Introducing the new edition of the Roman

Missal

A resource from the Westminster DioceseLiturgy Commission

Presentation

1. The ‘new’ Missal

2. Formation for making the most of the new Missal

3. The new Translation

What is New?

• From Rome?• A new edition of the Latin Missale

Romanum – the 3rd since 1969

• From England and Wales?(in collaboration with other English speaking Dioceses)• A new translation of the Latin text

What’s new from Rome?• Missal

• A revised General Instruction• New Prayer texts

• New guidance to Bishops’ Conferences on translation(Liturgiam authenticam, 2001)

A General Instruction

• An innovation of Vatican II

• Now a part of all reformed liturgical books

• A genuine introduction to the Rite (not ‘just’ rubrics)

General Instruction: contents

1. Theological Introduction

2. Description of Mass • Structure, elements, parts

3. Ministries4. Arrangement of Churches5. Requisites for Mass (e.g. bread

and wine)

6. Preparing the Mass

What’s new in new GIRM?1. Editorial Changes2. Insertions & Emendations

based on Liturgical documents issued since 1975

3. Omissions and Emendations due to 25 years’ experience

• This is the 3rd edition of GIRM since 1969.

• Liturgical books serve the active worship of the Church, and at a time of renewal there will be regular updates to better establish the accuracy and pastoral effectiveness of the books.

What’s new in new GIRM?

New in the Missal…

• New Prayer texts• ‘New’ Eucharistic Prayers• Inserts for EP 1–III• Prefaces• Prefaces & Mass Sets (e.g. Vigils of

Ascension & Epiphany, Masses of Bd. Virgin Mary

• New Saints in Universal Calendar• Blessing and Prayers over the

People

New edition• Issued in Latin in 2002• GIRM issued in advance (2000) and

English translation available from 2005

• Translation by ICEL finally approved for E&W in 2010

• Publication of final version of that text is now underway: (Ordinary of the Mass Sept 2011; Proper of the Mass 1st Sunday of Advent 2011).

What’s really newAt one level not a lotBut at another level…• It reflects 30 years of celebrating the

revised Mass• It fills in some gaps• It reinforces and reemphasises

principles found in previous editions.• (But often things will seem new

because we’ve never done them!!)

A time for taking stockand a time for renewal

• This is not just about words changing in books

• It is also about taking a fresh look at how we celebrate

• What are our hopes for deepening the way we celebrate Mass over the coming 5 years or so?

What’s new from England and Wales?

• Celebrating the Mass – a pastoral guide to celebration

• A new translation (prepared using guidance in Liturgiam Authenticam)• Produced collaboratively with other English

speaking Bishops Conferences (High value placed on retaining a single English translation)

Celebrating the Mass• A Pastoral Guide approved by the

Bishops Conference of England and Wales and published separately• A more accessible and user friendly

Structure for most users• The Bishops’ authoritative application of

GIRM to England & Wales (NB some few parts – e.g. the Sign of Reverence before receiving Holy Communion have now been superseded by the final version of GIRM for England and Wales)

CTM contents• Introduction

I. The Celebration of Mass1. The Assembly and its Ministers

2. The Eucharistic Celebration and its Symbols

3. Adaptation of the Liturgy

II. The Order of Mass4. Introductory Rites

5. Liturgy of the Word

6. Liturgy of the Eucharist

7. Communion Rite

8. Concluding Rite

New translation

• Prepared using guidance in Liturgiam Authenticam)

• Produced collaboratively with other English speaking Bishops Conferences (High value placed on retaining a single English translation)

Introducing new translation

• Translation received necessary approval from the Holy See in 2010

• Ordinary of the Mass can be sung now, and said from September

• Full Missal is to be used from 1st Sunday of Advent

What is new?• More direct correspondence to

the Latin• More faithful rendering of

quotations and allusions to the Scriptures and to the Fathers of the Church

• Theologically richer (theology is more explicit, as in the Latin, than implicit, as is common in the 1970s translation)

• Not so colloquial

The Mass: the Prayer of the Church

• A clearer sense that the Prayer of the Church (and the prayers of the Church) are not something we create, but are an expression of the tradition handed on to us.

• It is the prayer of the Church. Although we have to take care to prepare it for our celebration, we do not create the Prayer, we join the Prayer that is already being prayed, throughout the world, and through all time.

Challenges• Re-learning old texts

• The theological concepts may be unfamiliar

• The scriptural references may be unfamiliar or be considered inconsequential

• The language of the Mass will not always be precisely as we usually use English day to day

Questions?

Formation in preparation for the new edition of the

Roman Missal

Opportunities & Challenges

www.rcdow.org.uk/liturgy

Mostly under the section ‘Praying the Mass’www.liturgyoffice.org.u

kFollow the links on their home

page’

Useful website links