Roman Missal Third Edition

Vatican issues final text of the Roman Missal,
Third Edition, for the Dioceses of the United States

New Words: A Deeper Meaning, but the Same Mass

The Roman Missal, Third Edition, the ritual text containing prayers and instructions for the celebration of the Mass, has been approved by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.  First use of the new text of the new Roman Missal will be on the First Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011.

Pope John Paul II announced a revised version of the Missale Romanum during the Jubilee Year 2000. Among other things, the revised edition of the Missale Romanum contains prayers for the observances of recently canonized saints, additional prefaces for the Eucharistic Prayers, additional Votive Masses and Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Intentions, and some updated and revised rubrics (instructions) for the celebration of the Mass. The English translation of the Roman Missal will also include updated translations of existing prayers, including some of the well known responses and acclamations of the people.

In a statement The Most Reverend Glen John Provost, Bishop of Lake Charles, said, "It is a great pleasure to have received word that the Official text of the new translation of the Roman Missal was approved. There is much to recommend this text that has been the subject of of so much discussion and hard work by expert translators for many years. Two of the strongest points, in my opinion, are its fidelity to the original text and its awareness of references from Sacred Scripture, which have always permeated Catholic Liturgy. The priests of the Diocese have received a timetable for catechesis on the new Roman Missal at the fall Deanery meetings. They were also invited to a workshop held in Alexandria in October on this topic. The Pastors of the Diocese will be invited to lead their parishioners to a deeper understanding of the Liturgical celebration for which this new translation is a real help."

During the coming year, until the implementation of the new translation, articles and information will be available on this site for the Catholics of the Diocese of Lake Charles and all other people who are interested.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has provided a website to also aid in understanding the changes in the liturgy, both for clergy and laity. The site can be reached by clicking on http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/

Microsoft Vista and "New Coke" have proven that not every change is for the better. Furthermore, when change comes to important elements of life, it is often resisted with the cry of "we never did it that way before."

However, experts who are enthusiastic about the changes to the Roman Missal - the book that contains the prayers for the Mass - think the alterations are improvements that will lead to a deeper spiritual experience.

"Because a new edition of the Latin Roman Missal was issued in 2002, it is necessary for all the countries of the world to translate this missal into the vernacular," says Msgr. Anthony Sherman, executive director of the U.S. bishops' Secretariat of Divine Worship, in explaining why the changes are being made.

But translation is not something easy to accomplish, concedes Msgr. Kevin Irwin, dean of the School of Theology and Religious Studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington. "We all bring our own prejudices and ideas to translation," he says. "It is hoped that the new texts will be more accurate so that our faith and our statements of faith are reliable."

Msgr. Irwin says changes to the Roman Missal are rare. "The previous Roman Missal (in Latin) was published in 1570, with minor adjustments [being made] in editions through 1962," he says. "After the Second Vatican Council, the new [Roman Missal] was published in 1970, followed by a 1975 edition with minor adjustments and then the third edition in 2002 with additional prayers for new saints' feasts etc."

Father Paul Turner of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph in Missouri elaborated on the latter point, saying that the missal "includes additional saints' days that are now on the calendar, as well as some Masses for other circumstances. In addition, the rubrics in Holy Week have many small emendations."

What makes the translation of the 2002 edition of the Roman Missal different is that this translation is carried out under the latest Vatican guidelines for translating the Mass into vernacular languages. This new guideline, Liturgiam Authenticam, published in 2001, urges a stronger adherence to Latin wording and structure than earlier directives.

The results have led to some concern, voiced even by bishops, that the new English translations of the missal are not user-friendly. In the words of one critic, the language "tends to be elitist and remote from everyday speech and frequently not understandable. The vast majority of God's people in the assembly are not familiar with words 'ineffable,' 'consubstantial' and 'inviolate.'"

Msgr. Sherman counters that "in the United States today, people are almost daily learning new vocabulary, and sometimes it is quite technical. The words in our liturgical prayers can afford celebrants the opportunity to reflect on the broader context of those words and so lead the faithful in a deeper understanding of the beliefs being explained."

He grants that "the new translation is not perfect because, in a certain sense, no translation can be perfect. The differences of opinion on the translation will be wide. At some future date, the Holy See may substitute a different prayer for what we now have. On the other hand, some have already expressed the opinion that this translation sometimes captures with a greater eloquence the content of the particular prayers."

Msgr. Irwin says that the Church uses technical words in its vocabulary sometimes because those words capture concepts of the faith that would not be easy to understand without using a lot of other words. "For example, since the 13th century, we have used the term 'transubstantiation' to describe the change that occurs in the bread and wine at Mass. Before the change, it is bread and wine. After the change, it looks like, smells like and tastes like bread and wine, but now it is something totally different."

In Father Turner's view, vocabulary is not a major problem. "People will readily understand the texts," he says. "The reason the missal includes such words is that the vocabulary in the Latin originals is so broad. Latin uses a variety of synonyms for words like 'sacrifice,' 'love,' 'mercy' and 'wonderful.' In order to represent that diversity and to provide variety among the prayers in English, a broad vocabulary is being used in the translation."

In recognition of the disturbance change can bring, he adds that bishops' conferences around the world have repeatedly stressed that these translations should not be used without prior and significant explanation. "One of the things we did not do 40 years ago, when the liturgy was first put into the vernacular, was to explain the changes fully," he says. "We need several layers of education and instruction about the translations, but even more importantly about the Mass itself."

When parishes start using the Third Edition of the Roman Missal, the texts of the prayers won't be the only changes Catholics in the pews see. The new Missal will include 17 additions to the Proper of Saints, the part of the Missal that includes prayers for the observances of saints' days. The Proper of Saints follows a calendar established by the Vatican and modified by the bishops of each country to include saints of local importance. Any changes to a national or diocesan calendar require the consent of the Vatican.

The saints new to the third edition of the Roman Missal include saints, like Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, who were canonized after the second edition of the Roman Missal was published in 1985.  Some of these saints, including Saint Lawrence Ruiz and Saint Andrew Dung-Lac, have been on the U.S. calendar for years.  However, the new Missal will be the first time their prayer texts have been available in the printed book.  Other added saints appeared on the liturgical calendar until 1969, when the calendar was simplified and many saints' observances were removed.  Also restored to the calendar are observances for the Most Holy Name of Jesus and the Most Holy Name of Mary.  Still others saints and observances added to the Missal highlight important teachings of the Church such as the teaching on Mary (Our Lady of Fatima) and on the Eucharist as the Sacrament of Christ's love (as promoted by Saint Peter Julian Eymard).

By canonizing these holy men and women, the Church presents them as models of Christian living.  The added saints come from all eras and areas of the Church's life - from the fourth century (Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Saint Apollinaris) to the twentieth century (Saint Josephine Bakhita, Saint Christopher Magallanes and Saint Pio of Pietrelcina) - and from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.  They include priests, religious women, martyrs, a married woman and missionaries.

Whether or not Catholics hear about these saints at their local parishes will depend on the priest.  With the exception of the memorials of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (better known as Edith Stein) and Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (better known as Padre Pio), all of the new observances are optional memorials.  That means the decision about whether or not to celebrate them at a particular Mass rests with the celebrating priest.  While a priest may not add the observance of a saint or blessed not on the approved calendar, he is free to decide which, if any, optional memorials he will celebrate.  In choosing among the possible observances, priests might highlight saints who offer a particular example to their people.

These new additions are not the final word about saints on the calendar.  The Church will continue to canonize new saints as models for the faithful.  Some of these saints will be celebrated in those parts of the world where they served.  Others will be placed on the general calendar, celebrated by the Universal Church to unite the liturgy of heaven with that of earth.

New saints and observances in the Third Edition of the Roman Missal:

  • January 3 - Most Holy Name of Jesus - This is part of the Church's celebration of Christmas, 
    recognizing that God "bestowed on [Jesus] the name that is above every name" (Phil 2:9).
  • February 8 - St. Josephine Bakhita, virgin - Born in Darfur, Josephine survived kidnapping and slavery to become a nun who embraced and lived hope as a redeemed child of God.
  • April 23 - St. Adalbert, bishop and martyr - Martyred near the end of the first millennium, Adalbert was a missionary in the countries of central Europe, striving to bring unity to God's people.
  • April 28 - St. Louis Mary de Montfort, priest - This French priest is best known for his devotion to Mary, encouraging the faithful to approach Jesus through his mother.
  • May 13 - Our Lady of Fatima - The Virgin Mary appeared to three children in the Portuguese town of Fatima in 1917.  During these apparitions, she encouraged penance and praying the rosary.
  • May 21 - Sts. Christopher Magallanes, priest and martyr, & Companions, martyrs - Martyred in 1927, this Mexican priest was noted for his care of the native peoples of Mexico and for his work to support vocations to the priesthood.
  • May 22 - St. Rita of Cascia, religious - A wife, mother, widow, and nun, Saint Rita was known for her patience and humility in spite on many hardships.  Conforming herself to the crucified Christ, she bore a wound on her forehead similar to one inflicted by a crown of thorns.
  • July 9 - Sts. Augustine Zhao Rong, priest and martyr, & Companions, martyrs - Canonized with 119 other Chinese martyrs, Augustine began his career as a soldier.  Inspired by the martyrs, he was baptized and eventually became a priest and martyr himself.
  • July 20 - St. Apollinaris, bishop and martyr - Martyred in the second century, Apollinarius was the Bishop of Ravenna in Italy.  He was known as a great preacher and miracle worker.
  • July 24 - St. Sharbel Makhluf, priest - A Maronite priest in Lebanon, Saint Sharbel spent much of his life as a hermit in the desert, living of life of extreme penance.
  • August 2 - St. Peter Julian Eymard, priest - Founder of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, Saint Peter devoted his life to promoting First Communions and devotion to the Eucharist as the sacrament of Christ's love.
  • August 9 - St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, virgin and martyr - Born of Jewish parents as Edith Stein, she received academic renown as a philosopher.  After her conversion to Catholicism, she became a Carmelite nun.  She died in Auschwitz in 1942.
  • September 12 - Most Holy Name of Mary - After beginning in Spain in 1513, this celebration became a universal feast in the seventeenth century.  A companion to the Memorial of The Most Holy Name of Jesus, it follows the Feast of the Nativity of Mary.
  • September 23 - St. Pio of Pietrelcina, priest - Padre Pio was known throughout Italy and the world for his patient hearing of confessions and for his spiritual guidance.  In poor health for much of his life, he conformed his sufferings to those of Christ.
  • September 28 - Sts. Lawrence Ruiz & Companions, martyrs - Saint Lawrence and his companions spread the Gospel in the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan.  Saint Lawrence was born in Manila and was a husband and father,
  • November 24 - Sts. Andrew Dũng-Lạc, priest and martyr, & Companions, martyrs - Saint Andrew and his 107 companions, both priests and laity, were martyred in Vietnam in the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries.  Through their preaching, lives of faith, and witness unto death, they strengthened the Church in Vietnam.
  • November 25 - St. Catherine of Alexandria, virgin and martyr - Martyred in the early part of the fourth century, Catherine was known for her intelligence, her deep faith, and the power of her intercession.

The new English translation of the Roman Missal, the official manual for the Roman Catholic Mass, has been approved, and soon familiar prayers and responses said in churches around the English-speaking world will change. Priests will follow newly translated instructions. Prayers used throughout the Mass and some responses of the congregation will change. Sacred chants and music used in worship will also be updated.

The full texts of the English translation received recognitio, or approval, from the Vatican in June and July of 2010. The new translation will be implemented in U.S. dioceses in Advent 2011. It will be the most significant change to the Mass in over 40 years.

An occasion like this raises the question: Why is the Roman Missal so important?

"The Roman Missal is a common treasure," says Msgr. Anthony Sherman, executive director at USCCB Secretariat of Divine Worship. "It is the book that provides us with prayer text. It serves as a point of unity that keeps us all together, presenting the prayers that are used around the world, in many languages, during universal feasts or holy days."

Latin is the core text of the Roman Missal, evolving from oral tradition to written words. During the 15th century, in the era of the first printing press, the earliest book called Missale Romanum appeared. After the Council of Trent in 1570, Pope Pius V issued the edition that set the premier standard of uniformity used by celebrants of the Catholic faith.

Eight former Popes issued new editions between the 1604 and 2002, and each maintained a consistent style of worship for prayer in the Roman rite. Over time, additional Masses, prayers and revised rubrics (instructions) used to celebrate the Mass were added. The need for vernacular translations of the Roman Missal arose after the Second Vatican Council, and the present English translation of the Mass, which dates back to the 1970s, follows the Vatican's guidelines of that time, which favored translations that were easy to understand in the vernacular.

When Pope John Paul II issued the Third Edition of the Roman Missal in 2002, a new English translation was required. Since the new English translation is guided by the 2001 Vatican document Liturgiam Authenticam, it presents a more literal translation of Latin wording and sentence structure than is used in the current translation.

"The current translations are centered more on the community than the divine," says Father Paul Turner, a parish pastor in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri and author of Let Us Pray: A Guide to the Rubrics of Sunday Mass. "They were somewhat inattentive to inclusive language, and lacked some theological depth and musicality. The first translations condensed some of the content of the prayers. The new translation improves that," he says.

"This is not a new Mass," says Michael McMahon, president of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, adding that with a new translation, "one of the opportunities we have is to look at the parts of the Mass that should be sung" in the dialogue between the priest and the people and integrate them. One of the challenges of introducing a newly translated missal is retraining priests to lead Mass. Downloadable recordings for priests who don't read music are being produced and distributed free, online. Major publishers will release material on compact discs.

The Roman Missal itself is the primary source of training and instruction for the new translation. It displays rubrics, sentences printed in red that instruct a priest on what to say and do, how and when to gesture, and when to sing the common prayers in The Order of Mass. It provides instructions that guide the celebrant in leading the liturgy and the people assembled in ritual response for each occasion of Mass.

It also dictates the words used by a priest during the Mass, which with the new translation will reflect a more formal style than past translations.

"It will sound much more like Latin," says Father Turner.

"The Roman Missal puts us into a tradition of prayer and creates an historical awareness in the roots of where we are now," says Msgr. Sherman. "When you study the background of these prayers, you become united" with the perpetual mission of the Church.

Catholics believe that in the celebration of the Mass, they join the sacrifice of everyday life to the sacrifice of Christ, says Msgr. Joseph DeGrocco, Professor of Liturgy at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, New York. "The offering and self-emptying we do at Mass, in union with Christ, is the offering and self-emptying we are supposed to be living every moment of every day - that is what the Christian life is!"

The relationship between the Mass and everyday life is a reciprocal relationship, an active experience. At every Mass Catholics bring the offering of what's going on in their lives-and offer that in union with Jesus. It is that union, culminating in the Holy Communion, that strengthens them for everyday life, explains Msgr. DeGrocco. "We do liturgy in order to try to do Christian life right. What we do at Mass is a summation or a 'microcosm,' if you will, of the way we are supposed to be living Christian life."

According to Msgr. DeGrocco, this awareness of what takes place at every Mass is precisely why Catholics should invest themselves into appreciating the Mass. "We cannot be Catholic without it," he says. "We cannot be fully united to Jesus without sacramental communion with Him in the Eucharist."

Not only is daily life about the Mass, says Liturgy Professor Sister Janet Baxendale, SC of New York City's St. Joseph's Seminary, but the Mass also "offers extraordinary help in my efforts to live my life well" through Scripture, the Word of God, the Prayers of the Faithful, and most powerfully, by receiving the Eucharist.

In Holy Communion, "Christ comes to us to nourish us; to be food for our souls as we struggle to fulfill our Baptismal call to be like Christ, to be His presence in our world," notes Sister Baxendale.

Distractions can make participation and appreciation of the Mass discouraging, notes Sister Baxendale. "Our thoughts stray; we find ourselves trying to solve problems of home, of office, of life in general. The people around us distract us: a crying child; someone with an annoying habit sharing 'my' pew; the choir is off-key; the readings can't be heard-and on and on."

Sister Baxendale says there are strategies to reduce the impact of these distractions:

1. Prepare for Mass. Read over that day's Scriptures. "In this way you will have done the 'ground work,' tilling the soil so that the seed of God's Word may find ready soil in you."

2. Participate in Mass. Sing the hymns, pray the responses, listen to the readings and to the prayers said by the priest on our behalf: the opening prayer, the prayer over the gifts, the prayer after Communion, the Eucharistic prayer. "Work at doing this well, and there will be less time for distractions."

3. Learn about the Mass. Check online sources provided by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and printed materials in your own parish for resources to "enhance your understanding and appreciation of the great gift God has given to His people in the Mass."

4. Take daily time to be silent and to listen. The self-discipline of a regular period of quiet reflection teaches us to "empty our minds of the cares, ideas, and distracting thoughts that press on us-and to concentrate on God, on His incredible love for me [personally], and His presence to me. Our perseverance can bear fruit in the ability to concentrate more fully when we are at Mass."

5. Don't get discouraged. "It is the effort that counts. The results are in the hands of God."

Christ is present at Mass in many ways, explains Msgr. DeGrocco, "in the gathered assembly, in the Word, in the priest, and most especially in the Real Presence of the Eucharist… The person in the pew who does nothing 'more' than being internally attentive and bringing the sacrifice of his/her life, and who does all the external participation (sitting, standing, kneeling, responding, singing) is nonetheless participating fully."

He notes, "The best way to improve one's appreciation of the Mass is to improve one's living of the sacrifice of one's life."

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