So much gobbleygook

The US conference of Catholic Bishops voted to change the translation used for mass.

The 173-29 vote on the Order of the Mass was aimed at satisfying Vatican calls for a translation that is closer to the Latin version.

The Americans' proposed changes in the Mass are subject to the final approval of offices in the Holy See.

"Without a doubt, this is the most significant liturgical action to come before this body for many years," said Bishop Donald Trautman, chairman of the conference's Committee on Liturgy.

"It will take some adapting, but it is not earth-shattering when you think of the changes we went through 40 years ago," he said, referring to the Second Vatican Council, after which the Latin Mass was replaced by the vernacular languages in each country.

The new translation alters the wording of key texts spoken by Catholics during worship, including the Nicene Creed, the Gloria, the Penitential Rite, the Sanctus and Communion.

Some have worried about changing a fundamental rite of worship that is so much a part of Catholic identity, especially with attendance at Mass declining, the shortage of priests leaving a growing number of churches without resident cleric, bishops and parishioners battling over the closing of old churches and schools, and the prelates trying to rebuild trust in their leadership after the clergy sex abuse crisis.

"It's going to cause chaos and real problems, and the people who are going to be at the brunt end of it are the poor priests in the parishes who don't need any more problems," said the Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest who is senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University.

The Vatican recently issued updated guidelines for the translation of the Latin texts that try for accuracy and for "a deeper language that's more expressive and more poetic," said Monsignor James. P. Moroney, who leads the liturgy office for the bishops' conference.

Minor changes in the wording of many portions of the Mass will be obvious to Catholics. The repeated exchanges "The Lord be with you" / "And also with you" between a priest and his congregation, for example, become "The Lord be with you" / "And with your spirit" in the updated version.

The prayer said before Communion would become "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof" instead of "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you."

Some bishops said the changes would deepen lay people's understanding of Catholicism and the Scriptures. They said priests could use the changes to spark a discussion of the liturgical reasoning behind them, including citing biblical stories and the Latin version.

"All these changes should require ... a certain amount of explanation and allow the people who are using them to grow in faith and not remain where they are," said Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb of Mobile, Ala.

Bishops debated for about 20 minutes on a variety of wording changes, some pitting the familiar against the new. A proposal to change the words of the Nicene Creed from "in one being" to "consubstantial," which is closer to the Latin, failed.

I am glad it failed. There's a word that has never been muttered from my mouth and I prefer to keep it that way. LOL.

While its unusual for the Church leaders to make such changes, I just don't see the sense in what I've read so far. To me it is just further proof of how far bishops are removed from their flock. I know this from experiences and knowledge gained through my wife's work at our local Catholic Church.

By the way Dear wife thinks the Bishops have been sipping a little too much wine. You got to love those Filipino Catholic girls.

I don't understand how we're to understand the mass better. Just read what they've changed- "Lord I am not worthy that you enter under my roof" Are we talking a home or our body? Then isn't Jesus supposed to be inside of us all?

Ok theology isn't my strong suit. I just think the changes are dumb. Feel free to express your opinion. Just don't call me anything worse than a knucklehead. LOL.

Open Post- Dumb Ox, Right Wing Nation, Samantha Burns,