This past weekend at St. Joseph Church in Macon, we began to eliminate the "lame duck" English translation of the Mass for the people's parts. As Latin Rite Catholics, we are learning the Latin parts. We are doing this incrementally. Currently, all of the "Dominus vobiscum" responses as well as the preface dialogue will be in Latin. During Lent we will say goodbye to the English Sanctus and Mystery of faith. St. Joseph already knows the Sanctus and Agnus Dei in Latin. During the Easter season we will teach them Gloria. I'm doubtful of the Creed, but am tempted to paste the new translation of it on the inside cover of our hymnal and start doing it now, but I hate being illicit!
I had the 9:30 AM and 5:00 PM Sunday Masses and both of the congregations did exceptionally well. We sang the preface dialogue, which we have commonly done with the old English form. I was very heartened by the people's embrace of this. Not everyone likes it, but I think everyone is trying and they understand. Catholics I have found are smart and we are the most educated Catholics in the history of the Catholic Church, or so we are told!
I think the use of Latin for these lame duck English parts will make it easier for us to change over to the new English when it is finally allowed. I hope the Bishops will allow us to do it as soon as possible. If the priests of the parish are positive about the new translation and convey that to the people and show them where they can find it and study it, it will go more smoothly. But so far, changing overnight to the Latin parts I mention above went extremely smoothly. I can't imagine changing the English would be more difficult. I didn't have a lenghty catechesis for the people for the Latin transition. We won't really need a lengthy one for the new English--let's get it done and soon!!!!!
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