Cdl George: "the first full translation of the missal of Paul VI was ideologically charged"

You were prominent in the work of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) and the development of the new liturgical translations. Now that they have been in use for nearly two years, are you satisfied with the translations pastorally and theologically?

It’s hard for me to give an unbiased judgment on the value of the new translations. First of all, the first full translation of the missal of Paul VI was ideologically charged. Since the liturgy, along with Sacred Scripture, is the primary carrier of the tradition that unites us to Christ, the loss of the theology of grace, the domestication of God, the paraphrasing that deliberately omitted nuances of understanding, the deliberate omission of biblical references in the liturgical text itself, etc. left the church for forty years without a way of worship that adequately expressed our faith. This was clear for those of us who used the Roman missal in Spanish during those years; their translation was far more adequate. The bishops had the obligation to see that the translation into English of the third edition of the Roman Missal was faithful and also able to be used communally. I believe it has been well done. Some of the expressions in the Prefaces are a bit “clunky,” but the collects are truly beautiful if a priest takes the time to interiorize the structure of dependent clauses and use his voice so that the prayer is comprehensible to the faithful.

full interview at Amerika

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Former professor of liturgy at St. Francis Seminary rips corrected translation

As a former professor of liturgy at St. Francis Seminary who trained many of the priests of Milwaukee Archdiocese, I deplore the English translation of the Roman Missal that has been foisted upon American Catholics.  [That is important to remember.  Terrible professors taught so many priests about the liturgy.  They were never exposed to the beauty and transcendence that any Catholic let alone a priest should be taught.]
By a very slavish translation of Latin, these texts have brought us as close as possible to the way Romans prayed between 500 and 1000 A.D., together with the social and cultural baggage of that time. [Like God and sin and judgement?] The spiritual universe of those Roman times is there, along with an almost groveling approach to God and an overriding preoccupation with getting to heaven[ROFL, you just can't make this stuff up!], rather than the Gospel emphasis upon discipleship, loving our neighbor and service. [I guess the Gospel cafeteria is open.]

Only antiquarians and Latin scholars (the people who made these changes) could love this turn of events.  [I do not know Latin and I like the changes.  I have heard a lot of people who like the changes and one person who didn't like consubstantial with the Father.  And I do know plenty of non-traditionalists.] I would advise Catholic people to turn for spiritual nourishment to the hymns we sing, where they shall find the scriptures and contemporary spirituality more readily available.  [He must be talking about this one.]

The new texts are cumbersome, wordy and difficult to pray publicly. [Don't worry, you can just use the Latin instead.] They shall not wear well, but look increasingly archaic with time[The Trinity is a pretty archaic as well], fostering the search for alternate prayers. [why did my foot just start tapping.  and with your spirrrrr ... Kum bay yaaaaaaaa....]  Unfortunately, the silk purse of our expensive new Roman Missal contains, when opened up, alas, a sow's ear.

Father Kenneth Smits, Capuchin
Fond du Lac

FDL Reporter

Check out Opinionated Catholic for more commentary.

I am re-reading Why Catholic Can't Sing right now and it is amazing how these folks fit the part exactly.  "Waste Not"  The book is a must read for any Catholic. 

FDLReporter: Revised Catholic Missal getting mixed reviews

Don't worry folks, the vestments are still terrible.

At 86, Genevieve Hoepfner has seen a lot of changes come through the Catholic Church.

The Fond du Lac mother of 14 children numbers among the millions of Catholics who, as of Nov. 27, have had to learn a revised version of the Roman Missal, which contains the prayers for Mass.

To understand the magnitude of the change, this is the first time the familiar liturgy has been revised since the original translation from Latin in 1970. Prior to that is a 1,600-year span back to when the church first translated Mass prayers into the language of the people.[... sigh]

“We have little place cards to follow because some of the wording has changed. We are all learning it together, so I can go along with it,” Hoepfner said.

Others say they’d rather see the church address more serious issues, like the lack of priests to perform Mass.  [Because they can't do both???]


“For so many people today who don’t get to have Mass or the Eucharist because of the shortage of priests, who is talking about these issues?” said Sister Joann Sambs, general superior of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Agnes. [No really, just click the link and tell me what she really means.]


Launched on the first day of Advent, which marks the beginning of the new church year for Catholics worldwide, the revised liturgy is said to offer a more precise rendering of the Latin original, according to an interview with Dean Daniels, coordinator of the Office of Worship for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, that was published in the Catholic Herald.

For example, the translation of “Et cum spiritu tuo,” is more accurately reflected in the revised wording “And with your spirit,” instead of the familiar “and also with you.”

The Gloria hymn’s opening “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on Earth,” has been narrowed to offer peace only for those who have accepted Jesus as messiah, considered by the church as “people of good will.”

Father Luke Strand of Holy Family Catholic Parish said he’s heard parishioners say the new translation is more elegant and beautiful. He likens the church to a living organism, subject to growth and change.

continue at Fond du Lac Reporter

How very true, women religious in this state oppose the correct translation but all of the parishioners have found it edifying. 

Bp. Ricken on the improved translation

We have just had our first full experience of the translation of the Roman Missal this past Sunday and I have been reading the online reactions of the priests to see how it has gone for them. Overall, it is has been a good experience — a bit daunting for the priests to remember not to go into the memorized parts of the Mass we have prayed for over 40 years. Many of the priests commented how the prayers are richer and deeper. I think that the prayers will call us into the deeper mystery of the sacred that permeates the Mass. The people have done very well. Perhaps that is because parish leadership practiced and catechized the parishes many months before.

For myself, I know that I will need to review the Mass parts, especially the orations (collect, offertory and post Communion prayer) as well as the preface for every Mass, since there have been substantial changes in many of these. The eucharistic prayer, the main prayer of the Mass, has changed considerably enough that once in a while the presider, me included, can be tripped up and may have to look twice before praying vocally.

All of these are little changes in the translation from the Latin to English in the grand scheme of things, since the Mass has substantially been the same since the Last Supper when Jesus gathered with the apostles the night before he died. In fact, we do not repeat the sacrifice over and over as the Scriptures warn us not to do. We enter every Sunday and every day, if you wish, into the one mystery of that Last Supper, which is tied to Good Friday and to Easter Sunday.

continue at The Compass