Monday, November 28, 2011

Experiences with the Implementation of the Revised English Edition of the Roman Missal: Have Your Say

Yesterday was a very big day within the English speaking world, for it saw the full implementation of the corrected English translation of the Missale Romanum of the Ordinary Form.

I have heard a number of things so far.

First I saw plenty of anticipation about this past weekend as many of the liturgically interested looked forward to finally hearing the words and phrases which they have perhaps recognized from the older pew missals in the usus antiquior or from other sources. (I cannot tell you how many times I witnessed people jestingly and joyfully finding reasons to say "And with your spirit" or "It is right and just" on their Facebook walls over the 24-36 hours.)

In some parts of Canada, that exuberance was admittedly tempered by the fact that with the implementation of this new translation of the Roman Missal have come some decisions in some dioceses (it is not universal) regarding matters of gesture and posture at communion time which have met with no little controversy -- the most controversial of which being the move to set the standard posture for the faithful as standing until the very last person has received communion (the more usual custom being that people would return to their pew and kneel in prayer). There has even been a Facebook page started around this: Canadian Catholics preserving the custom of kneeling after Holy Communion. Aside from the matter of altering a fairly strong and established custom, what seems to be a particular irritant here is that some of these places are apparently trying to impose this very rigidly -- i.e. suggesting they may not do otherwise. The NLM inbox has seen more than its fair share of questions around this and while it is tempting to do a post on this topic, suffice it to point to this dubium on the posture of the faithful following communion which was made about this precise matter; this makes the mind of the Missal, and Rome, very clear.

At any rate, this weekend was evidently a very big deal for a great number of our readers here, be they priests or be they laity. And while obviously this revised translation is only one step in the bigger picture of the "reform of the reform," its importance as a part of this within the English speaking world should not be underestimated. Accordingly, we want to hear your thoughts on this new translation now that it has finally it the altars.

Please respond both in the comments, and in our poll.





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