When will we receive the new Roman missal?

By Bishop Michael Pfeifer, OMI

   “When will we finally receive the complete English translation of the 3rd edition of the Roman Missal?” is the question that has been asked me and the Bishops of the country over and over again during the past couple of years. My humorous reply often is: When we get it.  Well, there is definite light in the liturgical tunnel, because the body of U.S.Catholic Bishops will be voting on the final sections of the new English translation of the 3rd edition of the Roman Missal in November, 2009.  Once this is approved, all that remains is the recognitio—recognition—from the Congregation for the Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Rome.  When this happens, publishers estimate that they will need approximately one year for publication and distribution of the text. 
    In the process of preparing the new English 3rd edition of the Roman Missal, the U.S.Catholic Bishops have reviewed, and sometimes revised, many times all the different prayers that are used in the Roman Missal.  As specific volumes were approved by the U.S.Catholic Bishops, these were submitted to Rome for approval, or in some cases, sent back to the official English translating body, known as ICEL, requesting changes.
    In view of the fact that the whole process of translation and approval is finally coming to an end, now is the time to begin the formation of our priests and of all the faithful to receive the forthcoming new Missal.  Once the text has been received, there will be a complete liturgical catechesis on the new text. Already though there should be an opportunity for a general liturgical catechesis and discussion about the process of the new translation of the Missal so as to prepare our people for the new texts. This is the purpose of this article, to offer some explanations about the new Missal.
It needs to be  pointed out that the Ordo Missae—the Order of the Mass—which contains the more set and standard prayers that are used at Mass, is already available—although it is not permitted to be used until the full edition of the Roman Missal is given proper recognition. However, I would encourage our priests—pastoral leaders and anyone who wishes—to go to the U.S. Bishops’ website to review the changes in the Order of the Mass.  I especially encourage our priests to read through these texts, the Prefaces, and Eucharistic Prayers, so as to get a sense of the proper accents and cadence in proclamation. It is not merely a question of words having changed; in some instances the change in style will necessitate preparation to pray the text well.
Now is the time for providing a general catechesis on the Liturgy. The U.S.Bishops’ Office will be preparing a catechetical guide for the new Missal, and as this is available, I encourage our parishes to publish this as bulletin inserts so that our people can slowly become aware of these changes.  The catechesis to prepare to receive the new Roman Missal will strongly speed up and enhance the understanding of the new text once it is received.
    Years of study, review and rewriting of texts have gone into the preparation of the new Roman Missal. This process has been guided by an important Instruction from the Congregation for Divine Worship called in Latin, Liturgiam authenticam—A document for the right implementation of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.  A few years ago, at a meeting of the U.S.Catholic Bishops for reviewing some of the texts of the new Missal, Cardinal Avery Dulles offered a very insightful analysis of the whole process and finality of the new Roman Missal when he stated, “The central purpose of the Instruction (from the Congregation for Divine Worship) was to insure the integral transmission of Revelation through translation of Scriptural and liturgical texts.” He pointed out that this guiding document achieves this aim “by its dual emphasis on literal accuracy and on language conducive to reverence.” 
   The Instruction for the translation of the new Roman Missal from the Latin texts into the English is based on a number of principles that assure fidelity and exactness to the original. Some of these basic principles are:
4the texts must be translated integrally and in the most exact manner—without omissions or additions in terms of their content—and without paraphrases or glosses.
4the translation must always be in accord with sound Doctrine.
4the kind of language should be easily understandable, yet preserve the texts’ dignity, beauty and doctrinal precision.
   Many very talented and highly qualified people have worked hard to produce the English texts that we will be receiving in the near future.  We should be patient with the new translation of the Roman Missal, as it will take work to get used to it, and in many cases will require patient instruction of the lay faithful so they can become familiar with the new expression of a number of prayers. 
   The process used in the translation, based on the Instruction, brings about a deeper communion with the Church spread throughout the world not only in our time, but with the Church through all time. As our American English vernacular version of the Roman Rite is not an American Rite based on the Roman one, but the Roman Rite in English, so we are confirmed in our communion with all those particular churches that use this Rite throughout the world.
   The two dimensions of  ecclesial communion—communion in space and communion in time—made possible through the medium of the Roman Rite, given to us in the English translation—are themselves mean more final and ultimate communion: a deeper sharing and communion with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
   All of us know that the Second Vatican Council called the people of God to a full, conscience, and active or actual participation in the sacred Liturgy.  Without a Roman Missal that is the same in English as in Latin, this basic goal is unachievable. 
   We are within sight of receiving the results of much hard work and dedication that has produced the new English Roman Missal. It is incumbent on us to be ready to take wholehearted possession of this translation when it is completed and becomes the text we pray at the Holy Eucharist.  We are, of course, ready to accept the new translation on the basis of the authority of the Church, with which she gives this new prayerbook to us.