Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
GLDIII ·
Nov 28, 2011 at 6:48am
Well it was not a surprise this morning in our pews that we were to start reciting with a “more accurate translation” of the Roman Catholic Missal. No longer the rote familiarity learned from the dawn of my religious awareness as a young teen. Hopefully they will not make me have to learn another new libretto before I get to visit the pearly gates. Any of the rest of you Catholic Ricochette find yourself saying the old words even while looking at the new text? Somewhere in here I expect admonitions of "old dogs" and "new tricks".
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Feb '11
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
I have been looking forward to the new translation -- I greatly enjoyed Anthony Esolen's essays at First Things recently on what he calls "nabbish," from the NAB or New American Bible translations. At Mass today as a solo parent with six tadpoles in tow, I found myself distracted occasionally. My voice is not noted for its quiet and gentle nature, so I was audibly wrong with several responses. After wrestling with a three year old for close to an hour, my "Thanks be to God!" after the final blessing was quite heartfelt. I did very much enjoy the Eucharistic Prayer, however. Deo Gratias!
Dec '10
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
I'm a converted Catholic, about five years, and my first exposure to the altered Missal came at evening mass last night. I can't say how many times I began the response "And also with you", only to melt into unintelligible mumbling when it didn't fit. Even after just five years, I can tell this is going to take some time.
Feb '11
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
I still have a hard time with "Benedict our Pope, Timothy our bishop" -- I mentally recite "John Paul our Pope, Terence our bishop." The former has been dead for 6 years and the latter (Terence Cardinal Cooke) died in 1983. RIP. And the only Mass times I can reliably remember are those of my childhood parish. I've been in this parish for 6 years, I schedule the altar servers, and I still have to check each week to make sure I know what time to be there. So don't worry about it!
Oct '11
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
It's my understanding that many people are bring cards to read. That's probably what I'll have to do.
I guess I've always appreciated the mass because it contained a little history and a little mystery.
I hope that won't change. It'll probably be tough for me at the age of 63 to memorize the new one for a while.
Oct '11
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
And there's an app for that.
Geez ...
Mar '11
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
American Kestrel: And there's an app for that.
Geez ... · Nov 27 at 7:00pm
Yes but we are pleasantly asked to still our hearts, and our cell phones, just before they introduce the celebrant...
May '10
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
It's going to be awkward for awhile, but I feel full of hope about the renewal coming to the Church through it. The new wording forces a person to pay attention. I kept finding tears welling tonight over it all--over the wonders and greatnesses of our Faith I mean.
I admire the priests who humbly take this on. Imagination what an adjustment it must be for them!
Mar '11
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
The good father was one of the folks I heard saying it occasionally the old way, even thought he was looking down and reading it. While I was stumbling along with an error rate of 50% (while reading it no less), he unfortunately was miked.....I even tried reading it aloud a few time earlier this week but the programing seems deeply embedded in the firmware. Oh bother, as Pooh would say.
Jun '10
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
Ha, love this. I'm still stuck on ol' John Paul myself and an Arch Bishop from my grade school days. Meanwhile, I suppose the changes will make me pay attention, but I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to it.
Jan '11
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
In my parish, it went well, except for me. I think I was the only one who muffed the responses ... which my wife enjoyed immensely. The Jesuit, right ...
Mar '11
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
Of course, to the truly old dogs, the new words are the old words.
Jun '10
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
My eyes were so glued to that pew card with the new words, that I started saying the Apostle's Creed instead of the Nicene Creed, and for a few seconds I just assumed that everyone else had it wrong. After all, IT WAS ON THE CARD. Finally, I saw the smaller word "Apostle's" next to the big word "Creed." Ooops.
Dec '10
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
I love the new translation! Yes, of course, I stumbled. While wearing the "And with your spirit" button our pastor handed out to those of us who studied the new translation over the last year! Our pastor, too, had to back up and repeat with us, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof..." But, the meaning is so lovely and the connection to sacred scripture and our Catholic history so profound, I find myself eager for this time of newness. I'll resist making it rote as long as I possibly can. Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee!
Jun '10
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
I'm a big fan as well. It actually went off pretty well at our country parish too - not many mistakes.
Just a couple more steps until we're back to Latin... hopefully in my life time.
May '10
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
I don't know if it was the same in other dioceses, but ours has been preparing the faithful for several weeks. The first half of the time allotted for the homily, priests have been reading an official explanation of the changes. It's been great and beautiful. Theologically deep, but very clear and pastoral in tone. Just right.
Feb '11
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
Samwise Gamgee: I'm a big fan as well. It actually went off pretty well at our country parish too - not many mistakes.
Just a couple more steps until we're back to Latin... hopefully in my life time. · Nov 28 at 7:44am
I love the extraordinary form, and am fortunate to have local priests who offer it frequently, but I also appreciate the English. I just like it done right.
Don't give me those priests who try to rewrite the Eucharistic Prayer. We had one priest we used to call Father Friendship because he liked to make everything sooo niiiice. And I must say that as a woman, I am offended by cloying attempts to be included. I never felt excluded.
May '11
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
Last week I started going to the 2:00 PM Latin Tridentine Mass. I had no idea it was going to be a High Mass as well. I was amazed at how well I remembered my Altar Boy responses from 50 years ago. And how much I appreciated it.
After all the "changes" (rock-n-roll Masses, folk Masses, renamed Sacraments, etc.) all in the name of making Catholicism more relevant, I find my return to the Latin to be quite comforting.
May '11
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
I was worried that the new translation would be a further step in the direction of clericism that so many young priests exhibit with their over the top affectations but I think it is fine. My only complaint is that the word consubstantiation is not as poetic as one in being with the Father.
Aug '11
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
Being a life long Lutheran, I understand the mental disconnect. I can still recite the liturgy from the 1941 Lutheran Hymnal from memory. But since the 1970s, we experienced two hymnal and liturgy changes. I don't remember there being any push from the pews for this change. The church hierarchy came down from the mountain with the hymnals chiseled into stone.
Aside: the response, "And with thy spirit" was used in the '41 hymnal but now we say, "And also with you." Does this mean us Lutherans will be cycling back?
Dec '10
Re: Just Getting Comfortable After 40+ Years
Our parish was part of a pilot program preparing for the last year. The announcement was made at the start of Advent last year and many of us immediately entered studies (Edward Sri) and held home meetings/studies to learn the new translation. Our choir has been rehearsing the new/old Gloria and other liturgical songs with us for a couple months now and our pastor has been using some of the new/old prayers in the Invitation to Communion, for example. I am so blessed to belong to this parish and this parish is so blessed to have this pastor for 32(!) years. It's on Fire with the Spirit!
If ya'll ever make it out to Colorado, drop me a personal message. I'll happily direct you to this Spirit-filled place.