Attitude toward change will be most important for all involved in the liturgy. If we have a positive attitude, the transition in learning new responses and the reasons for change will be well received. If we are negative about the changes, it will be obvious in how we respond or do not respond. The 11 English speaking Conferences of Bishops in various countries have struggled a long time in making the language more accurate and hopefully better. It was not done overnight and it may not be perfect, but it is what we have and we all should try to adjust when these word changes are introduced at the beginning of Advent.

For the past 40 years or so, the official English language prayer book that the priest used for Mass was called the Sacramentary. The Latin Roman Missal, source of these prayers, came out in various editions in English in 1974 and 1985. In 2001, in preparation for the third edition of the Roman Missal, the Vatican presented translating guidelines in an instruction known by its Latin name Liturgiam Authenticam. What was the goal of this document in translating texts? It stated in #20: “…. While it is permissible to arrange the wording, the syntax and the style in such a way as to prepare a flowing vernacular text suitable to the rhythm of popular prayer, the original text in so far as possible, must be translated integrally and in the most exact manner, without omissions or additions in terms of their content, and without paraphrases or glosses.”

Liturgiam Authenticam points to this priority: “So that the content of the original texts may be evident and comprehensible even to the faithful who lack any special intellectual formation, the translations should be characterized by a kind of language which is easily understandable, yet which at the same time preserves these texts’ dignity, beauty, and doctrinal precision” (#25).

In addition, translators strive to perceive and render accurately the words and phrases that are drawn from the Scripture and from other ancient sources, such as the writings of the Church Fathers and early liturgical texts.

What was the guiding principle of the previous Sacramentary that we have been using for the past 40 years? The translation principle was called “dynamic equivalence.” This meant one translated from the official Latin basic thoughts rather than words. The translators task was to take into account the meaning each word and phrase and translate what it means into the new language. Its intention was to help us understand what the meaning is behind this particular word or phrase while trying to be faithful to the original Latin. So the translators took freedom with the structure and content of the Latin text. This translation helped our Englishspeaking communities to jump from praying Mass in Latin to praying in English. The translations sacrificed some of the nuances and exactness of the original Latin to give us, as was thought, a better understanding of the faith. It laid a foundation for what will now be coming this Advent. After this lengthy time, Rome wanted the translation to reflect the theological depth of the original Latin.

The new principle, formulated in Liturgiam Authenticam (LA), is called “formal equivalence”. This principal means that words and phrases in Latin are translated literally and exactly into the vernacular. According to LA, exactitude is important with emphasis on faithful and literal adherence to the original Latin text in the Roman Missal of 2002. So this new translation will be more formal and not what we are used to in ordinary conversation. Many sentences are longer so the priest celebrant of Mass will have to take deeper breaths to finish some of these sentences. Previously, the Sacramentary translation had the long sentences broken up in the English translation. As of October 1, 2001, the new book will be sent to parishes that have ordered copies and the priests have lots of homework ahead of them.

Very Rev. Michael T. Driscoll, O. Carm.
Pastor Pro-Tem