That wasn't too bad

The new translation of the Roman Missal. This is not actually in use at the moment as parishes are using an interim missal, but this is a sign of things to come.

Yesterday marked the introduction of the main bulk of the new English translation of the Roman Missal. From my experience at Mass yesterday, I think it went rather well. I slipped up at the end before the final blessing and burst out, 'And also with you,' but fortunately I was able to correct myself because the priest, who was so focused on the new translation (and did a great job too also might I add), actually forgot the final blessing; that is until one parishioner cried out (we have a very small church building), "Can we have a blessing, father?" Also, I recall one child during the consecration of the wine announcing rather loudly, "Mummy; the priest didn't say cup!" Apart from those incidents, it all went rather smoothly. I have been reading the new translations for some time now but hearing them in the context of Mass just highlighted for me the remarkable difference in the two translations. The language is indeed much richer in the new and just adds a certain depth, which I think people will notice now was lacking in the former translation. 

It has been said that the introduction of the new English translation of the Missal could serve as an opportunity to catechise the faithful. Without appearing to be overly cynical and pessimistic, I do wonder whether it will have any great effect on the majority of Mass goers. Granted, I think it will be particularly beneficial to a number of Catholics (I suppose like me) who have an understanding of the Mass and who really appreciate having a richer (and more accurate) translation of the Latin text of the Mass. I think—though I have no empirical evidence to justify this argument—that the majority of people will just turn up for Mass, say the new responses, and go home. Maybe this will always be the case. It may well be the case if people were suddenly made to receive Holy Communion kneeling and on the tongue. I think most people will just do it because they have to and are willing to adjust, but as for making a great impression on their spiritual lives, I'm not sure it would. It's changing the attitude many people have that Mass and faith are simply a Sunday thing; that is the solution. If a person is to be transformed—and certainly the new translation of the Mass and receiving Communion on the tongue can absolutely play a part in that—then people need to see faith and Mass as not being restricted to just Sunday.

My father said to me when I returned home from Mass (he went to an earlier one that morning) that the language was a bit of a mouthful; he also wondered what 'consubstantial' meant. He remarked that the new translation will probably turn young people away from the Church, or at least won't attract any more. My response was along the lines of, "Well, clearly the current translation hasn't done anything to keep young people in the Church," to which my father replied,"I suppose." In some respects, my father has a point: a new translation alone will not keep young people in the Church nor will it draw them in necessarily. Thus, my argument that the current/old translation hadn't done anything to keep people going to Church cannot be used as the only reason for less young people attending Mass (at any rate, this is not always the situation and is just the unfortunate case in some parishes). However, if the new translation of the Mass can expose a young person to the Holy Spirit in the context of the Mass more effectively, then that will draw or keep a young person in the Church. It is the God, through the Holy Spirit, who touches us and draws us to Himself. On our part as members who make up the Church on earth, we should certainly cooperate with God in making his presence known, in this context, the way in which the liturgy is celebrated, but perhaps more so in our own lives, given that the majority of us spend more time out and about than in Mass.

We could do well to question whether we are in need of a 'new translation' of our own Christian lives. Are we using a faulty, out-dated version? Could we perhaps work on a better, improved Christian way of living? Can we make it more faithful to the life which Christ willed for us to live? Language is about communication, and the way we live our lives certainly communicates to others what we are about. Perhaps as we embrace whole heartedly the new English translation of the Roman Missal—a real gift to the English speaking Church, and thus to the Church at large—we too can evaluate the language of our lives, and use this opportunity to more faithfully translate that which we believe into the way in which we act.

Benedicite.