The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops approved a new translation of the Order of Mass on the first day of their national meeting, held June 15-17, in Los Angeles. These changes have yet to be approved by the Vatican and are probably a year or more away from being implemented. Pope John Paul II actually asked for the changes in 2000 when he issued the third edition of the Roman Missal. Translation of the second edition of the missal, issued in 1975, is still being used today. The pope pushed for the vernacular translations of the new missal to remain more true to the Latin text. Since then the International Committee for English in the Liturgy (ICEL) has been working on the proposed changes, with the U.S. Bishops offering recommendations for about three years.

Some of the language parishioners and priests recite during Mass will be modified to bring it closer in line with the original Latin.

A few of the changes we will see when this new translation takes effect include:

• When the priest says, “The Lord be with you,” instead of responding, “And also with you,” the people will say, ‘And with your spirit.”
• During the penitential rite, instead of, “I have sinned through my own fault,” the people will confess, “I have sinned greatly… through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.”
• Instead of beginning with, “We believe,” the Nicene Creed will start with, “I believe.” This is a translation of the Latin text rather than the original Greek text.
• Currently during the offertory prayers, the priest prays, “our sacrifice will be acceptable.” In the new translation the priest will pray, “the sacrifice which is mine and yours will be acceptable.”
• When the priest says, “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God,” instead of responding, “It is right to give him thanks and praise,” the people will say, “It is right and just.”
• “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might,” will be changed to “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts.”

The changes have to be approved by the Vatican before they can be used in the United States. This is just the beginning of more proposed translations to come on other parts of the Order of Mass which will likely take years to complete.

Peace in Christ,
Melissa Knoblett-Aman