At the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), the Council Fathers, inspired by the Holy Spirit, granted permission for some parts of the Holy Mass, the Eucharist, to be celebrated in the vernacular, so that the people of God may derive advantage and benefit from the prayers and rites (see Sacrosanctum Concilium para 36.2). By 1971, the Holy See had granted authority to the individual Bishops' Conferences to decide whether the vernacular can be used entirely in the celebration of public Masses. Bishops' Conferences used this authority very liberally, so that Mass in the Roman Rite is normally celebrated in the vernacular.
Latin remained the official language of the Roman Rite. During the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI (May God grant him many more happy years!), we have witnessed a resurgence of Latin in the ordinary form of the Mass even in vernacular Masses. However, most Latin Catholics continue to worship predominantly in the vernacular. The English translation that we presently have in possesion dates from 1973, and is widely recognized as an inadequate translation in need of refinement and improvements.
The International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), a commission set up by several Bishops' Conferences to translate the Latin liturgical books into English, attempted to prepare a revised translation of the Missale Romanum in the 1990s. In 2001, the Holy See, benefitting from the 40-years' experience of using vernacular in the Liturgy, published a new set of translation rules under the title Liturgiam Authenticam, to guide and steer Bishops' Conferences to refine the vernacular translations of the liturgical books.
A new English translation of the Missale Romanum (editio typica tertia) is presently in preparation by ICEL according to Liturgiam Authenticam. In 2008, ICEL completed its work on the Roman Missal and the sections are now awaiting the approval of the English-speaking Bishops' Conferences. The complete Roman Missal is expected to be available around 2011. Meanwhile, the Holy See has confirmed the new English translation of the Order of Mass, a section of the Roman Missal that contains the rites and texts used by the Priest and the Assembly at every Mass. In approving the Order of Mass in advance of the rest of the Roman Missal, clergy and laity are given time to prepare themselves to receive the new texts when they are implemented. This preparation must go beyond familiarisation of the new texts and responses; a spiritual preparation is in order if the people of God are to benefit from the new Roman Missal.
I hope to chronicle my own appreciation and understanding of the richness of the liturgical texts as presented in the new Roman Missal through this blog. A tight work schedule amidst other interests and responsibilities may prevent me from regular updates and in-depth analysis of the texts of Holy Mass. But I hope that as I work through the texts, others will also benefit from my insights, so that when the new Roman Missal is implemented, the Latin Church will be in time for a new epoch of liturgical renewal envisioned by the Second Vatican Council.
I'll start off by posting links to certain resources online, provided by the US Bishops Committee on Divine Worship:
Latin remained the official language of the Roman Rite. During the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI (May God grant him many more happy years!), we have witnessed a resurgence of Latin in the ordinary form of the Mass even in vernacular Masses. However, most Latin Catholics continue to worship predominantly in the vernacular. The English translation that we presently have in possesion dates from 1973, and is widely recognized as an inadequate translation in need of refinement and improvements.
The International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), a commission set up by several Bishops' Conferences to translate the Latin liturgical books into English, attempted to prepare a revised translation of the Missale Romanum in the 1990s. In 2001, the Holy See, benefitting from the 40-years' experience of using vernacular in the Liturgy, published a new set of translation rules under the title Liturgiam Authenticam, to guide and steer Bishops' Conferences to refine the vernacular translations of the liturgical books.
A new English translation of the Missale Romanum (editio typica tertia) is presently in preparation by ICEL according to Liturgiam Authenticam. In 2008, ICEL completed its work on the Roman Missal and the sections are now awaiting the approval of the English-speaking Bishops' Conferences. The complete Roman Missal is expected to be available around 2011. Meanwhile, the Holy See has confirmed the new English translation of the Order of Mass, a section of the Roman Missal that contains the rites and texts used by the Priest and the Assembly at every Mass. In approving the Order of Mass in advance of the rest of the Roman Missal, clergy and laity are given time to prepare themselves to receive the new texts when they are implemented. This preparation must go beyond familiarisation of the new texts and responses; a spiritual preparation is in order if the people of God are to benefit from the new Roman Missal.
I hope to chronicle my own appreciation and understanding of the richness of the liturgical texts as presented in the new Roman Missal through this blog. A tight work schedule amidst other interests and responsibilities may prevent me from regular updates and in-depth analysis of the texts of Holy Mass. But I hope that as I work through the texts, others will also benefit from my insights, so that when the new Roman Missal is implemented, the Latin Church will be in time for a new epoch of liturgical renewal envisioned by the Second Vatican Council.
I'll start off by posting links to certain resources online, provided by the US Bishops Committee on Divine Worship:
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