Aug
3
Written by:
Todd Williamson
8/3/2010 11:44 AM
I co-host a monthly radio show on liturgical matters and issues with Danielle A. Knott of Liturgy Training Publications. The show is co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office for Divine Worship and LTP. Last week our topic was the English translation of the Roman Missal. Our purpose was to highlight and discuss pastoral issues that parishes may face in light of the revised translation. We discussed things from finances (costs to replace the missal; costs to update hymnals; costs to purchase pew cards with the congregation’s prayers, responses, and acclamations) to addressing, in a sensitive manner, difficulties many people have with change.
We also discussed strategies that parishes might consider when preparing their people for the revised English translation of the Roman Missal. During that discussion, the point of proceeding with caution came up.
Here is the caution: in all of our preparations, resources, strategies, presentations, etc.—in all that we do to help prepare the people of God to receive these revised translated texts—it is of utmost importance that we not give the idea that the texts we have been using for the last 35 plus years were incorrect! To do so would be a great travesty, I feel.
For many years we have been praying according to the Church’s approved texts. Because they are the Church’s texts, they cannot be incorrect, or wrong, or “a mistake.” Does this mean that these texts can’t be taken to a new level—to a deeper level found in the Latin typical edition? Not at all! There is always the potential for further development; to go deeper.
This was an important point, I believe. Keeping it in mind as we continue to prepare for the revised English texts will do well to help as we prepare to receive and implement these texts.