A less rushed, more reverent way of praying

The Holy See’s Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments has given its approval to the first section of the English translation of the Roman Missal. The first section, which contains the central prayers said in the Mass, had been approved by the United States bishops conference, though some bishops strongly opposed it. At their meeting last June, the U.S. bishops failed to get the necessary two-thirds majority to approve the second section of translations of Mass prayers.

Adhering to the principles of translation outlined in the Holy See’s 2001 instruction, Liturgiam authenticam, the new translation is a more literal translation of the Latin text of the Mass. For instance, the people’s response, et cum spiritu tuo is literally translated as “and with your spirit,” instead of the current, “and also with you.” The penitential rite (Confiteor) adds the words, “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.” The creed begins with the accurate translation of credo -- “I believe” – instead of “we believe” used currently. The pronoun “she” instead of “it” will be used in the Eucharistic prayer in reference to the Church. In the Agnus Dei, the text now says “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,” instead of “Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world.” And in the consecration, the priest will say that Christ’s blood is “poured out for you and for many” (pro multis) rather than “for all.”

The letter approving the new translation and signed by Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect for the Congregation for Divine Worship, was dated June 23 and was addressed to the chairman of the bishops’ liturgy committee, Bishop Andrew Serratelli. The Holy See’s approval (recognitio) is binding; but as Cardinal Arinze explained in his letter, bishops do not need to use the new translation immediately but are given time “for the pastoral preparation of priests, deacons and for appropriate catechesis of the lay faithful” and to “facilitate the devising of musical settings for parts of the Mass.”

The U.S. bishops in their November meeting will revisit the second section of the new translation, containing the Proper of Seasons – which has been approved by every other English-speaking bishop’s conference. If approved by two-thirds of U.S. Latin rite bishops, the translation will be submitted to the Holy See for approval. Barring a rejection of the translation by the bishops or other delays, the final text of the complete Roman Missal will be ready for approval by November 2010.

Bishop Serratelli, a defender of the new translation, recently wrote that, “by the very fact that, in some instances, the new translations require thoughtful and careful attention to pauses when speaking helps to foster and create a less rushed and more reverent way of praying.”

According to Serratelli, “Liturgical language should border on the poetic. Prose bumps along the ground. Poetry soars to the heavens. And our Liturgy is already a sharing of the Liturgy in heaven.”