REVISED

REVISED

ROMAN

MISSAL

May 8, 2011





Our Prayer Reflects Our

Beliefs,

Our Way of Living

Dear Parish Family:

As you may have heard or read, some of the words of the Change, as we all know, is a part of life. Nothing

prayers of the Mass have been revised. The Congregation for stays the same, locally or globally. Just think how our world

Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has has changed in the United States since September 11.

approved revisions in the Roman Missal, the book that the

priest uses to pray the words the Mass. This third typical We also are not the same Catholic people we were only a few

edition of the Roman Missal was issued by Pope John Paul II years ago. I am sure that both you and I have grown in our

in 2000. After it was published in 2002, the work of translation holiness and in our faith and understanding of God.

began. During this translation a different model was used than After praying the same words of the Mass for so

after the Second Vatican Council, so some of the words that many years, both the priest and the people will have the

we proclaim at Mass have been changed. The United States is opportunity once again to be more conscious of the words we

not the only country making these changes. The words prayed pray. Richer meanings of the words may be spiritually heard in

in the Mass are being revised around the world, no matter a new way, transforming our hearts. They will not be words

what language is spoken. By the nature of the language in said by tore, but words with a fuller scriptural understanding.

some parts of the world, though, the revisions are less As a parish, we can grow spiritually from this

extensive. experience. We will begin to have parish meetings on the

Words affect our lives. How we say and hear words revised translation to better understand the reasons for these

affects how we react to life; the way we live, pray, and believe. changes and how they can help us grow closer to God. Until

The revised translation of the Roman Missal can convey those meetings, you may want to think about your concerns.

images that can help us express our feelings of praise and Consider and pray over any discomfort you have. I would like

thanks to God for all He does for us in new ways. you to ask questions about the changes at the parish meeting.

What differences will we hear in this translation? This As with all changes, it will take time to adapt. But we

version will be more formal in language and scripturally richer will adapt to the changes easier if we understand them.

in images. Some of the words in the Gloria, Creed, Holy, Holy, Just as we do anything new in life, it takes time to

Holy and Memorial Acclamations will be different. A few of the adjust. Just think of the other changes we have made in our

acclamation changes will be in the responses for “The Lord be parish over the years and how we now see them as “always

with you” and the “Lord, I am not worthy.” The Mass parts will having been done that way.”

be assigned new musical settings. Let us pray that we are open to the Holy Spirit in

We should each be personally excited to pray this exploring these revisions in the prayers of the Mass. May we

revised translation when it is ready, since it will give a fuller understand that these words will assist us in lifting our minds

meaning to the words expressed in the document from the and hearts to grow deeper in our faith by praying the Mass

Second Vatican Council, the Constitution on the Sacred more consciously, fully and actively, together giving praise and

Liturgy, “full, conscious and active participation in liturgical thanks to God.

celebrations called for the very nature of the liturgy” (CSL, 14).

Yours in Christ,



Msgr. Homer P. Gosselin





May 15, 2011



LITURGY AND THE CHRISTIAN

LANGUAGE

FR. DOUGLAS MARTIS, THE LITURGICAL INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY OF SAINT MARY OF

THE LAKE



“AN OLIVE IS NEVER JUST AN OLIVE.” I said to myself, bread, the way Italy feasts not just on pasta, but capellini and

driving through the desert in Tunisia. I was fascinated by the fusili and linguini, we have a language that captures in a word

number of olive trees with their gnarled trunks and twisted or a phrase the essence of what we believe: “The Boyd of

branches. An olive is not only the fruit of a tree. It is an epic. It Christ.” “Amen.” This Christian language with its word and

contains within itself all that has gone before. The roots are symbols is our own heritage and it is present to use every time

sunk into the earth and also deep into history. These olive the Church prays.

groves appear as the sole oasis in the desert where I had gone For me, this is the fascinating thing about the liturgy.

to retrace the steps of Tertullian and breathe the same air as It is so rich. And at the same time, it should not be passed over

Augustine of Hippo. Were they moved too, by the antiquity of as if it were already understood. Ritual offers its sweet

these branches? fragrance every time.

Sometimes we linger over the exotic in order to better When I think of Simeon in that precious moment, for

appreciate what we see every day. Later, I find myself ================= which he faithfully waited his entire

observing the vineyards extending over the rolling landscape in I want to know more of this life, I cannot help but also think of the

Burgundy. I repeat the same theme: a grape is not just a Christian culture that spans prophetess Anna and her silent

grape, wine not just a drink. It is a complex of meaning and the centuries and covers the fidelity, witness to grace, praying in

history, of know-how and tradition. And again, later in the globe. I am not talking about the shadows, persistent nonetheless.

boulangerie, I discover that in France, bread is not just bread. something that is antiquated, Their life-long pursuit, attention to the

It is baguette, flute, fiselle and pain. but this mystery of our faith will of the God, filled with patience as

There are certain things that can only be truly that St. Paul characterizes as well as hope and expectation, is the

understood in the rich cultural context that gives birth to them. ever new. I want to be able to example for us all. This encounter is

penetrate the poetry of this

In order to appreciate these things most fully, it is the crossroads of young and old, of

mystery.

essential to “dwell” in the culture. You hold a bottle or a loaf in ================== innocent and learned, of a weary

your hand and you begin to understand that there is more than _____________________ light dimming even as a new, more

meets the eye. This is nourishment and refreshment. brilliant light emerges. And thinking of these two faithful souls

I see Madam Talbot coming from the bakery with her brings me to the prayer repeated night after night by the

daily bread. I watch how she holds it, still warm in the paper Church, the Nunc Dimittis, which makes these words, placed

wrapper, offering its yeasty aroma. I am reminded of the way on the lips of the faithful, echo across the centuries. “Now,

old man Simeon in Saint Luke‟s Gospel held the Christ-child in Master, you can dismiss your servant! My own eyes have seen

his arms, blessing God, his heart full of joy. your salvation.” All of these things are woven together in that

And I ask myself, what would our experience of the one instant of the liturgy.

sacred liturgy be like if we were able to embrace it as Simeon I want to know more of this Christian culture that

carried the Messiah? What if in every word, in every gesture spans the centuries and covers the globe. I am not talking

we were able to touch the magnificent treasure that is about something that in antiquated, but this mystery of our faint

presented to us? He is our Daily Bread! that St. Paul characterizes as ever new. I want to be able to

Every culture has its own way of seeing things, of penetrate the poetry of this mystery.

experiencing them, and of speaking about them. Every grandparent knows

The same is true for us Christians. Our Christian the experience of Simeon And

culture has its own symbols, its own language, its own lingo Anna: you hold in your hands

and vocabulary. They way Eskimos have many words to the future. But this precious

describe snow, the way the French have many names for child is not the future only. A

baby is also the past. What should be running through the mind of every Catholic

Embrace the liturgy as during the liturgy? What does the Church want us to

Simeon the Christ-child. Hold understand when we do certain things? What should we be

Christ. Hold Him in your thinking when we bow? On what should we reflect when the

heart, savoring all the mean- liturgy calls for silence? What connections are to be made

ing. Do not take Him into between what we see and hear and say and do? The Church

yourself without bring to has its own culture which expresses itself in the liturgy. To be

mind all that this communion able to enter more deeply into the liturgy we must live in that

means. For us Catholics bread Christian culture.

is more than flour and water,

wine is more than crushed

grape. WWW.MYSTICALBODYMYSTICALVOICE.COM





THE CORPORATE NATURE OF WORSHIP

FR. DOUGLAS MARTIS, THE LITURGICAL INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY OF SAINT MARY OF THE LAKE



Corinthians. Each one of us, in his or her own and unique way

SOME TIME AGO I WAS PRAYING in a chapel, as I looked up has something to contribute. Since the Eucharistic Liturgy is

I saw the hymnals neatly arranged in the book holders of each the prayer of Christ to his Father, we can only participate in it

pew. On the cover of each book, the word “Gather” in gold fully if we are members of Christ. By the Sacrament of

lettering popped out against the dark background. “That‟s our Baptism, we become members of his body and are “equipped”

problem!” I said almost out loud. with the ability to join his prayer to the Father.

For nearly a generation, we have been told and have When the community gathers to pray, it must pray as

been telling others that we have to “gather” in Church. Our the body of Christ: the community prays as a kind of

songs reinforce the notion: “We gather together to sing the “corporate” Christ. In the liturgy, the work, “I” rarely means one

Lord‟s praises…” They hymnals, too, speak: “Gather,” they tell of us individuals. It usually refers to this assembly that prays as

us. And yet, if we stay at that level at the level of gathering one. The “my” in the liturgy does not mean “mine alone.” It is

only—we have missed an essential aspect of the liturgy. the voice of Christ that speaks here; we fold our voices into

I think of a model airplane that I can buy at the local his. The liturgical is the most exquisite presentation of the

hardware store. All of the pieces are there in the box, gathered Church, since in her liturgical prayer the Church shows herself

in the same place. But they do not get to be an airplane until most perfectly both as the bride of Christ and as his own

the pieces are assembled! beloved body. This “my” in the liturgy is the Body of Christ, it is

The same is true of the Church at prayer. The Corpus Christi.

worshipping assembly is formed into one body on a variety of The initial task of the liturgical assembly, then, is to

levels: in speech, in song, in gesture, but also in mind and form, or better yet, to be formed into the body of Christ,

heart. And while it is true that when they gather to pray, each reminiscent of Saint Augustine‟s command: “Become what you

brings his or her own prayers, none should come with any receive, receive what you are.” The Christian people, gathered

other motive than the praise of God. as Christ‟s body, joins with him, its head and spouse, in

The Christian community joined in public prayer is offering a unified prayer of praise; in union with the whole

decidedly not a group of anonymous individuals who happen Church and with Christ we participate in his prayer to Father.

to be gathered in the same place and time. They are called This gathering, moreover, is not an amorphous mass, or a

brothers and sisters in the Lord---related by nothing less than group of disconnected individuals who happen to be in the

blood and water—the Blood of Christ and the water of baptism. same place and the same time.

They are perpetually trying to connect every aspect of their ======================= There is order and

lives with the Mystery of Christ. The Christian community structure both to the

Assembling into one body is only possible for those

willing to do so; they must come to the liturgy with openness

joined in public prayer is gathering and to its

and charity, ready to pray together, ready to share and decidedly not a group of prayer.

celebrate what really matters, ready to care for one another. In anonymous individuals Each member of the

some ways, the liturgical assembly never really exhausts its who happen to be gathered community has a role

role because concern for others extends beyond the walls of

the building. in the same place and time…to play in the liturgical

Our participation in the liturgy happens because we They are perpetually trying act. This means that

are members of the Mystical Body of Christ. Saint Paul to connect every aspect of the highest value of

explains this magnificent idea for us in the First Letter to the their lives with the Mystery liturgical expression, in

of Christ. this sense, is that each eloquent nor by the music no matter how phenomenal.

====================== person play his or her Liturgical celebrations should not be evaluated as if they were

part fully. And not only performances. We want to learn to live a Christian life that

that, but that each play feeds into and is nourished by the celebration of the sacred

only that part. In this mysteries. This is the living liturgically.

way, rather than making

all the members the same, each will respect the unique quality

and contribution of the other. WWW.MYSTICALBODYMYSTICALVOICE.COM

The Church has resisted calling this gathering an

“audience” because the members of the community are

assembled for a collective action, collective prayer, rather than

watching or merely listening. They do not come to be

entertained, to be impressed by the discourse no matter how May 22, 2011



WORSHIP IS HUMAN AND DIVINE

FR. DOUGLAS MARTIS, THE LITURGICAL INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY OF SAINT MARY OF THE LAKE





I WAS ASTONISHED TO DISCOVER that the shiny buckles on their shoes. Pilgrims, in our cultural context,

Word Catholics use to describe themselves as member of a were adventurers and colonists, industrious and friends of new

Catholic community, “parishioner,” is related to the English peoples.

word “pariah”: outcast! In fact, I did not believe it at first.

So I consulted dictionaries and lexicons, word-studies and Exchanging the nuance of parishioner for that of

etymologies, trying to prove that the connection was pilgrim may take the edge off. But what we lose is the

misguided. I found that the word has a Greek origin: paroikos. determined claim of our religion that a better place awaits us

It literally means “alongside the house,” but the translation that and that we must live in this world with our eyes set on the

is usually given is “resident alien:” the one who is alongside the world to come. It might should strange to say so, but the

house is not inside and is thus “alien.” problem with middle-class Christianity is that we have pretty

much everything we want. And if we don‟t have it we can buy

“Parishioner” enters our Catholic vocabulary through it. Few long for Heaven with the deep yearning of exiles. We

the writings of Saint Paul. In the letter to the Ephesians he do not feel out of place on earth; we have our comfortable

reminds Christians of their relation to each other and their homes; life here is just fine, thanks.

dignity in Christ: But Catholics ought to stand as witnesses to the

reality of eternity. The Second Vatican Council teaches us that

“Church is essentially both human and divine, visible but

…You are strangers and aliens no longer. No, you endowed with invisible realities, zealous in action and

are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household dedicated to contemplation, present in the world, but as a

of God. You form a building which rises on the foundation of pilgrim, so constituted that in her the human in directed toward

the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the and subordinated to the divine, the visible to the invisible,

capstone. Through him the whole structure is fitted together action to contemplation, and this present world to that city yet

and takes shape as a holy temple in the Lord; in him you are to come, the object of our quest.” (SC, 2)

being built into this temple, to become a dwelling place a God In some way it is beautiful that we have this persistent

in the Spirit. (Eph. 2:19-22) and uncomfortable reminder that here is not the end. Every

time we call ourselves parishioners we should remember that

we are headed to Heaven: our true home is there.

The word Saint Paul uses here as “aliens” is the This is why there are so many processions in the

same word as “parishioner.” And his point is clear. We are liturgical expression of the Catholic Church. Have you ever

“sojourners” on earth, wanderers, never quite comfortable with noticed? In a typical Mass there are four processions: at the

the world because this is not our home. For Christians, our true Entrance, the Gospel, the Offertory, and again at Communion.

home is in Heaven. A procession is an assembly on the move. We do not stand

I recall Jesus‟ prayer for his disciples in the Gospel of still because we have a direction, a destination!

John “I do not ask you to take them out of the world”… “They The liturgy is for those who have a clear sense of

are not of the world” and “they are really yours.” direction. We Christians are “homeward” bound. Every

The politically correct term we use is “pilgrim.” But his ======================= sacramental celebration has

makes most Americans think of sweet potatoes and roast Catholics ought to stand woven into it a kind of as

turkey, women wearing bonnets and men with tall hats and big witnesses to the reality geographical movement.

of eternity. The Second Even in baptism we move Promised Land. The Church is the New Israel. She longs to

Vatican Council teaches from door to nave, from us find her way to her heavenly homeland.

that the “Church is nave to font, from font to The liturgy is our help along the way, and a recurrent

essentially both human altar. moment where we get a “foretaste” of what is to come. Even

and divine, visible but our entry into the church building can be a sacramental

endowed with invisible experience where we recognize that we are destined for

realities…” another world. Cross the threshold, join with the angels and

======================= saints. They are present with us. Can you see them, hear the,

This is so important for our understanding and as we sing “Holy, Holy, Holy? 

celebration of the liturgy because it gives us a bodily reminder

that we have not arrived. The Church associates herself with

the Chosen People who were determined to enter into the WWW.MYSTICALBODYMYSTICALVOICE.COM









CHRIST IS THE TRUE HIGH PRIEST

FR. DOUGLAS MARTIS, THE LITURGICAL INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY OF SAINT MARY OF THE LAKE



EVERY CULTURE HAS ITS PROPER WAY of communicating life for the sheep, Who is known by the sound of His voice,

and expressing what it believes. Every culture has its own way Who seeks out the stray and the lost. The window is a

of speaking as so it is with Christians. The same is true for poignant reminder to every priest that the sacrifice he offers is

Catholics. We use the symbols of our Christian culture to Christ‟s own. The priest stands there in obedience to the

express what we believe in a way that is unique to us. We Lord‟s will. He stands there in the place of Christ the head, in

have our own musical heritage, our own linguistic expressions, persona Christi capitis, as our Catholic theology tells us. Every

our own gestures that are charged with theological and holy thought must be for Christ since it is not we who offer the

meaning. To best appreciate Catholic culture we have to live in sacrifice for Him, but He Who does it in us. As he enters

it, abide in it to make the meaning our own. deeper into the sanctuary, deeper into the mystery, the priest

The windows always teach me something. Seated in is reminded to model himself on Christ.

the priest-celebrant‟s chair in Saints Peter and Paul Church, When it comes to the Sacred Liturgy, one of the most

Naperville, the window of the Sacred Hear speaks, teaches, important things we must keep in mind is that since the Mass

inspires me. Some of the most beautiful stained-glass windows is the prayer of Christ Himself to His Father, our participation in

in the Diocese of Joliet can be discovered here. A previous the liturgy allows us to join him. As a result, our prayer takes

generation has left behind these images as a tribute to their on the power of his words. He accomplishes for us what we

own strong faith and to remind us of what we believe. are not able to do ourselves. This does not diminish us; it

We believe that the Mass is the prayer of Christ to His raises us up in Christ.

Father. There is no more perfect prayer than this. What‟s Christ it the true high priest. He is the perfect priest

more, not only do we witness this prayer, not only do we because His offering is the total gift of Himself, “with no strings

ourselves benefit from it, we get to participate in it---to find attached” as the late Bishop Roger Kaffer used to say. The

ourselves, our true selves, there. Preface for the Mass of the Holy Eucharist, used especially on

The window of the Sacred Heart is given as a Holy Thursday as the Church enters the most sacred of

medallion above the window of the Lord‟s Ascension! It also events, tells us that Christ “is the true

weaves together powerful and essential aspects of the Lord‟s and eternal priest” who

mission: at once He holds the Eucharist, He bears the weight

One of the most “offered himself as a victim

wood of the cross, He wears the crown of His victory over sin important things we things we must keep in

and death. Here we have the Suffering Servant, Christ the must keep in mind is mind is that since for our

King, and the Eternal High Priest wrapped around the Sacred deliverance.”

Heart. It is an icon that will not let us forget what Christ has that since the Mass is the To be a priest is one of

done for us; what He continues to do to show His love to the prayer of Christ Himself most dangerous

Father, for love of us. to His Father, our responsibilities. In the

Christ is the true and eternal priest. history of religions, the

Another window, this one in the apse of the sanctuary participation in priest is the strong, manly

depicts a priest celebrating Mass. It is a unique image in that it the liturgy allows us to figure who with heroic

lets us see what the priest is thinking as he offers the sacrifice. join him. As a courage, does everything

He reflects on Christ the Good Shepherd, Who lays down His that is necessary for the

result, our prayer

takes on the power

of his words.

sake of the people. Faith Catholics must never forget that these same qualities

requires commitment, in Christ, these virtues, must become our own, acknowledging

fidelity, hard choices. The all the while that the prayer is his, the work is his, salvation

priest dares to mediate comes from him. 

between the human and

divine, and so is constantly

at risk of falling WWW.MYSTICALBODYMYSTICALVOICE.COM

into the abyss.

A leader of the early liturgical movement once noted that

renewal of the liturgy should lead us to a “strong, virile

catholicity.” This is the image and example of Christ, who holds

nothing back for our sake---who does not pretend to die, but May 29, 2011

goes through death to rescue us from all the powers of evil.



HEARING THE WORD OF GOD

When the Scriptures are read in the Church, God Himself is speaking to His people

and Christ, present in His own word, is proclaiming the Gospel. (GIRM, n.29) These

words from the General Instruction of the Roman Missal set before us a profound

truth that we need to ponder and make our own.



The words of Sacred Scripture are unlike any other texts we will ever hear, for they

not only give us information, they are the vehicle God uses to reveal himself to us,

the means by which we come to know the depth of God‟s love for us and the responsibilities entailed by

being Christ‟s followers, members of his Body. What is more, this Word of God proclaimed in the liturgy

possesses a special sacramental power to bring about in us what it proclaims. The Word of God

proclaimed at Mass is „efficacious‟ that is, it not only tells us of God and God‟s will for us, it also helps us

to put that will of God into practice in our own lives.



How, then, do we respond to this wonderful gift of God‟s Word? We respond in word and song, in posture

and gesture, in silent meditation and, most important of all, by listening attentively to that Word as it is

proclaimed. Following e3ach reading we express our gratitude for this gift with the words „Thanks be to

God‟ or, in the case of the Gospel, „Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ,‟ and it is appropriate that a brief

period of silence be observed to allow for personal reflection. Following the first reading we sing the

Responsorial Psalm, a meditation on God‟s word through the inspired words of one of the psalms from the

Psalter, the Bible‟s prayer book



The Gospel is the highpoint of the Liturgy of the Word. The readings from the Old Testament tell us of

God‟s promises and His preparation of His people for the coming of His Son; the epistles and other pre-

Gospel New Testament readings offer the reflections of St. Paul and other contemporaries of the Lord on

the life and message of Christ; in the Acts of the Apostles we have a history of the early Church. We

believe that all Scripture, the Old and New Testaments is inspired by the Holy Spirit, but the Church has

always given special honor to the Gospel because in the Gospel we have not simply the preparation for

and prefiguring of Christ, nor reflections on His message, but the words and deeds of Christ Himself. The

proclamation of the Gospel is surrounded with marks of respect and honor: the Gospel is read by an

ordained minister, the deacons, or, when no deacon is present, by a priest; the Book of Gospels is carried

aloft with honor in the entrance procession and placed on the altar until the Gospel reading to show the

unity of Scripture and Eucharist, of the table of the Word and the table of the Christ‟s body and blood; just

before the Gospel is read the Gospel book is carried in procession to the ambo to the accompaniment of

an acclamation sung by the people; it may be incensed before the reading and is kissed at its conclusion;

finally, all stand as the Gospel is proclaimed. Through this posture and through the honor paid to the book

containing the Gospel, the Church pays homage to Christ Who is present in His Word and Who proclaims

His Gospel.









June 5, 2011



MINISTRIES AND ROLES WITHIN THE LITURGICAL ASSEMBLY AT MASS

When the Church comes together in the liturgical assembly to celebrate the Mass, or any

other sacrament, her members do not gather simply as a crowd, as an amorphous,

undifferentiated group of people. They gather in a variety of ministries and roles. If we are

to understand the significance of these ministries and roles, we must begin with Baptism,

for only one who through Baptism has been given a share in the priesthood of Christ is

capable of participating in the public worship which is the liturgy of the Church. In fact, the

Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council tells us that participation

in the liturgy is the right and duty of all the baptized.





The first qualification, then, for any participant in the celebration of the Eucharist is that he

or she has been baptized into the Body of Christ, the Church. Each time the members of

the Church gather to worship, they do so because their baptism demands this of them. While all share in the priesthood of

Christ which delegates them to worship, some members of the Church are called by God to serve in the ministerial

priesthood as bishops and priests. Bishops and priests are privileged to act in the liturgy in the very person of Christ, on

behalf of his people, pronouncing the most sacred prayers of our faith, presiding over the celebration of the sacred

mysteries, explaining God‟s Word and feeding God‟s people on the body and blood of Christ. A bishop has the added

responsibility of being the chief shepherd, the principal liturgist of his diocese and in that role is the successor of the

Apostles. Others by God‟s grace are ordained to the ministry of deacon. In the celebration of the Mass deacons proclaim

the Gospel and assist the bishop and priest in exercising their sacred duties.





In addition to the ordained ministries there are roles in the liturgy which are exercised by lay people who place their time and

talent at the service of the liturgical assembly as acolytes (altar servers), lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy

Communion, cantors, choir members, instrumentalists, leaders of song and ushers. Others contribute their time and talent

to planning and organizing the liturgy, to keeping the church and the vestments, vessels and appointments clean and well-

ordered or to providing decorations that reflect the spirit of the liturgical feast or season.





The General Instruction makes it very clear that this variety of offices and roles is desirable and should be maintained. In

fact it goes so far as to state:…all, therefore, whether they are ordained ministers or Christian faithful, in fulfilling their offices

or their duty, should carry out solely but completely that which pertains to them.” Not only, therefore, is it desirable that

individuals function in roles of service at Mass, it is clear from the Instruction that if a deacon, for example, is present, the

priest celebrant or a concelebrant should not read the Gospel. And the lector should not also take on the role of server

and/or extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. There is a wide variety of services to be performed, and it is desirable

that different individuals exercise those services so that the talents and gifts God has placed within the Christian community

are fully utilized and these roles of service are not monopolized by a few.





It is not sufficient, however, simply to have a “warm body” filling a given role. Those engaged in liturgical roles need to be

well-prepared for those roles and to know how to carry them out with reverence, dignity and understanding. Obtaining the

proper preparation requires a further gift of time on the part of the person being prepared as well as on the part of those in

the parish responsible for the training of the liturgical ministers. Finally, the practical task of assigning individuals to

particular Masses and organizing the distribution of roles is another indispensable element in the fabric of well-ordered

liturgical ministry in a parish.









June 12, 2011









POSTURES AND GESTURES AT MASS

In the celebration of Mass we raise our hearts, minds and voices to God, but we are creatures composed of body as well as

spirit and so our prayer is not confined to our minds, hearts and voices, but is expressed by our bodies as well. When our

bodies participate in our prayer we pray with our whole person, as the embodied spirits God created us to be, and this

engagement of our entire being in prayer helps us to pray with greater attention.





During Mss we assume different postures: standing, kneeling, sitting, and we are also invited to make a variety of gestures.

These postures and gestures are not merely ceremonial. They have profound meaning and, when done with understanding,

can enhance our personal participation in Mass. In fact, these actions are the way in which we engage our bodies in the

prayer that is the Mass.





Each posture we assume at Mass underlines and reinforces the meaning of the action in which we are taking part at that

moment in our worship. Standing is a sign of respect and honor, so we stand as the celebrant who represents Christ enters

and leaves the assembly. This posture, from the earliest days of the Church, has been understood as the stance of those

who are risen with Christ and seek the things that are above. When we stand for prayer we assume our full stature before

God, not in pride, but in humble gratitude for the marvelous thing God has done in creating and redeeming each one of us.

By Baptism we have been given a share in the life of God, and the posture of standing is an acknowledgment of this

wonderful gift. We stand for the Gospel, the pinnacle of revelation, the words and deeds of the Lord, and the bishops of the

United States have chosen standing as the posture to be observed in this country for the reception of Communion, the

sacrament which unites us in the most profound way possible with Christ who, now gloriously risen from the dead, is the

cause of our salvation.





The posture of kneeling signified penance in the early Church: the awareness of sin casts us to the ground! So thoroughly

was kneeling identified with penance that the early Christians were forbidden to kneel on Sundays and during the Easter

Season when the prevailing spirit of the liturgy was that of joy and thanksgiving. In the Middle Ages kneeling came to signify

the homage of a vassal to his lord, and more recently this posture has come to signify adoration. It is for this reason that the

bishops of this country have chosen the posture of kneeling for the entire Eucharistic Prayer.





Sitting is the posture of listening and meditation, so the congregation sits for the pre-Gospel readings and may also sit for

the period of meditation following Communion.









June 19, 2011



THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

The Eucharistic Prayer of Canon of the Mass is the central prayer of the

entire celebration. Most Catholics have been made aware from their

earliest days that during the Eucharistic Prayer the bread and wine are

transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. What many Catholics are

not aware of, however, is that the Eucharistic Prayer is about more than

adoring Christ who becomes present in our midst.



The Church tells us that liturgy (and the Mass is the highpoint and heart of

liturgy) is the action of Christ the priest and His Body, the Church. In the

celebration of Mass, during the Eucharistic Prayer, not only does Christ

become present, body and blood, soul and divinity, under the forms of

bread and wine, but Christ‟s saving action, His passion, death and

resurrection are once again enacted and offered to the Father by Christ

Himself in the person of the priest, and by all present.



This is a truth of enormous significance! This action of Christ which

brought about our redemption from sin and eternal death, offered once for

all on Calvary, becomes present again for us, here and now, in this time and place so that we can join in Christ‟s perfect

offering and can ourselves participate in His perfect worship.



Read carefully any of the Eucharistic Prayer. You will see that the prayer is offered, not to Christ, but to the Father: Father,

you are holy indeed…,Father, we bring you these gifts…, Father, we ask you…It is worship offered to the Father by Christ

as it was at the moment of His passion, death and resurrection, but now it is offered through the priest acting in the person

of Christ, and it is offered as well by all of us who are part of Christ‟s Body, the Church. This is the action of Christ‟s Body,

the Church at Mass.



When the priest prays this prayer he prays we bring you these gifts; we ask you…; we offer. That we signifies that all the

baptized present at this Eucharistic celebration make this offering in union with Christ, pray this prayer in union with Him.

And what is most important, we do not offer Christ alone; we are called to offer ourselves, our lives, our individual efforts to

grown more like Christ and our efforts as a community of believers to spread God‟s Word and to serve God‟s people, to the

Father in union with Christ through the hands of the priest. Most wonderful of all, although our offering is in itself imperfect,

joined with the offering of Christ it becomes perfect praise and thanksgiving to the Father.



And so, during the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass, we have more to do than to look forward to the moment of consecration and

remain there while the prayer of the priest continues. Before the consecration we join in the prayer of praise and

thanksgiving to the Father known as the Preface and affirm that praise and thanksgiving in our singing of the Holy, Holy,

Holy. Following the Consecration we join together in the Memorial Acclamation which proclaims our common faith in Christ‟s

real presence and is an acclamation expressing our gratitude to Christ for His wonderful gift of salvation. But then our prayer

moves on and we are called to offer Christ and ourselves with Christ to the Father. „We offer to you, Father, this holy and

living sacrifice…‟ and to pray with the priest that „we who are nourished by His Body and Blood may be filled with the Holy

Spirit and become one body, one spirit in Christ…‟; we then join our prayers with the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary and

all the saints for our Holy Father the Pope, our bishops and clergy and all God‟s people, living and dead. At the conclusion

of the Eucharistic Prayer the priest sums up all that has gone before: „ Through Him (Christ), with Him (Christ), in Him

(Christ) in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, forever and ever.‟ And we, who are

privileged to make our own offering through, with and in Christ, respond with the most important acclamation of the Mass,

the great AMEN by which we profess the action of Christ to be our action as well.





June 26, 2011



THE RECEPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION AT MASS

The Church understands the Communion Procession, in fact every procession in

liturgy, as a sign of the pilgrim Church, the body of those who believe in Christ, on

their way to the Heavenly Jerusalem. All our lives we who believe in Christ are

moving in time toward that moment when we will be taken by death from this world

and enter into the joy of the Lord in the eternal Kingdom He has prepared for us.



The liturgical assembly of the baptized that come together for the celebration of

the Eucharist is a witness to, a manifestation of, the pilgrim Church. When we

move in procession, particularly the procession to receive the body and blood of Christ in Co9mmunion, we are a sign, a

symbol of that pilgrim Church „on the way.‟ For some, however, the experience of the Communion Procession is far more

prosaic, analogous perhaps to standing on line in the supermarket or at the motor vehicle bureau. A perception such as this

is a dreadfully inaccurate and impoverished understanding of what is a significant religious action.



The Communion Procession is an action of the Body of Christ. At Christ‟s invitation extended by the priest acting in Christ‟s

person: Happy are they who are called to his supper, the members of the community move forward to share in the sacred

meal, to receive the body and blood of Christ which is the sign and the source of their unity. In fact, each time we move

forward together to receive the body and blood of the Lord, we join the countless ranks of all the baptized who have gone

before us, our loved ones, the canonized and uncanonized saints down through the ages, who at their time in history formed

a part of this mighty stream of believers.



This action by Christ‟s body, the Church assembled for the Eucharist, is manifested and supported by the Communion

Hymn, a hymn in praise of Christ sung by the united voices of those who believe in Him and share His life. The General

Instruction of the Roman Missal takes this hymn very seriously, mandating that is should begin at the Communion of the

priest and extend until the last person has received Communion.



For some, however, the singing of this hymn is perceived as an intrusion on their own prayer, their private thanksgiving after

Communion. In fact, however, this hymn is prayer, the corporate thanksgiving prayer of the members of Christ‟s Body,

united with one another. Over and over again the prayers of the liturgy and the norms of the General Instruction emphasize

this fundamental concept of the unity of the baptized, stressing that when we come together to participate in the Eucharistic

celebration we come, not as individuals, but as united members of Christ‟s body. In each of the Eucharistic Prayers, though

the petition is worded in slightly different ways, God is asked to send His Holy Spirit to make us one body, one spirit in

Christ; the General Instruction admonishes the faithful that they should become one body, whether by hearing the word of

God, or joining in prayers and singing… (GIRM, no. 96) it describes one of the purposes of the opening song of the Mass

as to…intensify the unity of those who have been gathered and says of the Communion Chant that its function is to express

outwardly the communicants‟ union in spirit by means of the unity of their voices,…and to highlight the communitarian

nature of the procession to receive Communion.

It is difficult for some of us to embrace this emphasis on Mass as the action of a community rather than an individual act of

my own faith and piety, but it is important that we make every effort to do so. Christ Himself at the Last Supper pleaded with

His Father: Holy Father, keep those You have given Me true to Your Name, so that they may be one like Us… Father may

they be one in Us, as You are in Me and I am in You…Jn. 17: 12; 21. Baptism has joined us to Christ and to one another as

the vine and its branches. The life of Christ, the Holy Spirit, animates each of us individually, and all of us corporately and

guides us together in our efforts to become on in Christ.



Finally, the fact that the Communion Procession is a profoundly religious action tells us something about the way in which

we should participate in this procession. We are the Body of Christ, moving forward to receive the Christ who makes us one

with Himself and with one another. Our procession should move with dignity; our bearing should be that of those who know

they have been redeemed by Christ and are coming to receive their God!



The new edition of the General Instruction asks the Conference of Bishops in each country to determine to posture to be

used for the reception of Communion and the act of reverence to be made by each person as he or she receives

Communion. The Conference of Bishops of the United States has determined that in this country Communion will be

received standing and that a bow will be the act of reverence made by those receiving. These norms may require some

adjustment on the part of those who have been used to other practices, however, the significance of unity in posture and

gesture as a symbol of our unity as members of the one body of Christ should be the governing factor in our own actions.



Those who receive Communion may receive either in the hand or on the tongue, and the decision should be that of the

individual receiving, not of the person distributing Communion. If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first

of all be clean. If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. The host will then be laid in the palm of the left

hand and then taken by the right hand to the mouth. If one is left handed this is reversed. It is not appropriate to reach out

with the fingers and take the host from the person distributing.



The person distributing Communion says audibly to each person approaching, „The Body of Christ.‟ This formula should

not be altered, as it is a proclamation which calls for a response of faith on the part of the one who receives. The

communicant should audibly respond „Amen‟, indicating by that response his or her belief that this small wafer of bread, the

wine in this chalice are in reality the body and blood of Christ the Lord.



When one receives from the chalice, the same proclamation is made by the person distributing Communion and the

Communicant again responds, „Amen.‟ It should be noted that it is never permissible for a person to dip the host he or she

has received into the chalice. If, for some reason, the communicant is not able or willing to drink from the cup then that

person should receive only under the form of bread.



It seems appropriate to conclude this reflection on the Communion Procession and the reception of Communion with a

quotation from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:



In Baptism we have been called to form but one body. The Eucharist fulfills this call: „The cup of blessing which we

bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread (1 Cor. 10:16,17):





If you are the body and members of Christ, then it is your sacrament that is placed on the table of the Lord; it is your

sacrament that you receive. To that which you are you respond „Amen‟ („yes,‟ it is true!‟) and by responding to it you

assent to it. For you hear the words, „the Body of Christ and respond ‟Amen.” Be then a member of the Body of Christ

that your Amen may be true. (St. Augustine)

(CCC n. 1396)

REVISED THE INTRODUCTORY RITES

ROMAN Kristopher W. Seaman

MISSAL

September 18, 2011









I recently went to a friend’s dinner replacing the penitential Rite of

party, aware that I would know few Blessing and Sprinkling Holy Water on

people there. When I arrived, I realized the assembly. In Baptism, Christ

I knew only two people. My friend, the liberated us from sin and death in

ever gracious host, introduced me to order to be reborn into his life of

some other people, so that I wouldn’t feel too grace, mercy, and love. Our only response to God’s

uncomfortable and unsure of my surroundings. In much kindness, compassion, and mercy is by offering “Glory

the same way, the Introductory Rites of the Eucharistic to God in the highest.” This ancient hymn is based on

liturgy introduces and acclimates us to the particular the song from the Gospel according to Luke that the

feast or liturgical season. These rites include the angels sang to the shepherds that Jesus was born. This

Entrance song and procession, the Sign of the Cross, a was their song of praise to God who became flesh,

greeting, a Penitential Act, the Kyrie, Gloria, and the became human in the person of Jesus the Christ. During

Collect or Opening Prayer. Advent and Lent, the Gloria is not sung. It returns on

Obviously, the first clue to the feast or season is Christmas Eve and again during the Paschal Triduum’s

the art and environment of the worship space. If violet Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday evening.

and small live plants decorate the space, mostly likely it The Collect or Opening Prayer is the conclusion

is Lent. Fragrant lilies, a new flaming paschal candle, of the Introductory Rites. The priest invites personal

whites, gold’s, yellows in full force, tells us it is probably prayer when he proclaims: “Let us pray.” There is a brief

the Easter season. Typically, the gathering song also period of silence for people to offer their personal

gives us an indication of the feast or prayers. Then the presider offers the prayer from the

season.”Immaculate Mary” communicates that it is the Roman Missal. The prayer unites—that is, collects—the

solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, “Jesus Christ personal prayers spoken within human hearts and

Is Risen Today,” Easter Sunday, “To Jesus Christ Our minds to the prayer in the missal. This Collect is

Sovereign King,” the solemnity of Christ the King, and connected to the season or the feast, and thus indicates

“O Come, O Come Emmanuel” that Advent is upon us. what aspect of Christ’s mystery is being celebrated at

The Sign of the Cross is marked on our bodies to this time and in this place.

identify us as disciples who were baptized into the Through my friend’s hospitality at the dinner

Triune God: “In the name of the Father, and the Son, party, I was able to meet new people. A couple of them

and the Holy Spirit, Amen.” Next, we acknowledge our ended up becoming my friends as well. That dinner

dependence on our gracious and merciful God by asking party left me changed, because I was acclimated to the

our Lord to have mercy, or in the Greek: Kyrie eleison. situation, to the event. The Introductory Rites proved a

During the season of Easter, there is the option of “bridge” from whatever we were just doing before the

liturgy into the liturgical event of feast of season. In trust and faith, we leave the liturgical event changed

other words, it allows us to transition to the liturgical and transformed by our Triune God.

event. Through environment, art, song, water, and

prayers, we are gradually immersed into an aspect of

Christ’s great mystery being recalled and celebrated. In

Kristopher W. Seaman, MA, MAT, is the associate

director of the Office for Divine Worship of the diocese

of Gary, Indiana.









REVISED AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT

ROMAN Daniel Merz, SLL

MISSAL

Probably the most noticeable change for yourselves, since you are eager for

the laity in the revised translation of The pneumaton, spiritual gifts…”and

Roman Missal will be the response to 14:32, “The spiritual gifts of the

“The Lord be with you,” which restores prophets are subject to the prophets,”

the phrase “And with your spirit” in place see similar usage in Revelation 22:6

of “And also with you.” This change is and 19:10). The Episcopal ordination

specifically called for by Liturgiam prayer of The Apostolic Tradition

Authenticam, the instruction from the (third or fourth century Ad) asks God

Congregation for Divine Worship and the for the “spirit of leadership”, And

Discipline of the Sacraments regarding the translation of now also pour forth the power which comes from you, of

liturgical texts. It states that the Latin phrase, Et cum the spirit of leadership which you gave to your beloved

spiritu tuo, must be translated as literally as possible. Child, Jesus Christ, and which he accorded to your holy

English is the only major European language that does apostles who have founded the Church in every place…”

not mention the spirit in the current translation of this This ordination prayer, then, specifically refers to a gift

response; the Greek liturgy of the Eastern Churches also of the spirit that was given to Christ, which Christ in turn

employs the equivalent of “And with your spirit.” So the bestowed on the apostles, and which this prayer shows is

new form has both tradition and widespread use on its bestowed upon bishops in the Church. The ordination

side. Underlying the use are scriptural and theological prayer for priests similarly asks “Look upon your servant

reasons. who is here and grant him the spirit of grace and of

This ancient Christian use of “spirit,” in both council of the presbytery so that he may aid and govern

Greek and Latin, was strange to the ancient world. your people with a pure heart…” In the prayer for

“Nothing like it is known outside Christian writing” deacons: “Grant the spirit of grace and zeal to your

(Paulinus Milner, “Et Cum Spiritu Tuo” in Studies in servant.”

Pastoral Liturgy, vol 3, ed. by Placid Murray, OSB, Given the petitions employed in these ordination

Dublin: The Furrow Trust, 1967. P. 202). “With your prayers, it is noteworthy that the phrase, “And with your

spirit” was long thought to be a Semitic idiom meaning spirit” is used only in response to an ordained minister.

nothing more that “with you.” The Hebrew word The non-ordained member leading the assembly in

nephesh means “soul” or “Spirit,” but it can also mean prayer (for example, at a wake service, A Holy

“self.” But the Hebrew word behind “with your spirit” is Communion service, the Liturgy of the Hours), would

not nephesh but rather another Hebrew term, ruah, never say “The Lord be with you” because, at least in

which means “breath” or “spirit”. The Greek word for part, they do not receive the phrase in return “And with

spirit, pneuma, is never used in the Old Testament to your spirit,” The “spirit” mentioned here refers

render nephesh, but only when translating ruah. Thus, it specifically to the spirit received in ordination. It is an

seems clear that the use of “spirit” in the liturgy is not affirmation by the assembly that the ordained minister

intended merely as a euphemism for “you” but bears has received the appropriate anointing with the spirit to

some other special theological significance. make him the leader in sacramental ministry. This usage

Sometimes, Saint Paul calls the gifts of the Holy has a special beauty; it is less about the person of the

Spirit pneumata (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:12; “So with priest than about the office of the priesthood, which is

supported and guaranteed by the Spirit of God given in

ordination. Early Church Fathers, such as John

Chrysostom, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Narsai of Nisibis,

and Abraham bar Lipheh explicitly back this

interpretation.

One scriptural usage may be set in objection to

this interpretation: Galatians 6:18, Philippians 4:23, and

Philemon 25 all use “spirit” in a more general sense as

addressed to the whole Church: “The grace of the Lord

Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” Saint Paul is not

referring here to the particular gifts of the Spirit

possessed by each member of the local Church, because

“spirit” is in the singular. Rather, he is referring to that

gift of the Spirit which each local Church possesses in so

far as it is a unity in Christ for the worship of the Father

(Milner, p.206). In this sense, the ordained minister

represents the whole Church in a way that the non-

ordained does not. For this reason, the laity may offer a

blessing in their own name only, whereas the ordained

bless in the name of the Church—because of the “spirit”

they have received in ordination.

Father Daniel SSL is the vice-rector and dean of students at

Conception Seminary College in Conception, Missouri.

REVISED

ROMAN

MISSAL THE CONCLUDING RITES September 25, 2011



Kristopher W. Seaman

Of all the major sections or parts of the Mass laity, formed at the school of the

(that is, the Introductory Rites, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, are called to assume their

Word, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist), the specific political and social

Concluding Rites are the shortest. The Liturgy of responsibilities” (91). For the Pope,

the Eucharist ends with the Prayer after the Eucharist “schools” us and sends

Communion, and the Concluding Rites begin us out for our responsibilities as

with—though not required—announcements. social and political persons.

Typically, these announcements are brief and Therefore, the social dimensions of

impact the liturgical assembly. They may point to the Mass extend beyond the walls of

the activities of the parish. Some examples may the Church to live the mission Christ

include announcements for help with the parish’s gives to the Church.

soup kitchen, the date for the World Youth Day fund- What is this social mission that Christ gives to us? The

raiser, or a coming adult formation session. Since these Pope offers two ways we embody the social mission of

announcements are not part of the Communion Rite, Christ. The first is through “the sanctification of the

they are best not announced before the Prayer after world” (92). To sanctify is to grow in holiness. God

Communion. sends us forth to work for holiness in the political and

The priest celebrant then greets the people the social spheres of life. Pope Benedict XVI also alerts

with, “The Lord be with you.” He proclaims a blessing us to our mission of being good stewards of God’s

over the people. On major feasts and solemnities, there creation. “The world is not something indifferent, raw

is a solemn blessing. This solemn blessing contains three material to be utilized simply as we see fit. Rather, it is

parts. After each part, the liturgical assembly responds, part of God’s good plan… (92). Therefore, as the Pope

“Amen.” mentions, our second responsibility of the social

The deacon or priest then dismisses the people mission of Christ is to work “responsibly for the

from liturgy. The original Latin for the dismissal is Ite protection of creation” (92). All of creation belongs to

missa est. The word missa is the root for Mass and thus God alone. God entrusted to us this precious gift in

gives the Mass its name. It has become quite common order to take good care of it and all creatures.

to hear people talk about the connection between In this same exhortation, the Pope

missa and mission. As we know, the Mass should bear acknowledges a need for new dismissal options. In the

fruit in our lives. It means that the Triune God sanctifies revised Roman Missal, the priest or deacon “may say,

us in liturgy. Put another way, through the liturgy the ‘God forth, the Mass is ended,’ ‘Go and announce the

Holy Spirit comes to us to make us grow in holiness. Of Gospel of the Lord.’ ‘Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by

course, we have to be open, receptive, and embracing your life,’ or just ‘Go in peace.’” “Announce the Gospel”

of God’s coming to us through Christ and in the power and “glorifying the Lord by your life” both convey the

of the Holy Spirit. If we are being called and sanctified meaning of the dismissal rites. Namely, we are called to

by the Triune God, then we bear that mission in our take inside ourselves God’s Word, body and blood and

families, workplaces and in our neighborhoods. Of allow God to change us in holiness and to live this

course, we are imperfect human persons, and so each change in everything we do.

Sunday God continues to call us to grown in holiness by After the proclamation of the actual dismissal,

participating in the Sunday Eucharistic liturgy. the priest venerates the altar-table with a kiss and then

This understanding of the missionary dimension a bow. The Mass has ended.

of the Mass has been articulated by Pope Benedict XVI Although not required, a concluding song or

in his recent exhortation, Sacramentum Caritatis (The hymn is common for the departure of the liturgical

Sacrament of Charity). The Pope eloquently states, “The ministers from the liturgy. In some parishes, the

mystery of the Eucharist inspires and impels us to work organist will play a postlude during the recessional.

courageously within our world to bring about that Kristopher W. Seaman, MA, MAT, is the associate

renewal of relationships which has its inexhaustible director of the Office for Divine Worship of the diocese

source in God’s gift…In a particular way, the Christian of Gary, Indiana

REVISED

ROMAN

MISSAL

September 25, 2011



Lectionary texts for the dioceses of the

Over the past several years, you have heard United States were revised in 1998 and are

much through newspapers, blog postings, currently used in the liturgy. The texts that

and Twitter about the forthcoming revised are found in the current Sacramentary

translation of the Roman Missal. You may be have been retranslated and will eventually be used in

wondering, “What is the Roman Missal, and how does English-speaking countries. With this translation, the

this translation affect us?” name of the book will change from Sacramentary to

Take notice of the red book the priest uses most Roman Missal, a translation of the Latin title, Missale

often during Mass. This book is called the Romanum.

Sacramentary, which together with the Lectionary for All the prayers we say in English have

Mass make up the Roman Missal. The missal is the corresponding Latin texts. After the Second Vatican

collection of prayers, chants, and instructions (rubrics) Council, the Latin texts were translated into the

used to celebrate Mass. This includes prayers such as vernacular, or common language, of particular regions.

the Sign of the Cross and opening greeting; Opening The first English translation of The Roman Missal was

Prayers; Gloria; Creed; Eucharistic Prayers; Holy, Holy, completed quickly in 1969. It aimed for a “spirit” of the

Holy; Memorial Acclamations; and the final blessing. texts rather than an exact literal translation of the Latin

The majority of the prayers we recite or sing at Mass words. A second revision of these texts occurred in

are contained in this book and it is these prayers that 1975. In 2001, the Congregation for Divine Worship and

are currently being retranslated from the original Latin the Discipline of the Sacraments, the liturgical

into English. commission in Rome, issued a document outlining the

In the early Christian Church, many of the Mass methodology and process for translating liturgical texts

prayers were memorized and handed down orally. into vernacular languages. This document, Liturgiam

Scribes eventually collected the prayers and recorded Authenticum, called for a more literal translation of the

them in liber sacramentum (book of sacraments or original Latin, and so a group of scholars, poets, and

sacramentaries). Other books were used for the theologians convened and worked painstakingly on

scripture readings: Lectionaries and a Book of the providing a third English translation. The Congregation

Gospels (Evangeliary) for the scripture readings, and for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

additional books for the chants and antiphons. Slight announced recognitio on April 30, 2010. It is most likely

changes and additions developed as manuscripts were that these texts will be implemented on November 27,

handed on and hand scribed. Eventually the chants, 2011, the First Sunday of Advent.

scripture readings, prayer texts, and instructions were When the translation is used, you will notice

compiled into a single volume, the Missale Plenum slight changes in the prayers we hear and say at Mass.

(complete missal). When Johannes Gutenberg invented For example, we will soon respond, “And with your

the movable printing press in 1470, this allowed the spirit: to The Lord be with you.” Being faithful to the

Mass texts to become standardized and published original Latin prayers will enhance the meaning of the

universally. In 1474, the first Missale Romanum (Roman texts. They will be more poetic, and there will be more

Missal) was printed in Latin and the texts contained in obvious connection to the scriptural roots of our

this volume evolved over the five ensuing centuries. prayers. There is an old axiom, lex orandi, lex

Because the amount of scripture proclaimed at credenda—that is “the law of prayer is the law of faith”

Mass increased following the Second Vatican Council or “that which we pray is that which we believe.” This is

(1962-1965), the Missale Romanum (Roman Missal) was why the prayers of the Church are so important and

divided into two separate books: The Lectionary for why the Church has initiated the process of revising the

Mass (four volumes of Sacred Scripture) and the English translation. The words of our prayers are what

Sacramentary (prayers, chants, and instructions we believe as a Church and form us as the body of

(rubrics) for the celebration of the Mass). The Christ. For more information about the Roman Missal,

please visit this Web site:

www.RevisedRomanMissal.org

ROMAN

MISSAL

REVISED



WHY WAS THE ROMAN MISSAL REVISED?

October 2, 2011 Kristopher W. Seaman



For several years, Bishops in English- Bishops’ conferences sent the texts to the

speaking countries have been working Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline

together to produce a unified of the Sacraments for review. Once reviewed,

translation of the texts of the Mass. The the translation is submitted to the Holy See, for

book used by the priest at Eucharistic recognitio. Basically, recognitio is the Latin term

liturgies is officially called the Roman for “recognizing” the translation. After this

Missal. The Roman Missal contains all recognition is given, the Bishops’ Committee on

contains all of the prayers of the Divine Worship determines the changes the

After approving the revised English Congregation has made to the translation.

translation It is then that the text can be sent to publishers. The

of the Roman Missal, the English-speaking publishers will have to typeset and send proofs to the

Eucharistic liturgy. The Order of Mass, Bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship for final

prayers for a feast day, solemn blessings, approval before printing the Roman Missal. This

and Eucharistic prayers are all found in the process will take more than a year because of the

Roman Missal. enormous amount of texts included in the Roman

The current prayer texts with which we are Missal.

Familiar are from the Missal of Pope Paul VI. At the Although the Holy See approved some of the

Second Vatican Council, it was decided that liturgical texts in 2008, they were not to be used at Mass until

Texts could be prayed officially in vernacular languages. Rome had given recognitio to the entire translation

This approval came in November of 1963, when the and provided an implementation date. The wait for the

Council issued the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. approval of all of the prayers of the Mass allowed time

This document provides the vision for all subsequent for the composition of music for the Gloria, the Sanctus,

liturgical reforms in the Roman Catholic Church. The and other parts of the Order of Mass. It also provided

Bishops, then, reformed the liturgical books for the time for pastoral leadership to understand the reasons

sacraments, including the Eucharist or Mass. The result for the revisions and to begin educating their

was the 1969 Missal of Paul VI, a fully revised book assemblies. In this time between the recognitio of the

though published in Latin. Subsequently, the missal was revised Roman Missal and the implementation, parishes

translated into vernacular languages around the world. will continue to educate their communities.

In 2000, to commemorate the new millennium, As your parish studies the revised translation,

Pope John Paul II established a third edition of the you will see that many of the priest’s and people’s parts

Roman Missal. This edition includes more ancient have changed. For example, when the priest presider

prayers and saint’s days that have been established proclaims, “The Lord be with you,” the people will reply,

since the publication of the Missal of Pope Paul VI. As “And with your Spirit”. That response is the direct

with all liturgical books, this edition of the Roman translation of 2 Timothy 4:22. Other revisions, too, will

Missal Was first published in Latin. Thus, national help assemblies relate the prayers of the Mass to

Bishops’ conferences have been working to translate scripture. The response to the Lamb of God, for

the missal in the local languages of the people. example, clearly alludes to the centurion’s request that

One reason for this revised translation is his servant be healed (see Matthew 8:8 and Luke 7:6).

obviously the additions to the missal. The second is due You may find it helpful to review the

to new norms for translating liturgical texts. The information on the Roman Missal at

document Liturgiam Authenticam (Fifth Instruction “For www.RevisedRomanMissal.org

the Right Implementation of the Constitution), from

the Holy See, called for a more literal translation of the Kristopher W. Seaman, MA, MAT, is the associate

Latin. A considerable amount of time has been spent director of the Office for Divine Worship of the diocese

trying to accurately translate the Latin texts into English of Gary, Indiana.

in a literal manner.

ROMAN

MISSAL

REVISED



HOW DOES THE LITURGY SHAPE OUR LIVES?

Kristopher W. Seaman





Being the science fiction fan that I am, I finally had

occasion to watch the blockbluster movie, Avatar. The

main character, Jake Sully, who does not have use of his

legs, entered a computer machine that allowed him to

connect to an avatar. To the natives of the planet Pandora,

the avatar looked like the indigenous peoples, the Na‟vi.

Jake Sully has to learn the culture of the Na‟vi. Learning

the language, the customs, and the rituals takes him an

astonishing three months. For many of us, it probably

would have taken much longer. In the attempts at

colonizing Pandora, some humans side with the Na‟vi.

During the course of the movie, Jake becomes open to the

possibility of learning the Na‟vi culture that moves his

heart to be empathetic to the Na‟vi‟s plight.

Though liturgy is not science fiction, there is something Therefore, the Holy Spirit changes bread and

that is quite similar by comparison, that in the action of liturgy wine and those who participate in Communion. The

, that is, in the participation in the liturgy, our hearts have to be Eucharistic prayer proclaims that the Lord is holy and

open to being moved by the Holy Spirit present through the “the fountain of all holiness;” a marvelous image of

liturgical event. For instance, during the Liturgy of the Word, God‟s overflowing love, goodness, and truth. God

the scriptures are proclaimed. The Constitution on the Sacred freely pours out holiness. In liturgy this holiness is

Liturgy is clear that these scriptural words become Christ the offered to those who participate in order to grow in

Word in our liturgical assemblies. Christ “is present in His holiness to which the Triune God calls us. And if we are

word,since it is He Himself Who speaks when the holy to become holy in faith, we, too, must become fountains

Scriptures are read in the Church” (CSL,7). It is Christ speaking that share compassion, goodness and truth in our daily

to us, calling us to become better disciples, to become holy. lives. To paraphrase Saint Augustine: We are to become

It is not only the scripture, but also other texts and what we pray.

rituals what we pray. during liturgy that shape us: The Jake Sully, in the movie Avatar, had a profound

Opening Prayers, or collects, the Eucharistic prayer, the music, change. Faith in the God of Jesus Christ whom we wor-

the space, the environment, the bread and wine transformed ship, calls us to change our hearts. In liturgy, the Triune

into the body and blood of Christ, the blessed or consecrated God calls us to holiness, strengthens our faith, nourishes

oil, the baptismal water, and so forth. Words, music, space, and us and send us, hopefully, changed, in order to grow in

rituals not only educate or inform us, but, we believe, that communion, in unity, with one another and with God.

Christ is active, is present, in the liturgical event and sacraments. This is most eloquently proclaimed at the first scrutiny

In liturgy, not only are our minds shaped, but also our hearts for the elect on the Third Sunday of Lent; “Lord Jesus/

and our feet in order to live what we pray in liturgy. …/[T]ouch their hearts with the power of the Holy Spirit

An example is the Eucharistic prayer. In the current /that they may come to know the Father/in true faith,

translation of Eucharistic Prayer II, we pray twice for the Holy which expresses itself in love...” (RCIA, 154). The

Spirit to transform something or someone(s). Triune God invites us to be shaped in and through

Liturgy. The texts, symbols, music, space, environment,

Lord, you are holy indeed, and gestures communicate God‟s call to us to become

the fountain of all holiness, what God intends: His Holy People.

Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them

holy, so that they may become for us

The body and flood of our Lord, Jesus Christ… --------------------------------------------

Kristopher W. Seaman, MA, MAT, is the

May all of us who share in the body and blood of Christ associate director of the Office for Divine

Be brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit. Worship of the diocese of Gary, Indiana

(Sacramentary, 549-50)

ROMAN

MISSAL

REVISED

October 9, 2011





THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Kristopher W. Seaman





I remember waking up, as the anesthesia wore off, the Word: the proclamation of the Gospel. Most

after having gone through craniofacial surgery. For Sundays, these words are the words of Jesus as

me, surgery is scary, but craniofacial surgery was recorded in the accounts of the Gospel.

terrifying. Above me was the surgeon who said with The homily should connect the readings to

a big smile, “Everything went well. You‟ll be fine.” the lives of the assembly. In describing the homily,

What relief! What comfort! What good news! It GIRM states that it “is necessary for the nurturing

made me think of many of the characters in the New of the Christian life. It should be an exposition of

Testament to whom Jesus spoke “good news” and some aspect of the readings from Sacred Scripture

conveyed words of comfort. Jesus continues to or of another text from the Ordinary or from the

speak to us, and not just through surgeons, family, Proper of the Mass of the day and should take into

friends, and even strangers, but also through his account both the mystery being celebrated and the

own words during the liturgy. In the Liturgy of the particular needs of the listeners” (GIRM, 65). The

Word, as the General Instruction of the Roman homily juxtaposes the experiences of the people in

Missal states, “When the Sacred Scriptures are read the assembly with the texts of the liturgy. The texts

in the Church, God Himself speaks to His people, may be a prayer that speaks to the needs of the

and Christ, present in His own word, proclaims the assembly at that time, or it may be part of the

Gospel” (GIRM, 29). Let us look at the structure of Eucharistic Prayer, or the psalm that speaks to

the Liturgy of the Word. people. God‟s words comfort and challenge us.

The Liturgy of the Word begins with the Perhaps, with that in mind, the prayer may

First Reading at the ambo. Typically, this reading is challenge us to an aspect of God‟s compassion or

from the Old Testament; during the Easter season, mercy that will stir us to God‟s mission.

the reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. A After the Creed, the presider invites prayers

period of silence after the reading allows for people of petition. The intercessions of the Prayer of the

to reflect upon the word they just heard proclaimed. Faithful flow from the homily and the Word of God.

In many parishes in the United States, the psalm is They juxtapose the needs of the Church, the world,

sung. Psalms reflect a vast array of emotions as we the oppressed, and the local community with God‟s

hear lament, thanksgiving, praise, and petition. word proclaimed in the liturgy. These prayers are

These words help us to express our own varied general, meaning they are not particular for any one

expressions of faith. person or for any one thing. For instance, instead of

The Second Reading is usually an epistle, praying only for Aunt Joan who is struggling with

that is, a letter from the New Testament. Again, a illness, we pray for all the sick and ill, especially

brief period of silence takes place after the Second Joan, Jim, Agnes and Lucy. The closing prayer of

Reading. During the Gospel procession, “Alleluia” the Prayer of the Faithful concludes the Liturgy of

is sung, or during Lent, an acclamation such as the Word. The Liturgy of the Eucharist, then,

“Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ!” In many begins.

parishes, the Book of the Gospels is accompanied Though we cannot see words, their power,

with candles, and, on solemn occasions, with especially if they are Christ‟s words proclaimed in

incense. This leads to the climax of the Liturgy of liturgy, touch us with comfort or challenge us to

live Christ‟s mission given to the Church.

-------------------------

Kristopher W. Seaman, MA, MAT, is the associate director of the

Office for Divine Worship of the diocese of Gary, Indiana

REVISED

ROMAN

MISSAL







THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

Kristopher W. Seaman









Eucharist, as we know, means “thanksgiving.” To

be thankful is to be grateful---to offer gratitude.

“Thank.

you” is the response we make to someone who has be given to those who are holy” (81). This

either given something to us or has done something is a beautiful statement: “. . . so that what is

for us. God did not give us something, as much as holy may, in fact, be given to those who are

he gave holy.” What makes us holy, the body and

us gave us someone; his very own Son. In the blood of Christ. After praying for our “daily

Eucharistic Prayer we pray to God the Father, through bread” we are invited to offer a sign of peace. In

the Son, that the Holy Spirit will transform bread and scripture, Christ wished his disciples the greetings,

wine into the body and blood of Christ so that we might “Peace be with you!” on several occasions. As Christ

enter deeper communion with God and one another. We offers us peace, we extend that peace to others. Christ‟s

also pray that we are transformed, so that we “may be peace calls us to holiness and prepares us for the

filled with his Holy Spirit / and become one body, one reception of his body and blood. Then, the “Lamb of

spirit in Christ.” This prayer, then, is our response to God” or “Agnus Dei” is sung while the priest celebrant

God‟s immense gift of love given to us, especially in the or deacon breaks the host in preparation for the

Eucharist. Communion procession. This is not a functional

The Eucharistic Prayer, the prayer of moment, but contains a beautiful theology: The one host

thanksgiving and sanctification, is the “center and is broken for the many so that the many may become

summit” of the Mass (General Instruction of the Roman one body (see GIRM, 83). This is a definition of

Missal, 78). Because this prayer is the summit, Communion: Many become one in Christ Jesus.

everything that happens in the liturgy is leading us to In the Communion procession, three actions

this high point. The altar is prepared, gifts of bread and occur. The first action is the processing forward itself;

wine are brought up in a procession, given to the priest the second is singing the Communion song or antiphon:

celebrant (or deacon) so that these gifts might be and the third is the reception of the body and blood of

prepared. Then, the Eucharistic Prayer begins with the Christ. The Communion song‟s “purpose is to express

priest preside proclaiming, “The Lord be with you.” The the communicants‟ union in spirit by means of the unity

great prayer concludes with the liturgical assembly of their voices, to show joy of heart, and to highlight

singing, “Amen.” Currently, there are eleven Eucharistic more clearly the „communitarian‟ nature of the

Prayers from which a priest preside may choose: I-IV, procession to receive Communion” (GIRM, 86). The act

two Masses of Reconciliation, one for Masses for of processing, the singing the song and the receiving of

Various Needs and Occasions, and four for Masses with Christ‟s body and blood all manifest the liturgical

Children. assembly‟s being brought closer into communion or

Following the Eucharistic Prayer, is the unity with the Triune God.

Communion Rite, which is a subsection of the Liturgy of Finally, the Liturgy of the Eucharist concludes

the Eucharist. This rite consists of the Lord‟s Prayer with a period of silent prayer and the Prayer after

(Our Father), the Rite of Peace, the Fraction Rite, the Communion. This is the opportunity for the liturgical

Communion procession, the period of silence and / or assembly to pray for Christ‟s body and blood to bear

the Song of Thanksgiving and finally the Prayer after fruit in their lives. Each part of the Liturgy of the

Communion. The General Instruction of the Roman Eucharist—is about the Triune God working in our

Missal (the document containing the majority of rubrics midst and calling us to become holy as God is holy.

for the Mass) states, “In the Lord‟s Prayer a petition is

made for daily good, which for Christians means Kristopher W. Seaman, MA, MAT, is the associate director of the

preeminently the Eucharistic bread, and also for Office for Divine Worship of the diocese of Gary, Indiana

purification from sin, so that what is holy may, in fact,

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEW October 16, 2011





ROMAN MISSAL

As you may already know, the words we use in the Mass to include the new translation and new musical settings

Are scheduled to change within the next few years. The of the Order of Mass. The US bishops are calling on all

2001 Vatican document Liturgiam Authenticam (“On the clergy and lay ecclesial ministers to help parish

(responses). Lectionary readings, including responsorial assemblies learn the new ritual texts and to support the

Psalms, are not affected at this time. The process for catechesis that will be needed before, during, and after

approving and implementing the new translations is long the transition.

and complex. The USCCB has not indicated yet when All of us at OCP and Today’s Liturgy are please

the new Order of Mass will be promulgated. As soon as to provide the following information as part of that

the new Roman Missal is approved and an catechetical effort.

implementation date is set, OCP will update its missals

Use of Vernacular Languages in the Publication of the

Books of the Roman Liturgy”) outlined new rules and

Principles for translation, requiring that English and

other vernacular versions of the Roman Missal match

the original Latin texts more closely (or literally). Since

then the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

(USCCB) has been working with the Holy See (and

Other organizations) to revise and approve the new

English translation of the Roman Missal (Sacramentary).

The new translations affect the Order of Mass,

Including both the presider‟s and people‟s parts



Changes in the Parts of the People in the Revised Order of the Mass in the Roman Missal, Third Edition

Approved by the USCCB, June 2006; confirmed by the Holy See, June 2008

Part of Mass Present Text for People New Text for People__________



Greeting Priest: The Lord be with you. Priest: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you. People: And with your spirit.



Gloria Glory to God in the Highest, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth

and peace to his people on earth. peace to people of good will. We praise you,

Lord God, heavenly King, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you,

almighty God and Father, we give you thanks for your great glory.

we worship you, we give you Lord God, heavenly King, O God,

thanks, we praise you for your glory. almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ,

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,

only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God,

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins

you take away the sin of the world: of the world,

have mercy on us; have mercy on us; you take away the sins

of the world, receive our prayer;

You are seated at the right hand of the you are seated at the right hand of the

Father: receive our prayer. Father, have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One, For you alone are the Holy One,

you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High, you alone are the Most High

Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit

in the glory of God the Father, Amen. in the glory of God the Father, Amen.

Part of Mass Present Text for People New Text for People______________



Preface Priest: The Lord be with you. Priest: The Lord be with you.

Dialogue People: And also with you. People: And with your spirit.

Priest: Lift you your hearts. Priest: Lift you your hearts.

People: We lift them up to the Lord. People: We lift them up to the Lord.

Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord

Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

our God.

People: It is right to give him thanks and praise. People: It is right and

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sanctus Holy, holy, holy, Lord Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.

God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.

Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

In the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Hosanna in the highest.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mystery of Priest: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith: Priest: The mystery of faith.

Faith People: People:

(formerly the A—Christ has died Christ is risen, *Christ has died…a US adaptation

Memorial Christ will come again. yet to be decided by the Holy See)

Acclamation) or A—We proclaim your death, O Lord,

B—Dying you destroyed our death, rising and profess your Resurrection until

you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory. you come again.

Or Or

C—When we eat this bread and drink this B—When we eat this bread and drink

this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord this cup, we proclaim your death, O

Jesus, until you come in glory. Lord, until you come again.

Or Or

D—Lord, by your cross and resurrection, C—Save us, Savior of the world, for by

you have set us free. You are the Savior your cross and Resurrection, you have

of the World. set us free.

Only selected parts of the Mass are included in the chart above. To review the complete chart showing the entire Order of Mass, and to

access many other resource related to the new Roman Missal, including downloadable study editions and catechetical aides, please visit

ussccb.org/liturgy/missalformation/index.shtml.



Questions on the Revised When will this be implemented anticipation of the implementation

Translation of the Ordo Missae for liturgical use? of the texts for liturgical use. It

The approved text of the Order is hoped that when the time comes

“And with your spirit”? of Mass has been released as a text to use the texts in the celebration

One of the more noticeable for study and formation, but is not of the Mass, priests will be

Changes in the people‟s part of the intended for liturgical use, that is properly trained, the faithful will

Mass is the response to the greeting to say it cannot be used in the have an understanding and

“The Lord be with you.” The Latin celebration of the Mass. The appreciation of what is being

response, et cum spiritu tuo, is

intention of the Congregation for prayed, and musical settings of the

rendered literally in English, “and

with your spirit.” Liturgiam Divine Worship and of the United liturgical texts will be readily

Authenticam calls for the faithful States Conference of Catholic available. The revised translation

rendering of expressions that belong to Bishops is to enable and encourage of the Order of Mass will be

the heritage of the ancient Church, and a process of preparation and permitted only when the complete

cites et cum spiritu tuo as an example catechesis for both priests and the text of the Roman Missal (Third

(no. 56). Most modern languages have faithful, as well as to make the Edition) is promulgated. Drawn from

translated this phrase literally, so the texts available to composers of “10 Questions on the Revised Translation of the

English text now more closely Ordo Missae”, available at

liturgical music who can begin to usccb.org/liturgy/missalformation/tenquestions.

parallels other vernacular translations. set the texts, especially the shml

acclamations, to music in

Looking Ahead to the October 23, 2011







New Roman Missal: The Gloria

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)has been working with the Holy See to revise and approve a

new English translation of the Roman Missal. The bishops are calling on all clergy and lay ecclesial ministers to help

parish assemblies learn the new ritual texts and to support the catechesis that will be needed before, during, and after the

transition. All of us at OCP and Today‟s Liturgy are please to provide the following information as part of the

catechetical effort.



In the new English translation of the Roman Missal, On their Web site (usccb.org/romanmissal), the US

Some parts of the Mass will change very little, some not bishops note that catechetical materials on the

at all (e.g., The Agnus Dei). Other parts, like the Nicene forthcoming changes in the Roman Missal are not as

Creed and the Gloria, contain many and substantial urgent in Spanish as in English. Since Spanish is a

changes. As the chart below makes clear, the new Romance language derived from Latin, the present Mass

English text of the Gloria follows the Latin very closely. texts in Spanish more easily reflect the Latin typical

Comparing the Spanish Gloria to the Latin, one finds edition with a literal translation and a closer grammatical

that the two are even more similar. structure.



Latin ritual text Spanish ritual text Revised English ritual text



GLORIA GLORIA GLORY TO GOD

Glória in excélsis Deo Gloria a Dios en el cielo, Glory to God in the highest,

et in terra pax hominibus y en la tierra paz a los hombres and on earth peace to people

bonae voluntátis. que ama el Señor. of good will.



Laudámus te, benedicimus te, Port u inmensa gloria We praise you, we bless you,

adorámus te, glorificámus te, te alabamos, te bendecimos, we adore you, we glorify you,

grátias ágimus tibi te adoramos, te glorificamos, we give you thanks

propter magnam glóriam tuam, te damos gracias, for your great glory,

Domine Deus, Rex caeléstis, Lord God, heavenly King,

Deus Pater omnipotens. Señor Dios, Rey celestial, O God, almighty Father.

Dios Padre todopoderoso.



Dómine Fili unigénite, Jesu Christe, Señor, Hijo ứnico, Jesucristo Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,

Dómine Deus, Agnus Dei, Señor Dios, Cordero de Dios, Lord God, Lamb of God,

Filius Patris, Hijo del Padre, Son of the Father,



qui tollis peccáta mundi, tứ que quitas el pecado del mundo, you take away the sins of the world,

miserére nobis; ten piedad de nosotros; have mercy on us;

qui tollis peccáta mundi, tứ que quitas el pecado del mundo, you take away the sins of the world,

suscipe deprecatiónem nostrum; atiende nuestra sứplica; receive our prayer.

qui sedes ad déxteram tứ que estas sentado a la derecha you are seated at the right hand

Patris, del Padre, of the Father,

miserére nobis. ten piedad de nosotros; have mercy on us.



Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, porque sólo tứ eres Santo, For you alone are the Holy One,

tu solus Dóminus, sólo tứ Señor, you alone are the Lord,

tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe, sólo tứ Altisimo, Jesucristo, you are alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ

cum Sancto Spiritu: con el Espiritu Santo with the Holy Spirit

in Gloria Dei Patris. En la Gloria de Dios Padre. in the glory of God the Father.



Amen. Amén. Amen.



To review a chart showing the entire Order of Mass and to access many other resources related to the new Roman Missal,

including downloadable study editions and catechetical aides, please visit ussccb.org/romanmissal.

Looking Ahead to the

New Roman Missal: The Creed

October 30, 2011



The US bishops are calling on all clergy and lay ecclesial ministers to help parish assemblies

learn the new ritual texts and to support the catechesis that will be needed before, during, and

after the transition. All of us at OCP and Today’s Liturgy are pleased to provide the following

information as part of that catechetical effort.









Some of the most significant changes to the substance of the Father, God from God, light from

people‟s parts in the Order of Mass are found light, true God from true God, begotten not made,

in the Profession of Faith (the Nicene Creed). the same substance (homoousion) with the Father.”

Changes to this text fall into two categories; The Creed of the Council of Constantinople (AD

preservation of the syntax of the original text and 381), which is professed at all Sunday Masses and

preservation of expressions of faith that contain Solemnities within the Catholic Church, similarly

Catholic doctrine. The first changes is the stated: “We believe in only Lord Jesus Christ, the

translation of credo as “I” instead of “We” in the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father,

opening phrase in order to maintain the person and God from God, Light from Light, true God from

number indicated in the Latin text. While the true God, begotten, not made, of the same substance

Profession of Faith is a communal liturgical act, (homoousion) with the Father.”

each individual in the liturgical assembly professes

his or her own faith, which is joined to the When these two ancient creeds were translated

profession of the whole assembly. The second into Latin, the term homoousion was rendered as

change concerns the translation of particular consubstantialem, that is, “the same substance of

expressions of faith such as unigenitus, the Father.” Prior to the Second Vatican Council,

consubstantialis, and incarnates. The theological the Latin consubstantialem was rendered as

terminology has been preserved, in accord with “consubstantial” within the English translation of

Liturgiam Authenticam, in the translation to the Creed. Many theologians and the Holy See

English: “Only Begotten,” “consubstantial,” and thought that the term “consubstantial” was more in

“incarnate.” keeping with the Latin tradition and a more literal

Why has “one in being with the and accurate translation than the more recent “one

Father” been changed to in being.”

“consubstantial with the Father?”

This is in keeping with the mind of the

The new translation is more in keeping with the Congregation for Divine Worship and the

ancient Latin text of the Creed and is a more Discipline of the Sacraments, as expressed in the

accurate translation. 2001 instruction Liturgiam Authentican. It stated:

“Certain expressions that belong to the heritage of

The bishops at the Council opf Nicea (AD 325), the whole or of a great part of the ancient Church,

in order to ensure that Jesus was professed as the as well as others that have become part of the

eternal Son of God, equal to the Father, stated that general human patrimony, are to be respected by a

he is “the Son of God, begotten from the Father, the translation that is as literal as possible: (56).

only-begotten, that is from the

Changes in the Parts of the People in the Revised Order of the Mass in the Roman Missal, Third Edition

Approved by the USCCB, June 2006; Confirmed by the Holy See, June 2008

Present Text New Text



We believe in one God, I believe in one God,

The Father, the Almighty, The Father almighty,

Maker of heaven and earth, Maker of heaven and earth,

Of all that is seen and unseen. Of all things visible and invisible.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

The only Son of God, The Only Begotten Son of God,

Eternally begotten of the Father, Born of the Father before all ages.

God from God, Light from Light, God from God, Light from Light,

True God from true God, True God from true God,

Begotten, not made, Begotten, not made,

One in Being with the Father. Consubstantial with the Father;

Through him all things were made. Through him all things were made

For us men and for our salvation For us men and for our salvation

He came down from heaven; He came down from heaven,

By the power of the Holy Spirit And by the Holy Spirit

He was born of the Virgin Mary, Was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,

And became man. And became man.

For our sake For our sake

He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He was crucified under Pontius Pilate,

He suffered, died, and was buried. He suffered death and was buried,

On the third day he rose again And rose again on the third day

In fulfillment of the Scriptures; In accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven and is seated He ascended into heaven and is seated

At the right hand of the Father. At the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory He will come again in glory

To judge the living and the dead, To judge the living and the dead

And his kingdom will have no end. And his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord,

The Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds The giver of life, who proceeds

from the Father and the Son. From the Father and the Son,

With the Father and the Son Is adored and glorified,

He is worshipped and glorified. Who has spoken through the prophets.

He has spoken through the Prophets. And one, holy, Catholic

We believe in only holy Catholic And apostolic Church.

And apostolic Church. I confess one baptism

We acknowledge one baptism For the forgiveness of sins

For the forgiveness of sins. And I look forward to the resurrection

We look for the resurrection of the dead, Of the dead

And the life of the world to come. Amen. And the life of the world to come. Amen.