Catholic Mass to Change — Good for Catholics?

COMMENTARY | As reported in USA Today, on Nov. 27, the first Sunday of the Catholic Church’s liturgical year, the Mass will be different. The changes parishioners will find in their Roman Missals and priest’s prayers came from an order from the Holy See to provide a more accurate translation of Latin text into English. Nearly every prayer and declaration of the Catholic Mass will change. While some Catholics are in favor of the new changes, declaring the changes more rich and poetic, some feel that these rigid translations will prove awkward for both priests and parishioners alike.

The changes include a more accurate translation of theological terms. For instance, during the Mass when the parish pray that Jesus is “one in being with the Father,” the new translation will explicitly say “consubstantial,” which is the literal translation of the theological principle from Latin to English. Another major change, which will take some time for Catholics to get used to, is the response from the parish to the priest when he says, “Peace be with you,” which will now have the response as “and with your spirit,” rather than the usual “and also with you.”

The mass isn’t the only holy obligation set to change on Nov. 27. In addition to the changes in the Mass prayers, parishioners will also have to learn a different prayer for the sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). When the Mass was changed after the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, the Latin phrase “mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa,” which was accompanied by chest-striking with closed fists, was cut out of the penetential prayer. This phrase, which translates to “my fault, my fault, my most grievous fault,” will be back in the confessional booths after the changes are implemented.

As a Catholic, I am in favor of the new changes. From what I can see with the new translations, Catholics will be able to express a more rich, complete veneration to God, one that is closer to the reverence expressed by the Apostles, and early Christians. While it may be awkward initially to learn and recite, I feel that ultimately this will be a beneficial change for the Catholic Church, who has always prided herself on tradition and unwavering faith.

Whether or not Catholics will agree with the new changes, one thing is certain- there are going to be a lot of Catholics saying the wrong things during Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.


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