The following article appears on the cover of this week’s bulletin, just one week into using the new translations.<\/p>\n
Fr. Jeff\u2019s Thoughts on the New Roman Missal<\/strong><\/p>\n About a year ago, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced that on November 27, 2011 we would begin using the new English translations of the third edition of the Roman Missal.\u00a0<\/p>\n It was a long time in the making.\u00a0 The third edition of the Roman Missal in Latin was approved by Pope John Paul II in 2000.\u00a0 Then work began on the English translations with final approval coming last year (It may have taken ten years but after all it isn\u2019t the only work the bishops had to do).<\/p>\n Once the final approval was received and a date to begin use was announced, we began the work to introduce the new translations in our parish.\u00a0 In January, I explained how we would begin the implementation process in an article here on the cover.\u00a0 If you remember, we spent the month of February using the homily not to talk about the new translations of the Mass but rather to explain the parts of the Mass.\u00a0 Nothing was changing about the parts of the Mass but our diocese used this as an opportunity to help us understand better what we do at Mass.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because the better our understanding the more fruitful our prayer might become.<\/p>\n Since then, we have had various bulletin articles and inserts on the new translations.\u00a0 From the end of August until last week, I wrote a series of articles explaining and discussing many of the changes in the words.\u00a0 There has also been several articles in the Catholic Courier.\u00a0 It has even been featured in some secular news stories.\u00a0<\/p>\n At least one of these news stories referred to the changes as \u201cmajor.\u201d\u00a0 I don\u2019t really think of the changes as major.\u00a0 Nothing about how we do Mass is changing.\u00a0 We still sit, kneel, and stand at the same points.\u00a0 Everything is in the same order and the readings are not changing.\u00a0 The only thing that is changing is the words.\u00a0 Not that words are not important.\u00a0 They are or we won\u2019t be changing them.\u00a0 The words are important because we use them to express what we believe.<\/p>\n With all that in mind, last week, after all this preparation, we finally used the new translations for the first time.\u00a0 In last week\u2019s gospel Jesus said \u201cBe watchful!\u00a0 Be alert!\u201d\u00a0 That is the way I felt about using the prayers.\u00a0 Using the new translations for the first time forced me to really think about what I was doing.\u00a0 I happen to think that is a very good thing.\u00a0 We need to think about what we are praying.\u00a0 How easy is it after so many years of using the same translation to say the words without really thinking about what they mean?<\/p>\n I think it all went very well.\u00a0 Did I get every word perfect?\u00a0 No.\u00a0 Did the congregation get every word right?\u00a0 Probably not but I think it went very well.\u00a0 Of course, we were relying on written texts for prayers we have been saying by heart for years.\u00a0 That is ok.\u00a0 It may take a few weeks but we will learn the new prayers just as we did the old.\u00a0 As we learn and get used to the new prayers I encourage you not to just memorize the words but to think about what the words really mean.\u00a0 After all, that is the point of all of this.\u00a0<\/p>\n Peace,<\/p>\n Fr. Jeff<\/p>\n P.S. If you missed any of our previous material on the Mass or the new translations you can find them on our parish website at http:\/\/www.ourladyofthelakescc.org\/<\/a> and click on \u201cUnderstanding the Mass\u201d.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The following article appears on the cover of this week’s bulletin, just one week into using the new translations. Fr. Jeff\u2019s Thoughts on the New Roman Missal About a year ago, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced that on November 27, 2011 we would begin using the new English translations of the …<\/p>\n