10 Weeks on - how's the new translation going?

[hedgehog]

I noticed a very subdued congregation at Mass - at best the responses were mumbled.

[47of74]

1. Mixed

Some people are saying the new responses, some forget and out of habit say the old ones. It's harder when serving Mass because a lot of times we don't have a sheet in front of us and I've caught myself a lot of times saying, "And also with you" catching myself right at "with."

Probably about the time we get used to it someone will decide it needs to be changed some more.

[hedgehog]

2. Do you have any feeling for a general reaction to the changes?

[47of74]

4. Most of the parish...

...seems to have decided that while the translation leaves a lot to be desired they're going to make the best of the situation. Some of the priests I know are a little put off because instead of being able to focus on the flow of Mass they once again have to read from the missal.

[WCGreen]

9. Back in the 70's, I went to visit with one of my friends family for a weekend.

They were Catholic and asked me if I was planning to go to church with them. She had told her parents that I was Catholic.

I was hung over like you couldn't believe. The mother came in to ask why I wasn't going to mass and I looked her in the eye and say "I'll go back to church when they start saying mass in Latin.

She looked at me, shook her head and walked out of the room.

Seriously, I want to stop in to see how the new mass is presented but I have been so compromsed lately that it will take some time before I get a chance.

[UrbScotty]

3. 98% of people have caught on.

As for how people think about it? I can't really tell. Our priest says he doesn't think it was necessary. He's retiring in about a month, so it's not like he'll be punished for thinking what he thinks. (He's also in favor of letting women become priests and is concerned that the Church is moving away from the spirit of Vatican II. He's not getting any argument from me!)

[tjwmason]

5. Generally positive

We've been going for more than 10 weeks as the English Bishops decided to introduce the Ordinary from September (I think).

It took a while for the responses to become natural, particularly those which have only changed in small details.

I was at a committee meeting which is mostly made up of Anglicans, and when the society's chaplain said 'the Lord be with you' for the prayer before the meeting it seemed odd to hear people say 'and also with you'.

The bigger challenge has been for the clergy and it's a definite shift in gear - they have to think about phraseology and pauses far more than in the older simpler translations...but when they get it right it's a definite improvement.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

14. I'm reminded of when they changed from "Holy Ghost" to "Holy Spirit"

The pastor gave a sermon on the change, and explained it quite well, with emphasis on the difference between Geist in German and "ghost" in English.

He ended, as he ended all of his sermons, by doing the Sign of the Cross, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen." The first time I had ever heard a congregation burst out in laughter. The pastor said, "Well, it's going to take us some time to get used to it."

[meow2u3]

6. I used to attend Latin Masses with my mom

She was a nostalgia buff who attended Latin Masses because that's what she grew up with; I went with her and largely kept to myself. She did have to put up with some of the ultra-fundies there, but her way with words silenced all but one of them.

That's how come I'm familiar with the new Mass translation. The only thing I'm not used to is the eucharistic prayer.

[Paula Sims]

7. I'm Byzantine Rite Catholic and was stunned at the similarities to our "versions"

When I do go with my husband to the Roman Catholic Church (or "Latins" as I joke about them), generally people were accepting of the changes, more of a "oh yea, that's the way we say it". Then I really looked at the wording and noticed that it's pretty darn close to what we've been using all long.

Hmmm, West going to East? I know, in my dreams. . .

[tjwmason]

8. That's fascinating to hear

Many of the key prayers are profoundly similar, but in the past the similarities were hidden by being in different languages (Latin, Koine Greek, Slavonic &c.) and then by different translations - if they're being brought closer together, that's a definite step forward to my mind.

Do you happen to know whether these are the same or similar translations used by the Orthodox who celebrate in English?

[Paula Sims]

11. I'm not sure about the Orthodox/English translations

I'm sure there are many Orthodox and Catholics that would say that they are oceans apart, but I guess I'm still in shock at the similarities.

[SylviaD]

10. I pray for reunification...

...in my lifetime.

[Paula Sims]

12. Not with if the Russian Orthodox church has its way

The head of the Russian Orthodox church is hell bent against anything resembling a Ukrainian <fill in the blank -- Orthodox, Catholic, whatever> church in existence, so their position is no unification if there's a Ukrainian language/local faith.

[No Vested Interest]

13. In SW Ohio we've had the new translation for about 16 months now

In the two churches I frequent the most, a large plasticized card or a small booklet is available in the pews. Mostly used for the Creed.
The changes don't seem as jarring as they did at first.
I still stumble over "consubstantial".