Ancient Prayers, New Translation
Part 1 – The third typical edition of the Roman Missal
On November 27, 2011, the English speaking Catholic Church in the United States will begin using a new translation of the prayers
that are used at Mass. To help parishes prepare for this coming change, a series of announcements beginning with this bulletin insert
will be published in parish bulletins. Please check the bulletin regularly to keep up with the forthcoming changes.
Translating the Mass
It is no secret that the English speaking world is anticipating some changes in the liturgy. A new translation of the Mass is on its way
and it will affect the way English speaking Catholics pray the Mass. But why is this happening now and what is the thinking behind
these changes? To answer these questions, we need to go back to the reform of the liturgy which began at the Second Vatican Council
(1962 – 1965).
When Pope John XXIII assembled the bishops of the world for the Second Vatican Council, his primary goal was to renew and update
the Church. Because the faith of the Church is most clearly expressed through its liturgical celebrations, the first thing the bishops did
was to renew the liturgy. This process began with the first document promulgated by the Council: The Constitution on the Sacred
Liturgy. Even though it was written over 40 years ago, it still stands today as the most authoritative document on the liturgy in the
Church. It called for a new approach to liturgical celebrations centered on the desire to engage those present at the liturgy in full,
conscious and active participation.
Fewer and fewer people have a living memory of the Mass before Vatican II, but certainly one of the most recognizable differences
since then is that it is no longer required to celebrate the Mass in Latin. The Mass may now be celebrated in languages such as
English. Allowing liturgy to be celebrated in the language of the people was one significant way of encouraging fuller participation at
