The New Roman Missal - At the Gospel

"The reading of the Gospel is the high point of the Liturgy of the Word.”

- General Instruction of the Roman Missal 60; LM13

The priest or deacon addresses the people with, “The Lord be with you.” The new response is, “And with your spirit.” Then the priest or deacon continues with, “A reading from the holy Gospel according to N.” The people’s new response is, “Glory to you, O Lord.” The priest’s greeting and the people’s response should stir their faith and prepare them for the Gospel reading. You may not even notice the small change in the people’s response. The “O” has been added before the word, “Lord”.

“... in regards to the Mass, how we have celebrated it has changed vastly over the years; who we have celebrated has remained constant.”

— Fr. Jim Gretz, Director of the Diocesan Department for Worship in the Pittsburgh Catholic (November 19, 2010)

This week we will learn the new “Lord Have Mercy” (“Kyrie Eleison”). Please try to come a little earlier than usual to learn the new sung parts of the Mass so that when Advent arrives, we will be ready to lift our voices high in praise of God!

The New Roman Missal - The Gloria

“The Gloria is a very ancient and venerable hymn in which the Church, gathered together in the Holy Spirit, glorifies and entreats God the Father and the Lamb. The text of this hymn may not be replaced by any other text… It is sung or said on Sundays outside the Seasons of Advent and Lent, on solemnities and feasts, and at special celebrations of a more solemn character.”

- General Instruction of the Roman Missal (#115)

The changes in the Roman Missal, which were begun in the year 2000 by Pope John Paul II, overseen by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), approved in November of 2009 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and given final approval by the Vatican in April of 2010, are being implemented this Advent of 2012.

Notice that in the “Gloria” the new words are a more literal translation of the Latin text. For instance, in the Latin text of the “Gloria” reads, “Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te.” The new translation in the vernacular says, “We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you.” (Presently we say, “We worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.”) Put side by side, you can clearly see that the translation is more literally transcribed.

This month we will learn parts of the new “Gloria”. As we learn these new words, let us always pray and sing, “In Gloria Dei Patris.” In the glory of God the Father. Amen!

The New Roman Missal - The Penitential Act

This week I will cover the changes in the Penitential Act which takes place at the beginning of Mass, before the Liturgy of the Word. This new translation takes effect at Advent of this 2011.

In the new Form A of the Penitential Act the priest first invites the faithful to acknowledge their sins, to which they respond and recite the Confiteor: “I confess to almighty God and to you my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.”

The changed text has been highlighted and underlined for you.

At times, the priest will use Form B:

Priest: Have mercy on us, O Lord.

People: For we have sinned against you.

Priest: Show us, O Lord, your mercy.

People: And grant us your salvation.

Finally, Form C, which includes the familiar, “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.” This form has not changed. We typically sing this part of the Mass during Lent and Advent.

Next week: The Gloria

Turning the Page: “And With Your Spirit”

This past Thursday we began a new month. As I turned the page on my calendar, I thought about all the times I've turned this particular page, ushering in September. Because I am a “summer person,” this is a difficult transition for me, as the new month is usually a harbinger of colder evenings, as well as the first day of autumn. But eventually I accept the drop in temperature and get used to the idea that fall will arrive soon!

This coming Advent the Church will “turn a page” in history. The words we are used to praying during Mass will change on November 27, 2011, the first Sunday of Advent. The Third Edition of the Roman Missal will be implemented in all English speaking countries. People will have new texts and music to learn. In the coming weeks I will be teaching new sung parts of the Mass in the Glory to God, the Holy, and the Mystery of Faith (formerly the Memorial Acclamation).

There is also a detailed summary of the reasons for these changes in the pamphlet rack in the vestibule of the church, and soon there will be Missal cards placed in the pews to further help us.

“And With Your Spirit”

Many times during the Mass we hear the priest greet us with the words, “the Lord be with you,” to which we now respond, “and also with you.” In the new translation the people will answer, “and with your spirit.” This new text is a literal translation of the Latin, “et cum spiritu tuo,” assuring the priest that the Lord is with his spirit as he celebrates Mass and performs the duties he was ordained to do.

As we "turn this page" in the Church's history, we must remember that the words we pray in the liturgy, many of which are from the Scriptures, are the very words of God; inviting us, healing us, enriching us and transforming us.