Secretariat for the Liturgy. (1) The use of the Latin language, with due respect to particular law, is to be preserved in the Latin rites. (2) But since the use of the vernacular, whether in the Mass, the administration of the sacrament, or in other parts of the liturgy, may frequently be of great advantage to the people, a wider use may be made of it, especially in readings, directives and in some prayers and chants. Regulations governing this will be given separately in subsequent chapters. (3) These norms being observed, it is for the competent territorial ecclesiastical authority mentioned in Article 22:2, to decide whether, and to what extent, the vernacular language is to be used. Its decrees have to be approved, that is, confirmed, by the Apostolic See. Where circumstances warrant it, it is to consult with bishops of neighboring regions which have the same language. (4) Translations from the Latin for use in the liturgy must be approved by the competent territorial ecclesiastical authority already mentioned. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 3.
#1. To: gargantuton (#0)
(Edited)
I understand the Psalm 8/Hebrews 2 Christological window will be reopened. Your opinion?
Oh, I have no opinion on that. I really don't know what you mean (I know the passage, but I'm not that familiar with theology). Could you explain it a bit?
Excuse me? I don't understand how a Catholic could both read and post this article and yet have no opinion of it? Odd.
#4. To: Dempsy (#3)
You're asking me a specific question with regard to the implications of a particular passage. I have no background in theology, let alone christology. I have no idea what you mean by "christological window." Thus my request for you to explain why you view that passage with such significance.
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