New translation of Roman Missal

The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has launched an interactive DVD to help prepare for the forthcoming new translation of the Roman Missal.

Titled Become One Body One Spirit in Christ the DVD has been produced by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) to assist individuals and parishes to explore the Church’s teaching on the Mass and discover the riches of the new translation.  

It is available to English speaking diocese throughout the world including Ireland.

There are over six hours of video on the DVD featuring experts from around the world talking about many aspects of the liturgy.  

This includes insights into the process of translation and commentaries on the texts, reflections on liturgical ministry — ordained and lay, and sections on music and the liturgical environment.

According to Bishop Arthur Roche, Bishop of Leeds and chairman of the Department for Christian Life and Worship, Become One Body One Spirit in Christ is an excellent resource for communities and individuals to learn about and be inspired by the Mass. 

“The Mass is at the heart of what it means for us to be Catholic and this interactive DVD will help people uncover the riches that Eucharist offers us.  The in-depth exploration of the Order of Mass will be of great benefit to people as we prepare for the forthcoming new translation.” 

He expressed his thanks to all who contributed to the DVD including bishops, scholars, liturgists and pastors and to Frayneworks for creating the resource. 

The DVD explores five pathways on Become One Body One Spirit in Christ.  They include Exploring the Mass; and Receiving this English Translation with a recognition of the various challenges and opportunities that the new translation offers. 

The next three pathways are, Crafting the Art of Liturgy; Celebrating the Eucharist; and Living a Eucharistic Life, which covers dismissal for mission as we leave the church.

In America the new Roman Missal is expected to be introduced on the First Sunday of Advent and a website has been set up to provide resources for its introduction.

In Ireland, the National Centre for Liturgy is offering two books.  The first, The New Missal, explaining the changes, is a commentary on the changes that people will experience in the texts.  

The second book, Celebrating the Mass throughout the Year offers a catechesis illustrated by texts from the new edition of the Missal. 

Short commentaries on the new translation are also being featured in Intercom, in the liturgy page written each month by Fr Patrick Jones.

In June 2010, the Irish Bishops’ Conference welcomed the completion of the translation of the Third Edition of The Roman Missal and its approval by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.  

At that time, they stated they look forward to its final editing and its use at Masses in Ireland towards the end of 2011.

Over the past six years, the bishops have been receiving the new translation in sections from ICEL, a commission representing eleven Bishops’ Conferences in the English-speaking world. 

The new translation has been done according to norms for translation issued in 2001.  

These norms call for a fuller faithful translation of the Latin, capturing the biblical resonances of prayers more clearly and the rich words and phrases of the prayers, many more than 1,200 years old.

The Irish National Centre for Liturgy recommends the newly launched DVD.  Further information is available at www.becomeonebodyonespiritinchrist.org.

SIC: CIN/IE