Education to precede implementation in Diocese

After three years of study, the Vatican has finally approved the U.S. English translation of the Roman Missal -- but it probably won't be implemented in the Albany Diocese for another year or so.

The Missal, sometimes called the Sacramentary, contains the order of the Mass.

The new translation includes some changes in the way Mass is celebrated, but Elizabeth Simcoe, director of the diocesan Office of Prayer and Worship, said the differences are more "refinements" than major changes in the liturgy.

Options

Ms. Simcoe wasn't sure why it took so long for the new translation to be released, but she said that one problem was in translating certain words from the Latin version of the Missal. If a word were translated to "must," for example, it would indicate that a change in the liturgy was required, when it might just be advisable.

One instance where this would be the case is the Sign of Peace. Although the revised Missal says that priests should stay in the sanctuary during the Sign of Peace rather than going down to the pews, Ms. Simcoe said there are instances where leaving the sanctuary would be allowed.

The new directive, she said, "allows us the opportunity to reexamine what we are doing when we celebrate the Sign of Peace."

Some changes that upset Catholics when a study version of the Missal was released three years ago have been revised. Laypersons, for instance, have been granted permission to break the bread before Communion and to clean the vessels after Communion is over. The study version had restricted that duty to priests and deacons, but the U.S. bishops asked for exceptions.

Text on-line

The text of the new Missal translation is currently available at the U.S. bishops' website, www.usccb.org. A printed version isn't scheduled to be released until May. After that, said Ms. Simcoe, each bishop in the country will determine a timeline for its implementation.

Ms. Simcoe estimated that process would take about a year. In the Albany Diocese, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard has advised priests not to implement the Mass changes piecemeal.

"We want to do catechesis around it," she explained.

Workshops

Two workshops on the revised Missal will be offered at this year's Spring Enrichment, to be held June 2-5 at The College of Saint Rose in Albany:

* "Unchained Melody: Eucharistic Theology in the General Instruction to the Roman Missal 2002" identifies Vatican II theology in the new document;

* "Where Do We Go From Here: The Pastoral Understanding of the General Instruction to the Roman Missal 2002," led by Ms. Simcoe, examines how to apply the Missal.

More to come

She cautioned that her workshop will be only an introduction to the revisions; she is debating how to further educate priests and other Catholics in the future. Under consideration are a national speaker on the subject, a clergy education day, an educational program for laity and others, regional workshops by diocesan leaders, and a series of written synopses of the Missal that could be used as parish bulletin inserts.

"I recognize it's disturbing for people to think about more tinkering [with the Mass]," said Ms. Simcoe, "but I hope people think of it not as tinkering, but refining."

In implementing the revisions, she stated, parishes will have to look at how they pray together and what they're saying about their community when they do so.

(4/24/03) [[In-content Ad]]