THE NEW TRANSLATION OF THE ROMAN MISSAL

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1 THE NEW TRANSLATION OF THE ROMAN MISSAL Notes made by Fr Paul Kelly at a course given by Fr Paul Turner at the Royal Scots College in Salamanca in May 2011 Better than the old [Missal] but not as good as the one we could have got (Paul Turner) It should immediately be noted that the Order of Mass has not changed only the translation has changed. However, it is also clear from the choice of words and the greater emphasis on chanting the dialogues and prayers that there is an expectation that the new translation will lead to the Mass being celebrated with greater dignity and solemnity. The General Instruction (no. 40), says this: in the choosing of the parts [of the Mass] to be sung, however, preference should be given to those that are of greater importance and especially to those to be sung by the priest or the deacon or the lector, with the people responding, or by the priest and people together. The General Instruction adds for Scotland bearing in mind the important place that singing has in a celebration as a necessary or integral part of the Liturgy, all musical settings of the texts for the peoplels responses and acclamations in the Order of Mass and for special rites that occur in the course of the liturgical year must be suibmitted to the appropriate office of the Conference of Bishops of Scotland for review and approval prior to publication (no. 393) A new translation has been produced for three reasons: More theological precison More Scriptural allusions More consistency in the Latin Rite across language groups It is also the case that the new translation has resulted in more inclusive language. For example, at present in the prayers of the Mass God is commonly addressed as Father where Father is not in the Latin text. Concerning more theological precision, an example is the Sanctus. The only change in the translation of the Sanctus is, instead of saying God of power 1

2 and might, we now say Lord God of hosts. The Latin is: Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Sabaoth is a Hebrew word meaning hosts. The translators could have left this word in the original Hebrew, as it is both in the Greek and Latin texts. Other Hebrew words such as Amen and Alleluia are not translated. However, hosts is a more accurate translation, and God of power and might could imply a God who used force and coercion, whereas the power and might of God are surely love. The new translation also alludes more directly to Isiaah 6:3. Another example is the Creed. Instead of saying We believe we now say I believe because that is what the Latin Credo means and this is a personal profession of faith. Instead of saying one in being with the Father we now say consubstantial with the Father, a more accurate rendering of the Latin consubstantialis and a word which is used especially of the three personsof the Trinity in Christian Theology (see Oxford English Dictionary). The Latin text of the Missal used consubstantialis to translate the Greek homoousios. And instead of saying We look for the resurrection of the dead (as though we had lost it somewhere) we will now say I look forward to the resurrection of the dead. Concerning Scriptural allusions, we hear Scripture not only in the readings but in the dialogues and prayers of the Mass. For example, in the introductory rites, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all comes from 2 Corinthians 13:13. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ come from Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3 and other places in the New Testament. The Invitation to Communion is now: 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. And the response is: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed. As well as being a more accurate translation of the Latin text, this alludes more directly to the witmess of John the Baptist in John 1:29 and to the centurion s prayer in Matthew 8:8. The new translation is a development of the liturgical reforms that have been taking place since the Second Vatican Council. There have been three editions of the Roman Missal 2

3 Editio typica: 26 March 1970 Editio typica altera, 27 March 1975 made necessary by Pope Paul VI s reform of the minor orders (abolition of all minor orders and that of subdeacon, and the institution of candidature, lectorate and acolytate) Editio typica tertia, 20 April 2000 [2002] followed by the Editio typica emendata 2008 In the latest edition, there is a revised General Instruction, more optional memorials, vigils for the Epiphany, Ascension and Pentecost, prayers over the people for the days of Lent, optional use of the Apostles Creed especially during Lent and Easter, a better layout for Various Needs and Occasions with the Eucharistic prayer, emendations to Holy Week, more orations and prefaces especially for martyrs, ritual Mass for the Institution of lectors and acolytes, more votive Masses and Masses for Various Occasions, the Proclamation of the Date of Easter on Epiphany, and The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ from the Martyrologium Romanum. The are also directions about posture: The faithful should stand from the beginning of the Entrance chant or while the priest approaches the altar, until the end of the Collect: for the alleluia chant before the Gospel: while the Gospel itself is proclaimed: during the Profession of Faith and the Prayer of the Faithful: from the invitation, Orate Fratres (Pray, brethren), before the Prayer over the Offerings until the end of Mass. But they should kneel at the consecration nevertheless it is up to the Conference of Bishops to adapt the gestures and postures described in the Order of Mass to the culture and reasonable traditions of the people Where it is the practice for the people to remain kneeling after the Sanctus until the end of the Eucharistic Prayer and before Comunion when the priest says Ecce Agnus Dei (Behold the Lamb of God), this practice is laudably retained. It is very appropriate that the priest sing those parts of the Eucharistic Prayer for which musical notation of provided (GI. No. 147) Concerning arrangements of furnishings: The altar should be built apart from the wall, in such a way that it is possible to walk round it easily and that Mass can be celebrated at it facing the people, which is desirable wherever possible (GI. Mo. 299). 3

4 Only what is required for the celebration of the Mass may be placed on the mensa of the altar. Candles should be arranged appropriately and not interfere with the faithful s clear view of what takes place at the altar or what is placed on it (GI, nos ); There is also to be a cross, with the figure of Christ crucified upon it, either on the altar or near it (GI. No. 308). There is a reference to Rogation Days and Ember Days in no. 394 What is mission from the new edition of the Roman Missal are the Latin texts for the Order of Mass (which need not be there since they are there in the Latin Missal), the Rites of the Blessing of Oils and Consecrating the Chrism (because their place is in the Pontifical), and the Directory for Masses with Children of Since this has not been replaced or abrogated, it is still in force and the Eucharistic Prayers for Children may still be used. The Roman Missal now only includes Latin texts; and the Eucharistic Prayers for Children were not composed orginally in Latin, which is why they are not included. Other liturgical books, such as The Rite of Penance, The Pastoral Care of the Sick and The Rite of Funerals should be used until they are replaced. There has been a change in the theory of translation in the past ten years. Previously, translators had favoured the theory of dynamic equivalence which favoured good English but what was not always an accurate translation of the Latin. Since Liturgiam Authenticam of 2001, The Holy See has required a more literal translation that favours the Latin. Thus Vox Clara has changed most of what ICEL did where ICEL used the theory of dynamic equivalence (see Bishop Maurice Taylor, It s the Eucharist, Thank God (Decani Books, 2009) 4

5 Some notable examples of translation changes and reasons why they were changed And with your spirit The greeting The Lord be with you is there is Judges 6:12, Ruth 2:4, 2 Chron. 15:2, Luke 1:28 and in Jesus promise in Matt. 28:20. And with your spirit is now the response. In the words of the General Instruction: By this greeting and the people s response, the mystery of the Church gathered together is made manifest. The new tanslation is a more literal rendering of the Latin et cum spiritu tuo. However, English has gone out on a limb here in comparison with other language groups, which have mostly gone for the literal translation. In the ancient Greek and Armenian texts, the reponse is always And with your spirit. The same wording is used in the Office of Readings ancient homily for Holy Saturday. In some early and medieval comentaries, and with your Spirit meant the spirit received by the ordained minister. Thus St John Chrysostom says: If the Holy Spirit were not in our Bishop when he gave the peace to all shortly before ascending to his holy sanctuary, you would not have replied to him altogether, And with your spirit. This is why you reply with this expression reminding yourselves by this reply that he who is here does nothing of his own power, nor are the offered gifts the work of human nature, but it is the grace of the Spirit present and hovering over all things which prepared that mystic sacrifice. However, this is not what St Paul implies in Gal. 6:18 or Philippians 4:23 or Philemon 25 or 2 Tim. 4:22. St Paul seems to assume that everybody has a spirit. In Romans 8:16 he says that the Spirit [of God] bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. The Spirit who dwells in us does not dominate us or replace our spirit but is with us. Thus the Lord, who is Spirit, is with us, who are spirit. And with your spirit has a mystical sense which can perhaps open up a number of theological reflections about ourselves in relationship to God. my sacrifice and yours In the Orate Fratres, instead of saying our sacrifice, the priest now says my sacrifice and yours. Is this a case of the priest distancing himself from the congregation? Actually the very opposite is intended. The priest reminds the congregation that this is not just him offering Mass but that all those in 5

6 the church are included in the action. Connected with this is the desirabilty that the priest share at least some of the priest s host at Communion with the faithful for many The Latin words of consecration over the wine are: Hic est enim calix sanguinis mei, novi et aeterni testamenti, qui pro vobis and pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum. Hoc facite in meam commemorationem. This was translated as This is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this is memory of me. The new translation is, For this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me. So many replaces all. Does this mean that Jesus did not die for all people? No, and the teaching of Scripture and the Church is unequivocal on this. See John 1:29; John 11:52; John 12:32; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:14; Romans 5:6; Romans 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; 1 Timothy 2:6; Titus 2:11. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 605, states that God s love excludes no-one and quotes the Council of Quiercy: there is not, never has been, and never will be a single human being for whom Christ did not suffer. Indeed, at some point in the 5 th and 6 th centuries, people were disturbed by predestinationist teachings. To counter-act this, an insertion was made in the Roman Canon which makes it clear that many means all : qui pridie quam pro nostro omniumque salute pataretur ( who the day before he suffered for our salvation and that of all ). This has been in the Roman Canon for about 1500 years and still is, though it is only used at the Mass of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday. It may well have been orginally a part of the everyday text (Joseph A. Jungmann, The Mass of the Roman Rite, Vol. II, p.198). Perhaps it could be made so again in a future edition of the Roman Missal. So why can we not simply say that Christ died for all? Because that is not what the Latin says and not what two important Gospel texts say, namely 6

7 Mark 14:23-4 and Matthew 26: But here the Gospel writers are evoking a text from Isaiah 53: 11b-12: The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. It is indeed legitimate to say all, as we have been doing for the past forty years. But then many alludes more directly to the Gospel texts and the text of Isaiah. Finally we might note that in the consecration of the bread, we say Hoc est enim corpus meum, quod pro vobis tradetur. Neither all nor many are mentioned. But this does not mean that Christ s body is handed over only for those at the Last Supper! Issues for the priest and people in celebrating Mass the priest must remember that he is the servant of the sacred Liturgy and that he himself is not permitted on his own intiative to add, remove, or to change anything in the celebration of Mass (General Instruction, no. 24). 1. He needs to be centred in praying the prayers of the Mass. This means he needs to prepare for Mass. New texts mean that he cannot go on automatic pilot. His own prayer and the prayer of the Church need to become one. He needs to get inside the prayers of the Mass and their meaning. 2. The new texts are accompanied by chant tones for all the dialogues and prayers of the Mass so there is an encouragement for the priest to extend his musical range. Indeed, the prayers are better heard if sung rather than recited and the dialogues are rendered more solemn. If a priest really cannot sing, he may need to work on other ways of effectively proclaiming the texts. 3. Priests need to beware of imposing their own opinions and prejudices on the liturgy, which does not belong to them but belongs to the whole Church in union with Christ. He also needs to be aware of simply pandering the tastes of those in his congregation. He is not there to make them feel good. 4. Priests sometimes add to the prayers of the Mass for example adding Good morning after the Scriptural greeting. Does this add to or diminish the solemnity of the liturgy? Sometimes the priest changes the words of the prayers of the Mass. How can this be legitimate after all the work that has gone into producing a translation that is faithful to Scripture and to two thousand years of tradition? 7

8 5. The Mass is a drama. Sometimes priests can add to it, especially at the Consecration, by breaking the host then, or by disappearing behind the altar for a long genuflection, or elevating the host for an artificially long time. How much is this about the ego-development of the priest and how much about giving glory to God? Sometimes priests at this point stare at the faithful and this can be off-putting for the latter. 6. The new translation is a continuation of the reforms begun after the Second Vatican Council and is in no way a going-back to what was there before. It is not legitimate, therefore, to introduce into the Mass rubrics and customs that belong strictly to the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite. 7. Priests must be aware of how they conduct themselves during concelebration. It is not appropriate to gossip to one s neighbour during some part of the Mass, or wave to people in the congregation that they know. The Mass is not about the priest. It is about Christ. 8. This is also about the people. The people also need to be centered and to pray the prayers of the Mass reserved for them. They are not called to pray at Mass but to pray the Mass. 9. Is it appropriate for people always to arrive at Mass in the nick of time or after it has begun, as though the first words of the Mass do not really matter? The opening words are a statement of faith and lead us straight into Scripture. Is it appropriate to read the newsletter while the readings or homily are going on as though paying attention does not really matter? Is it appropriate to rush out before Mass has ended as though the final blessing and dismissal do not matter? The dismissal tells to take what have received into our lives and to spread the Gospel it is a kind of commissioning. The blessing is a blessing which we all need. 8