The New Zealand bishops agree that translations of liturgical texts should be 100 per cent accurate. But they are concerned that the existing rules for translating the texts, contained in Liturgiam Authenticam, produced texts that impose latin syntax on contemporary english. “We believe that some modification to the principles of liturgical translation as imposed by Liturgiam Authenticam could produce liturgical translations that could speak more easily Read more
There are reports that Pope Francis has set up a commission to review of Liturgiam Authenticam. This decree provided the principles that guided the recent translations of liturgical texts. The report in America Magazine states the commission will also examine what level of decentralisation is desirable in the church on matters such as this. But Read more
The Emeritus Bishop of Palmerston North, New Zealand, in a letter to The London Tablet, says that there should be an overhaul of the English missal. Bishop Peter J Cullinane says critics describe the present translation as clunky, awkward and a too literal translation of the Latin original. However, Cullinane believes no purpose will be served Read more
Four out of five Catholic priests in public ministry in Ireland want the current English translation of the Roman Missal revised or scrapped. This is the finding of a survey of clergy views carried out by the Association of Catholic Clergy (ACP) in Ireland. The survey also showed a significant percentage of priests still use Read more
A book, “Eucharist in the Local Church“, about inclusive liturgical change, was recently launched in Auckland. The book is about how to achieve real participation and engagement in liturgy. People who want to find creative solutions to the tension between the needs of the their local church and the official liturgical books will find this book Read more
It is now a year since the new English translation of the Order of Mass has been in use throughout the English-speaking world, and the London Tablet wants to know what you think. If you are a regular Mass-goer, you are probably no longer stumbling over ‘Lord I am not worthy to receive you under Read more
Last Sunday, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (formerly Christ the King), marked the end of the Latin Rite’s first year using the Roman Missal (formerly the Sacramentary) translation (formerly in English). Befitting a translation that despite papal calls for opposition to “relativism” begins the Church year by slavishly following Read more
Among all the opinion pieces about the new translation of the Roman Missal there is one that provides a blind test. It gives 4 translations from Latin into English of the same collect (opening prayer) and asks the reader to pick the translation that is done by Google Translate, an online computer translation program. Father William Grimm then Read more
The New Zealand Bishops “no” to liturgical use of Missal Apps for iPad and to the use of other electronic devices in the liturgy makes sense says Dunedin priest Monsignor John Harrison. The Otago Daily times reports that Monsignor Harrison says he has no problem with a ruling that priests should not use electronic devices Read more
Six months after the imposition of the new English edition of the Roman Missal, the volume of dissatisfaction has moderated. People seem resigned to the wooden and literal translations (“people of good will,” “enter under my roof”), archaic vocabulary (“dewfall,” “consubstantial,” “oblation”), and inflated language of prayer (“holy and unblemished,” “graciously grant,” “paying their homage”). Read more