New Missal Coming Soon - Part 3
Some years ago, in 1994 I think it was, the priests of the Archdiocese were invited to a workshop on a new translation of the Roman Missal. It was expected to be published the following year. It never was published. Because there was to be another new edition of the Latin Roman Missal in 2000 it was decided by authorities in Rome to begin all over again. All the work done so far was discarded much to the consternation of those working on it! Last year we priests went to another workshop to learn about the translation of this latest latest Roman Missal. This translation is expected to be published some time next year, 2011.
To cut a very long story short, there was a change in policy during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II. Those who believed that diversity of liturgical practice was a loss urged more uniformity. Those who rejected inclusive language wanted more traditional language. The production of the 2000 Latin Roman Missal meant that translations would all go back to the drawing board, so to speak. The English translation which was about to be published was shelved. New rules for translation were introduced in 2001 (
Liturgiam Authenticam). This replaced the rules of 1969,
Comme le Prevoit. Now, instead of allowing translators to adapt the text to the culture and language of various people, there was to be a strict adherence to the Latin text.
A brief example of this strict adherence concerns the Acclamations after the Consecration. The ones we are familiar with, such as "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again," will not exist any more. A new common text will be used. And as a result the music they were sung to has also been made obsolete.
So the end result is that there is much effort being made to prepare for this latest translation. Musicians in Australia have been asked by the Bishops to write music for the new texts. In spite of all you might read in the papers, we do not yet have an approved final translation for Australia of the complete Missal in English (as at August 2010). This long process has engendered much debate and controversy particularly about the part local bishops should play in the production of liturgical texts. Nevertheless, from the revision of the Missal of Paul VI our new English Missals will come next year. More on this later.
Fr Graham
26.08.2010.
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