ROMAN MISSAL CHANGES

        New Roman Missal changes become effective on November 27th, 2011, the First Sunday of Advent and the first day of the new church year.  These changes have been in the planning stages for several years, and are based on changes throughout the Roman Catholic Church.  They consist of a refinement of changes in the translation of words, phrases and sentences from the universal Latin. 

       

        As the words of the Mass in Latin have been translated into many languages around the world, it has been found that the translations are not as precise to the original as they should be.  So for the last 8 years, for instance, the English translation has been undergoing a thorough re-draft by many groups and individuals to make it as close as possible to the meaning of the original Mass texts in Latin.

 

        The priests who are saying Mass have the most changes to learn and, like us, they will learn it gradually. Over time, the poetry of vocabulary, rhythm, and sentiment will no longer seem strange to us, but will become the "Mass" we know and love.

 

        As we learn the broader vocabulary of the revised translation which reflects the extensive vocabulary of the Latin, we will find the Mass retains its beauty for us.  And, just MAYBE, we'll awake within ourselves a new awareness of what we're truly saying as we pray this catholic and universal Mass together.

        MUSIC CHANGES have been slowly introduced at all the masses. The choir and music ministers have learned new Mass parts, and are guiding us to learn the new responses.