|
Missal Q and A
What is the Roman Missal?
The Roman Missal is the name for the book containing the prayers
we use in the celebration of the Mass - the dialogues ("The Lord be
with you," "Lift up your hearts") and the prayers we say or sing,
like the Gloria, the Creed, and the Sanctus, and the prayers the
priest prays as well - the Opening Prayer, the Eucharistic Prayer,
the Prayer after Communion and concluding blessing. This book
is also known as the "Sacramentary."
Why is there a new translation?
In 2001, the Vatican office in charge of liturgical
matters published a document entitled Liturgiam Authenticam,
which laid out guidelines for the translation of liturgical texts.
The new guidelines were significantly different from those which
were published shortly following the Second Vatican Council (in a
document called Comme le prevoit). In a nutshell, the
basic principle of translation changed from what is called dynamic
equivalence to formal equivalence. "Dynamic equivalence" means
that ideas are translated, rather than words. Sentence
structures are rearranged, and occasionally paraphrased, to make the
resulting text as clear as possible. "Formal equivalence"
demands that the Latin be translated closely, even literally.
Each word and phrase in the original must be rendered in the
translation. Dynamic equivalence puts the highest priority on a
smooth and easy-to-understand translated text. With formal
equivalence, the priority is the accuracy with which the translation
renders the Latin.
What is going to change?
Because the principles of translation are so different, the
resulting translation brings significant changes to the language of
the Mass. The most noticeable changes will be in the people's
responses, including the Greeting (when the priest says, "The Lord
be with you," we will respond "And with your spirit"). Because
some of the changes are to prayers that are typically sung--the
Gloria, the Sanctus, the Memorial Acclamation--the new edition of
the Roman Missal will also have a major impact on the music of the
Mass, since we will need to use new or significantly adapted
versions of these acclamations. Probably the most dramatic changes
are to the portions prayed by the priest, including the opening and
closing prayers and the Eucharistic Prayers.
When is this happening?
The new translation of the Roman Missal was granted recognitio,
that is, formal approval, by Pope Benedict XVI in April, 2010.
It will be published in October of this year. We will begin using the new Missal on the First Sunday of
Advent, November 26-27, 2011. In some other English-speaking
countries, it will begin sooner. South Africa and New Zealand
have already begun to use the new translations of the people's
parts.
Why is there controversy about the new translation?
There has been significant controversy around the new translation.
Many liturgists and theologians have objected to the principle of
formal equivalency because the resulting texts can be quite
difficult to proclaim and to understand. There is also
controversy because of the level of secrecy that surrounded the
preparation of these texts, the lack of consultation, and, most
recently, the discovery that the texts were substantially edited
even after the bishops had approved them. These concerns make the
implementation of the new Missal even more challenging.
How will we implement the new translation at St. James?
We will begin preparing for the new translation as a parish in
September, with many opportunities for learning the new responses,
exploring the history of the liturgy, and understanding why we pray
the way we do. With the rest of the parishes in the United
States, we will begin to use the new texts on the First
Sunday of Advent, November 26-27, 2011. Until then, you
can stay up-to-date through regular features and links to
resources on Year
of Grace, the Cathedral Liturgy Blog.
What will the new translation sound like?
The new translation will sound quite different from what we are used
to. The sentences are longer, echoing the Latin originals, and the
syntax is more intricate. There is a wider vocabulary,
including a number of little-used terms, like "consubstantial"
instead of "one in being" in the Creed. To get a taste of what
the new Roman Missal will sound like, let's compare two texts.
Here is the prayer we currently pray on the First Sunday of Advent:
All-powerful God,
increase our strength of will for doing good
that Christ may find an eager welcome at his coming
and call us to his side in the kingdom of heaven,
where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. (copyright ICEL, 1974)
Here is the same prayer in the new translation:
Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God,
the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ
with righteous deeds at his coming,
so that, gathered at his right hand,
they may be worthy to possess the heavenly kingdom.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. (copyright ICEL, 2010)
These examples clearly reveal the two very different principles
of translation. Both prayers make the same point: we pray
that we may live our faith not just with words, but with deeds, so
that when Christ comes we may welcome him eagerly, and find a place
at his side in his kingdom. The prayer in our current
Sacramentary shortens and simplifies. It uses the first
person plural, instead of the third person. It is easy to
proclaim and to understand. The new translation follows the
Latin word order carefully, as is clearly seen in the first line of
the prayer. It restores some elements that were missing in the
1974 version: the imagery of running to meet Christ at his
second coming, and the detail of being "gathered at his right hand,"
which recalls the Gospel parable of the sheep and the goats in
Matthew 25. It is also significantly longer (64 words, compared to
48), and the syntax is much more complex.
In the weeks and months to come, we'll have an opportunity to look
closely at the new texts, especially the people's responses and the
Eucharistic Prayers.
This Q&A was prepared by Corinna Laughlin,
Director of Liturgy
|
