A New Roman Missal

Seven months ago, on the first Sunday in January, our 3 -Minute Catechesis gave you a glimpse at some Church history and a hint of changes coming. It talked about how the Mass has been changing, gradually, over the last 45 years. In the late 1960s, these changes included the priest facing the congregation during Mass, and lay people taking more meaningful roles in liturgy. These and other changes were implemented because the Church is the people, and we are called to "full, conscious and active participation" in the Church's liturgical life. To that end, more changes are coming soon, this time to the language of the Mass.

Let’s be honest: many of us don’t really like change. Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, once said, “If you want to make enemies, try to change something.” Change can be hard. Your grandparents may have told you that what they liked most about being Catholic was that Mass was always the same, no matter where you went. Back in the day, Mass was in Latin everywhere in the world. And then came Vatican II in the 1960s and changes were made to that Latin Mass. It was then that Catholics began to hear the liturgy in the vernacular, the language of the people.

Within five years of its introduction, most Catholics preferred the liturgy in a language they understood. That doesn’t mean the transition was without bumps, of course, but considering that few Catholics believed the Mass could change at all, the switch was an astonishing success.

English-speaking Catholics the world over are preparing for another change, one that will begin on the first Sunday of Advent, just 4 months from now. The Mass itself is not changing, but some of the words of the Mass are changing. Why? Because the new words are a closer translation to the original Latin Mass in language and meaning. The new translation will allow us to easily connect not only to the early Church but to Scripture, especially during the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

There will be opportunities through the bulletin, newsletter, 3-Minute Catechesis, and Sunday morning workshops to learn about the new translation and to practice the unfamiliar words, phrases, and sung responses and prayers. It cannot be stressed enough that while our beliefs are unchanging, the way we express those beliefs can and will change over time. Price Pritchett, a businessman and author of a book on work habits, wrote, “Change always comes bearing gifts. It's up to you to find them.” When it comes to the New Roman Missal, we’ll be looking for those gifts together.