We are sorry we are not able to post all of the comments we receive.  The following selections are representative of many thousands more.

UPDATED July 13, 2010

The idea of making these changes at this time is beyond belief. With all that is going on in the Church currently, this should be the last thing to be considered.
Marie McGarry | Lay Person | Chicago | U.S.A.
 
I do not understand the rationale for the changes, or the rush to implement them. I agree with the statement above, try some selected parishes to test their effectiveness.
William Hamill, O.S.A. | Priest | Tulsa | USA
 
Why this new translation from the Latin?? Jesus, in case you may have forgotten, did not speak Latin. He spoke the language of his people. Vatican II gave us a church we could love and respect, a church that inspired its people. We don't need a new translation of the missal. We need a church that is spiritual and instructs its people in spirituality, not externalisms. Let us not resort to the likes of the Scribes and Pharisees and be concerned about the words and symbols of the exterior, but rather be concerned with spirituality and the Creator.
Mrs. Joan Mahon | Lay Person | Charlotte, NC | USA
 
This is not the time to be changing the words for Mass. When did Jesus say chalice?
Therese Bogenhagen | Lay Minister | Superior | USA
 
I am very concerned that I have only just learned about the controversy over this new translation. I had previously been aware that a new translation was in the process of being prepared, but knew no more about it. I am even more concerned to have been told that the priests in some UK Dioceses have been told not to talk about the new translation.
Jeanne Roberts | Lay Person | Middlesbrough | England
 
It boogles the mind to think that at a time when more and more people, especially youth, feel they do not need or are not fed by the institutional church, that those who are charged with 'shepherding' the faithful would turn backwards and grab onto an ancient language, unfamiliar metaphors, and silted syntax in order to renew a sense of mystery in the celebration of Eucharist that they say has been lost to the spirit of Vatican II. We all know how powerful language and image can be when it comes to inspiring and motivating people to action or awe-filled meditation. We need look no further that the current political landscape and rhetoric to see the evidence . How is my "roof" going to be prepared for the Lord to come under it? The word "consubstantial" slips so easily off the tongue. No doubt the 3X "mea culpa" will make me more aware of my grievous faults. Those are just a few of the obvious disconnects that the congregation will encounter while celebrating mass from the pews. When one turns to the orations used by the celebrant the incongruities of image and symbol along with the tongue twister syntax will all but sever any connection between priest and people. So if I understand the reasoning of our bishops; while youth and young adults flock to non-denominational mega churches where they feel the service and Word speaks to them in words that have meaning for their life now and many adults just stop attending Church except to mark out those important life milestones, the Catholic Church is going to return to relevance by more accurately and authentically translating the latin of the "Novus Ordo." This will return the mystery to the Mass? This will reconnect our mind, body and imagination to the ineffable? People leave the Catholic Church for other churches because there they "feel" they have some connection to the worship and they do mission, they do service. People want to experience their faith on many different levels, heart, ands, and mind. Finally in the end I believe that this will only further fracture a Church that at the moment seems to be divided into a least two, a pre and post Vatican II understanding. Those who want to remain within the Roman Catholic Church will begin traveling to parishes where the priest and worship reflect their own sensibilities. There will be a large number of parish communities that will shape their own liturgy, taking what they like and ignoring what they don't. All one has to do is so how different each parish has differing postures from the time following the priest washing his hands to the final blessing and dismissal. On any given Sunday you will finde varied gestures of standing, sitting, kneeling, raising hands, and holding hands regardless of what the rubrics say. The only people who will find new meaning in these changes are the "liturgy" police who will have new fodder and fuel to ignite their passions and send off letters to bishops, cardinals, priests, and of course like minded webstes and publication. All of them on a divine crusade to tell us what it really means to be "Catholic." We pray that the widows of the Church still haven't been shut tight and again the Spirit will find a way to open them again and renew the faithful.
Martin Singer | Lay Person | Archdiocese of Detroit | US
 
On the basis of the extracts you have provided, the 1998 translation is clearly superior. With respect to the existing translation, it has more punch, more specificity, is less woolly. Plus it has more actual content - the existing one can be a bit patchy. But what strikes one most is the clarity and elegance of the English, which it achieves without being 'arch'. The new translation meets the requirement of content and specificity, and is reasonably clear. But does not read like anything a native speaker would write. I think it will lead to a lot of puzzled faces in church.
Nicholas Hardie | Lay Person | Portsmouth | England
 
Why...
Justin Bishop | Lay Minister | Great Falls-Billings | USA
 
I am dismayed at the way a new translation is to be foisted on us. As a member of WATAC I have been informed of the action and the resistance to the change and I support grassroots action wholeheartedly
Mary Robertson | Lay Person | Broken Bay | Australia
 
This will be the straw that breaks the camel's back. There is nothing pastoral in this translation. It is all about power and control. We are in a transition time in our world and there is real concern for the direction the institutional church is heading.
Barbara Holowczak | Lay Person | Chicago, IL | USA
 
This seems a very sensible idea, but are there enough bishops courageous enough to do anything about it? Please God there are!
Mrs. Michelle Guy | Lay Person | Brisbane | Australia
 
This is evidence of the sensus fidelium, is it not?
Tracey Edstein | Lay Person | Maitland-Newcastle | Australia
 
Instead of turning inward and cultivating an elitist philosophy the church should be turning to the community in which it lives and seeking to become more accessible. If we wish to be heard on important issues we should be seen to be a contemporary, open institution.
John Gordon | Lay Person | Melbourne | Australia
 
If Benedict XVI would like to see a smaller church that matches the conservative bent of his papacy, this is a good way to start. I am a convert (1984), answering the call of God. I can't imagine these changes as bringing "leavers" back or inviting new converts if the language is so obscure.
Bev Burch | Lay Person | La Crosse | United States
 
I am very concerned that this "new" translation will discourage full and active participation, especially among our youth. So many young people are already being attracted to churches who use modern language to convey a message and vibrant christian music to inspire. I am not saying we should follow that lead, but the beautiful liturgy we currently celebrate should not so easily be set aside.
Cheryl Broussard | Lay Person | Las Vegas | USA
 
Considering all that is going on in the Church at this painful time, now, more than ever, we need to WAIT on the implementation of the new Roman Missal.
Joanne Downs | Lay Person | Kansas City - St. Joseph (Missouri) | United States
 
The proposed texts are unproclaimable and unintelligible. Please stop and rethink before you make a big mistake. What's wrong with the shelved 1998 ICEL texts, they were very worthy!
Bob Sinclair | Lay Person | Westminster | England
 
The language is cold and formal and does not convey God's abiding love for us. This is not a good time for such a change.
Bernadette Flynn | Lay Person | Elphin | Ireland
 
This is a major change that just might be at the wrong time. We are going through a severe issue with sexual misconduct that has touched even the highest ladder in the church. This just may be the straw that breaks the camels back. We do not need an uprising, lost of interest, misunderstanding that this might bring about. We should steady the ship before approaching more storms. Try it in certain areas and see how it is accepted or not. This could cause a severe split in the church, especially between the older members, newer members, and other ethnics let alone outsiders saying how we are in such turmoil.
Peter J. Manfredi | Lay Person | St. Coleman | USA
 
I was in Washington with a priest who had worked on the translation that was thrown out. When asked to interpret in this manner he refused. What they threw away without serious consideration was amazing. Those scholars worked extremely long and hard to deliver to the church a true and beautiful interpretation. I'm very scared for the spirit and soul of my church. I can only speculate as to the reasons why it was disregarded and pray that the people speak loud enough to help bring these powerful people to their collective senses.
Anonymous | Lay Minister | Youngstown | USA
 
I will be 50 years ordained next year but still doing weekend ministry etc. I would like to be able to say that I am unable to believe that our bishops are pushing this this user inimical, antiquated verbiage through our ears and down our throats.....but the truth is that I am not surprised at all! They see themselves as being powerless and I fear they like it that way....not all of them , BUT A HOST OF THEM! The anti-Second Vatican Council forces are making a sick joke out of the vernacular and reducing our liturgical texts to the arcane "through their most grievous fault ."
Peter Timmins | Priest | Retired | Ontario Canada
 
While I am neither a liturgist nor a linguist, it was evident to me that many of the translated passages were not only unweildy but grammatically incorrect. I found myself getting caught up in simply trying to read the words while the meaning of the text was completely lost. While Latin is a beautiful language and is often difficult to effectively translate into English, my praying of the liturgy would be significantly hampered if the proposed changes were enacted without further consideration. It is the responsibility of ALL the People of God to make our prayer the best it can be.
M Kevin Stemmle | Lay Person | Louisville, KY | USA
 
I agree with everything that Michael Ryan has said. Many of my parishioners have English as a Second Language. I don't fancy imposing something on any of my parishioners which I cannot accept myself. English is the most beautiful of languages, full of poetry and grace. The New English Roman Missal has no poety and no grace.
Christopher Sheehy | Priest | Sydney | Australia
 
What if we just ignore it?
Theresa Buggy | Lay Person | Dublin | Ireland
 
In a review of the sample translations, I feel that in general they are wordy, clumsy, too difficult and is a discredit to the Church . I also feel that the new translations will cause division and controversy among lay people in the Catholic Church in America and sadly result in more catholics not attending Mass. I feel lay people should have more voice in how we pray and firmly agree with the market testing philosophy to wait for results prior to implementing changes. Peace and Amen! Parish Council Chair
Joan M. Echsner | Lay Person | Archdiocese of Louisville | United States of America
 
"What If We Just Said Wait" is a well thought-out essay, balancing respect for church authority with an affection for well-phrased, authentic translation.
Dixon B. Rice | Lay Person | Helena (Montana) | USA
 
I am dismayed and totally depressed by the "backward steps" being taken by this revision.
Marie Landers | Religious | Toronto | Canada
 
I think this is a worthwhile suggestion. It is not disobedient but worthy of an adult community.
Anonymous | Lay Minister | Washington, DC | United States
 
I am a pastoral liturgist, graduated from the Paul VI Institute of Liturgy, Bukidnon, and currently an incoming senior of M.A. in Liturgy in San Beda College Graduate School of Liturgy, Manila. "We are convinced that adopting translations that are highly controversial, and which leaders among our bishops as well as many highly respected liturgists and linguists consider to be seriously flawed, will be a grave mistake." I agree. And especially that a large percentage of our young people are getting bored or ignorant with the rites and prayers of our Church, the implementation of the new missal would be another way to hinder them to go to Church and appreciate our divine worship. I am with you on this movement.
Dave Ceasar Dela Cruz | Religious | Cubao | Philippines 

We just had a conference at which all of us were required to attend. A bishop from New York talked two hours justifying the changes. All of us sat there in silence. It was said that we were consulted, maybe we were, but our opinions were ignored. We are supposed to teach our congregations about something that we (I) do not understand nor agree with. Seems like again all comes down from above and not necessarily from God.
Robert J. Reidy | Priest | cleveland | usa
 
An extraordinarily reasonable request. Why would any bishop or lay person disregard it.
Tony Hiesberger | Lay Minister | Orlando, Florida, USA | USA
 
Just think of all of the paper and cost of printing new missals and sacramentaries, not to mention text books and other materials that will have to altered. How many trees will be lost? How many will go hungry or homeless with the monies used to produce this revision? WWJD?
Anonymous | Lay Minister | Springfield | USA
 
Please give us a say in how we pray. The original Latin does not necessarily make for good common use English. I find the new translation more stilted and politically correct than prayerful. Have we really asked the people in the pews?
James M. Kolb, CSP | Priest | Portland in Oregon | USA
 
I do not think that we should rush into anything. We are all so familiar with the current sacramentary that we could recite the Eucharist Prayers by heart. They are easy on the ear and make perfect sense. Why try to change them? I am afraid that this would alienate both the older Catholics who are used to them and the younger Catholics who are looking for a steady rock to worship on. I am perfectly happy with our current sacramentary, and I see no need to improve on it. I was born in 1949, so I was used to the Latin Masses. They were beautiful, but now their time has passed, and our current translation is excellent and proven by time to be very eloquent and sufficient.
Robert G. Triance | Lay Person | Pittsburgh, PA | U.S.A.
 
After 30 years as a "lapsed" Catholic I came back to the sacraments 5 years ago because I perceived that the seeds of Vatican II had actually taken root and born fruit in the Church and I was at last again proud to call her my mother. I would hate to be let down now by regression and retrenchment of a closed and out-of-touch hierarchy.
Elizabeth Malone | Lay Person | Philadelphia | USA
 
I believe it is the responsibility of all Catholics to share ideas with our leadership in a respectful way. Some would say that loyalty means, "Mine is not to question why, mine is but to do or die", but I disagree. The sign of loyalty in a community is to share perspectives in a loving and humble way. I sign this petition because it seems like a reasonable idea on how to implement the new missle. I also sign it because I believe it is my responsibility to the Church leadership to point this possible approach out for its consideration. Once considered I will with the best of my skill and training assist the people entrusted to my care to become masters at the new wording promulgated. Respectfully, Fr. Jeff Nicolas
Jeff Nicolas | Priest | Louisville | USA
 
Golly, the new translations sound like middle-school poetry -- the badly-written kind! While I'm sure the words are perfect translations, there's something lost when these words are spoken aloud: much of what I've read will surely befuddle and confound the vast and overwhelming majority of nonplussed congregants. Or should I have said "it will confuse a lot of the parishioners"?
James O'Connell | Lay Minister | Santa Clara | United States
 
As a Latin teacher, I frequently ask my students to give me two translations, one that is literal and the other which uses accurate but idiomatic English. I do that to challenge their understanding of Latin constructions, but I want an English equivalent from them to help them grapple with proper English and its own peculiar properties. I fail to grasp how literal translations of any language can be helpful for worship. We pray in English in our country, and I have a profound respect for Latin, but I feel strongly that our prayers should be Englished by the American church which understands the language, not by a Vatican commission which evidently doesn't. I am also quite disturbed at the apparent disregard by the Vatican offices handling this matter for their usurpation of the local Bishops' authority, acknowledged to have that same authority by the second Vatican Council.
Servando Mendez | Lay Person | Archdiocese of New Orleans | United States
 
I confess to conflicting emotions about the new translations that have now received the Vatican's "recognitio." On the one hand, it has long been obvious that there are defects in the translations we have been using for the past forty years, especially in texts like the Gloria and the Nicene Creed. But the new versions seem to lose in accessibility what they may gain in accuracy.
John W. Mahon | Deacon | Bridgeport | USA
 
We have 2 mentally challenged boys who practically know the Mass by heart. They love the Mass and are proud that they can understand and say it. Everyone has told me that they are blessed and amazed of how well they can pray and give the correct response during Mass. The boys even find it hard to keep quiet because they even know some parts of the Mass that the priest is supposed to say alone . Sometimes the people sitting around them will hear our boys recite out loud, "Through Him, With Him and In Him, In the Unity of the Holy Spirit, all power and glory are Yours, Almighty Father, Now and Forever," and they continue with the loud resound of AMEN (A truly GREAT AMEN!) Right now they are one of the few that actually pull out their hymnal and sing. If the Mass is changed, I'm afraid that they would be devastated. as they don't adjust to well with change. I guess that there will be a lot of wrong responses if the Mass changes. They have been going since they were young and they are now 21 and 22. Please don't change the Mass. Keep it simple for us all to understand and pray. Save the Innocence of simple sheep. God be with us!
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Schlicht | Lay Person | Erie | USA
 
Many troubling changes, particularly because we do know the power of language and therefore the responsibility we bear in communicating faithfully and effectively the mercy of God in Christ. My greatest distress however comes from the change in the priests part during the consecration that is now to become...TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT: FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD, THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT; WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME. For many??? - Is the Church actually changing the deepest understanding we have proclaimed throughout history of Christ Himself and the meaning of His sacrifice "once for all"? And yes, I know that "many" is used in the gospels, but I have been taught to understand that in our Catholic theology in light of the whole of scripture and the Tradition of the church as distinguishing between the “objective redemption” of all by Christ, and the “subjective redemption” of those who will accept Christ"s salvation (CCC II:603) while always proclaiming the Salvific Act of God in Christ for ALL.! How will this change be understood, by our people and by the whole people of God? This is the crushing blow that no one seems to be addressing and cuts to the core of what it means to be catholic, and to bear witness to Christ in the world! This is the heartbreaker; not borne of a resistance to change but rather a profoundly felt resistence to diminish by our own choice of words the very mission of Christ. Words are powerful! So we are compelled to speak out as St. Paul said; Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed, therefore I spoke," we too believe and therefore speak. (2 cor. 4) Please take the time to carefully and faithfully express in our liturgy, in our language, the good news that is Christ for the life of the world. Lead us toward the greatest change; the ever deepening conversion that turns us more fully to Christ, and through Christ, to the whole world.
dorothy hulburt | Lay Minister | san diego | usa
 
Having compared parts of the new English translation to the version we currently use, I am aghast that we are to have a stiff, clumsy, polysyllabic form of translation--sometimes not even standard English!--foisted upon us as our new way to pray. No native speaker of English would choose to express himself or herself to anyone, especially God, in such awkward phraseology. The new translation will prove a barrier to my prayer, not an aid. If the goal of the new translation is to distance us from God when we pray, it will succeed mightily. And do we really want to encourage people to return to saying their rosaries during the time the presidng priest is "doing his thing" at Mass? If I, who am more than 70 years old, have this response to the new translation, I can only guess at the responses of young people who have been born into the Catholic faith. I do not think that the Catholic Church can hope to keep youth active in the Church if the language we give them for prayer seems contrived, alien, artificial--even soulless. Jesus used the language of the people as he taught them. He couched his teaching in light of what THEY would understand. I believe that we should try to do the same. The new translation fails to do so.
Angeline Dufner | Lay Person | St. Cloud | USA
 
Stand, kneel. You cannot preach in our church unless you are a Roman Catholic priest; no women, no Episcopalians etc. Stand, kneel. We are going to get rid of any vestige of Vatican II. Stand kneel. The laity can't pour the wine in the cups. Stand, kneel. We can't control the media about our scandals but we can try to control English speaking Roman Catholics. Stand, kneel. You must respect us no matter what. Kneel. It's not about the body of Christ and faith; its about form and us. Kneel and keep kneeling.
E. J. Gary | Lay Person | Louisville | USA
 
I pray that the Bishops, Cardinals and the Pope listen to the lay people and priests who are vehemently against this giant step BACKWARD for the Church. We need to take small, medium and large steps FORWARD. Thank you.
Marcella Costa | Lay Person | Monterey | USA
 
I am a 28 year old "cradle Catholic". I grew up with the current translation and at times, even today, I had trouble with some of the language. I cannot imagine what will happen when my children, smart as they might be, grow up and want to become part of a church where the words give them no CLUE as to what is going on. I don't mean to say that it needs to "easier" but (in my opinion) the new translation will make it harder to express what we feel as Catholics. We, as a church are having a hard time keeping people involved with our parishes with the way things are now. What will happen when this goes into action?
Anonymous | Lay Minister | Venice, Florida | United States
 
Why does Latin have to be so divinised? I actually love the language, but not rendered in this clumsy manner!
Maree Byron | Religious | Brisbane | Australia
 
Please do not ask us to move back in time! We are trying to keep our children and grandchildren in the Faith, and we are having some success. I am personally attending one of my grandchildren's Confirmation, two of my grandchildrens' First Communions, a college graduation and a wedding in the month of May --- thanks be to God, they are participating in the Faith! But, if we continue on the path that this leadership lays, we will lose a lot of these precious young people. Keep opening up the Church to our youth, and we will "renew the face of the Earth", as our God has asked us to do.
Anonymous | Lay Person | Cleveland | USA
 
Let's take time to rebuild confidence in the Church and her leadership before instituting changes in text and rubrics of the Liturgy. There is plenty of time to switch from "And also with you" to "And with your spirit." The flock is scattered and hurt, and we as Church leaders need to gather it back.
Fred Ritchie | Deacon | Brooklyn | USA
 
I am a university professor of theology, and I agree wholeheartedly with this statement. Shalom,
J. Milburn Thompson, Ph.D. | Lay Person | Louisville, KY | USA
 
I pray that we follow what GOD wants us to do in this matter!
Timoteo Saldana Honesto | Lay Person | Toledo | USA
 
I am a liturgical musician and very disenchanted with the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. I know how hard people have worked on this, but there are bigger problems right now and if they aren't addressed, there won't be anyone in the pews to learn the new format...
Anonymous | Lay Minister | CHicago | United States
 
The Church has undergone many changes in the past 50 or so years - many more changes than in the last 1000 or so before. These past changes have been well-done and needed. This is not needed. In fact, it's probably going to be detrimental. There are other problems that our church needs to focus on besides confusing those in liturgy
Caitlin Grothaus | Lay Person | Archidiocese of Louisville | United States
 
I am a Jesuit missionary in Zambia, though originally from Seattle Washington. I was ordained in St. James Cathedral, Seattle, by Archbishop Thomas A. Connolly on 20 June 1970. I have been working in Zambia since 1964 (as a Jesuit scholastic and later as a priest) including a 3-year period of service in Kinshasa, D. R. Congo. My experience tells me that in a country like Zambia, English needs to be rather simple in its vocabulary and syntax and quite straightforward in usage. This is a developing country and for most people English is a 2nd or 3rd language.The local African languages are very widely spoken in informal and familiar settings. Yet it is the offical language of the country, for business, education, government service and tourism.
peter russell titland | Priest | Lusaka | Zambia
 
Since reading of the new Roman Missal I have been both enraged and terrified. I see the return to the literal translation from Latin of the liturgy as another step in the dismantling of Vatican II. Those who are currently in power in the Vatican will not stop until the laity are once again removed from active participation in the Church, our Church. Also when the people asked Jesus to teach them to pray he did not speak in Latin he taught them the Our Father in their own language. It is time that those in power in the Church paid closer attention to what Jesus said and did. Then they might have a greater understanding of the real needs of the Church in these very difficult times.
Geraldine Fitzpatrick | Lay Person | Cloyne | Ireland
 
the Spirit speaks to the non-ordained equally clearly
H Richard Bowles | Lay Minister | Louisville | USA
 
Please, please go slowly with this. Have a highly organized pilot program so that our dear Catholicism doesn't have yet another major upset on its hands.
Rita M. King | Lay Person | Monterey Diocese | United States of America
 
No translation without representation!
Anonymous | Lay Minister | Rockville Centre, NY | USA
 
There has been no consultation with the people -- especially with women who now make up 66% of Mass attendees.  The new translation is too literal a translation from Latin to English and some of the words are too obscure.
Denise Laverty | Religious | Lismore | Australia
 
How will changing the prayers of the Mass into language which is more clumsy and less comprehensible help us to pray? What is the purpose of these changes? Can anyone give me a positive slant on them?
Cecilia Bailey | Lay Person | Cardiff | UK
 
When I studied Latin in the minor seminary we were told to translate ideas, not words. This does not seem to be the case in the translations I have read.
Walt Adamczyk | Lay Person | Louisville | USA
 
Yet another retrograde maneuver by the conservative hierarchy, which can only serve to destabilise a church which has already been shaken to it's very foundations by the revelation of these scandals which the "Holy Father"(s) have been hiding under their robes for all these years.
Joseph O' Hara | Lay Person | Dublin | Ireland
 
Please do not add more confusion to the disheartened members of our community by attempting to change our words of prayer. Despite many obstacles that we deal with in trusting our church these days, being able to pray with words that express our feelings is comforting. I agree with so many who have written regarding other ways to rekindle the Spirit in our people. There is an underlying hurt and lack of trust now running through the Catholic community. This needs to be addressed openly and often by our priests who are called by Jesus to offer healing to His people. And please, speak to us in simple language we understand!
Anonymous | Lay Person | Louisville | USA
 
The language of the new translations is by turn flowery and inelegant. In places the sentences are badly constructed making them more difficult to understand than the ones currently in use. If change is deemed to be necessary, imposing upon us change for the worse is a very unwelcome imposition.
Mary Baxter | Lay Person | Liverpool | UK
 
Bishops Trautman's 2009 Fred McManus series lecture (accessible on the web at http://www.eriercd.org/pdf/mcmanus.pdf ), in memory of a renowned and beloved liturgist, leaves little additional to be said about the drawbacks of the proposed English translation of the third typical edition of the Roman Missal. In eloquent fashion he provides background for why the statement of concern, 'What if we just said wait', is so critical. The new translation is overly literal; suffers discontinuity from the pastoral and decentralizing intent of Sacrosanctum Concilium, a document on liturgy of an ecumenical council; and brings back ancient mindsets and ways of speaking foreign to the receptor English language that will no doubt impede the prayer of the People of God. The many comments posted on this website, and more than 20,000 signatures to date, attest to the fact that the return to these mindsets and manner of prayer will cause much pain for these signers, not to mention the people they serve. The new translations themselves significantly depart, especially in mindset, from the current ones in use now for roughly 35 years. Given the significance of this departure, the statement of concern makes good common sense. With remote preparation for the introduction of the new texts now underway, 'What if we just said wait' could make a helpful contribution. Yet, even if it is not taken into account, it should continue as a place to turn to register concern and document groundswell for evaluation as problems emerge in real time. In addition, it will continue to give signers a sense of togetherness in anticipation of the swing of the pendulum of history once again forward toward aggiornamento, the true intent of Vatican II. In this context the signers of this statement of concern stand together--and wait!
Charles C. McDonald | Lay Person | Arlington | USA
 
Maybe the church should look at its own linguistics before changing the Missal. e.g. A punishment is not a promotion as was done to Cardinal Bernard "above the" Law. Maybe it should clean house first. Clean up the scandals then work on the missals.
Carol Pehrson | Lay Person | Des Moines? | USA
 
Why does the Vatican seek to further alienate the people of God by moving us away from a warm and loving conversation with our God? Stiff, formal and badly translated words do not encourage us in our worship of God at Mass and will certainly empty our churches of those, young and old, who are finding their Catholic faith severely tested at the moment with all the reports of clerical child sexual abuse and the indifference of some of the hierarchy to the voices of the survivors.
Claire Breheny | Lay Person | Kildare and Leighlin | Ireland
 
I am 63 years old. I do remember pre-Vatican II and I remember my Croatian grandmother swearing in Croat about the mass changes. She went to church and continued to sing in the choir, but she sang the old words and prayed the old prayers. I put that to stubbornness, but now realize she was too set in her ways and too old to learn the new words. As she got older, she reverted more and more to Croat. I think that I too, will never learn the new words, not because I am as stubborn but because it is not worth my time. If I truly believe I walk with Jesus, then he knows what I believe and what it is I say and I don't think he cares what the language is. I am, however, a lector and have been for 30 years. I will put my energy into preparing to share the word of God and my prayer as I approach the ambo will now include "let me and the new translation NOT get in the way of your people hearing you. I see nothing wrong with waiting a year - why is the hierarchy so anxious to cram this down our throats? For me as a thinking and educated Catholic woman, this is just one more thing I am being told to accept w/o the benefit of having anything to say about it.
Pam Wilson | Lay Person | Portland in Oregon | USA
 
I am not in favour of this new translation. It completely subverts the work of the International Committee on English in the Liturgy, which Committee completed a new translation of the Roman Missal in the early 1990s. It was approved by the Australian Catholic Bishops in 1994 and should have received recognition by the Vatican at that time.
Liz Morris | Religious | Adelaide | Australia
 
To Whom It May Concern, From the examples I have seen, and from the current daily Scripture readings, it is obvious that the new liturgical prayers are far from the high quality English translations we expect. Since there is no real urgency to introduce new translations, a slow, methodical , pilot program seems a reasonable request. We don't need to create more tension in the Church.
Guy F. Roddy, FIC | Religious | Youngstown | USA
 
The stilted language is neither pleasing to the ear nor prayerful. It may or may not be true to an ancient text but the examples cited are sufficient to demonstrate that no English-speaking person with a modicum of experience with English grammar approved them. Let us pray that the Spirit will intervene and the introduction of these texts will not occur.
Joseph P. Flynn Jr. | Lay Person | Pittsburgh | USA
 
The new translation is not a valid use of the English language as we speak it. We need to bring people to Christ using the language that will help them draw near and listen. Why must we make it difficult to approach our good God in a language which is not our own in meaning and cadence? Why is a more exact translation of a dead language seen as a good? We are talking about people at prayer. If there is no heresy involved in the words we use in our sacramental prayer, please leave it alone. Let us pray....
Anonymous | Religious | Philadelphia | USA
 
Let's take our time. I am tired of changes being made so abruptly.
Dan Casciano | Lay Person | Rochester, NY | USA
 
I am most concerned about this new Roman Missal in English Having read Rev. Michael Ryan's article in Tui Motu, I totally agree with what he says and think it is important not to have this 'new' translation imposed upon us without any consultation.
Helen Doherty | Lay Person | Auckland | new Zealand
 
More proof that Rome has lost touch with grass-roots Catholics.
John en | Lay Person | Brisbane | Australia
 
As a lay person I have read as much as I can on this subject. I have also carefully read the welcome "Pastoral Letter of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI to the Catholics of Ireland" concerning sexual abuse, which His Holiness sent last week. I have no idea how a member of the laity can send a letter of reply to His Holiness. However, in the sense that he has written (as I understand it) a personal letter to me, I feel he will accept this note in the reciprocal sense as I address him on the subject of changes to the Mass that I attend in these difficult times. He, and my respected Archbishop, rightly informs me that "No one imagines that this painful situation will be resolved quickly.  Real progress has been made, yet much more remains to be done". While fully accepting these words of wisdom, guidance and encouragement, may I humbly ask that while we, the Church, are endeavoring to deal with the "painful situation" (which is taking up quite a substantial portion of religious reflection at the present time), the matter of changes to the Mass might perhaps be placed in a more understanding perspective by the Vatican, thereby allowing us to fully embrace, in the first instance, the Fourteen Points addressed to us by the Holy Father in his Letter. Accordingly, please, defer all further consideration of changes to the Mass - because, in the vernacular, I have quite enough on my plate at the moment while "much more remains to be done" before changing what I am desperately clinging to at present - The Mass . Thank you.
Kieran McGovern | Lay Person | Dublin | Ireland
 
How much more can an American Catholic Lay Woman take? The list is exhausting.. * the outrage of the hierarchical cover ups of Sexual Abuse by priests of the youth of our church * the USCCB allowing itself to be manipulated into opposing the recent health care bill * abortion continuing to be addressed politically by the hierarchy instead of as a moral wrong chosen by an individual who may be desperate/weak/poor * the Vatican investigating our dear Sisters who have devoted their lives to educating and nursing us * now a ridiculous move to change our prayer language. Please Holy Spirit, hear our prayer!
Rita Rings | Lay Person | Cincinnati | USA
 
Sometimes it seems quite difficult for the hierarchy to recognize and respect the fact that WE are the church! Let's claim our baptismal roles as priest, prophet and king. Let us pray we can find hope and strength as we work toward reconciliation and peace with courage and faith. In this holiest of weeks we focus on service, suffering, redemption and resurrection. Jesus: betrayed, abandoned and denied...then AND now? Let us worship in words we can all understand, words that are accessible while respectful, inviting while scriptural, grammatical while inspiring. May the Risen Christ reign in our hearts and minds and spirits!
Patricia McConville | Lay Minister | Boston MA | USA
 
I think this topic being discussed at this time will be seen as a way to distract attention from the burning issues facing the Catholic Church.
Anonymous | Religious | Killala | Ireland
 
What a wonderful thing. So many people showing their deep care for the liturgy. This is something that should get respect and notice. English is a holy language. So is Spanish and Russian and Chinese and . . . Imagine, the language of Shakespeare and Mark Twain and Abraham Lincoln and Emily Dickinson and so many other great communicators, being considered, not quite holy enough when used properly. Not quite holy enough, so that a more literal translation from Latin is deemed required. Let us work harder. Let us pray with greater hope that God will help us find the way to the best liturgical language we can develop. Until then, let's wait on the text being promoted. It's not the best we can do for such a great use.
Dan Illich | Lay Person | Seattle | USA
 
As Chairman of our Pastoral Council, I am deeply concerned at the number of Parishioners who simply do not accept the new version. This move is not conducive to promoting our Church and more importantly bringing back the youth.
John pearse | Lay Minister | Rosebank Catholic Church | South Africa
 
I see no indication that most of the changes will clarify or add anything to the Mass we currently have. The change that concerns me greatly is the one at the Elevation that says Christ's blood was spilled "for most," rather than the current version that stipulates it was "for all." Just who do they want us to leave out?
Mary Rae Bragg | Lay Person | Dubuque Archdiocese, Dubuque, Iowa | United States
 
The samples here, especially the Nicene Creed and longer extracts from Eucharistic prayers, reek of the verbose transliterations that we used to find in the English column of Latin-English missals when I was a boy. This is not modern English style or usage. I make this observation as a writer myself, of a few small books and some 500 articles in publications ranging from America and JIVAN magazines to a wide range of periodicals here in Zimbabwe: I also served 20 years on the editorial board of 'Social Change' magazine, Harare. This is not a language to engage our minds and hearts. Hearing that there are similar disputes about a new Japanese translation of the liturgical texts, I suspect these could be attempts to foist bad English, bad Japanese, bad German etc on us until we accept bad Latin as the lesser evil, because it is less clear.
Brian MacGarry | Religious | Harare | Zimbabwe
 
As a social scientist retired from the public mental health system, I think all professionals need to spend more time listening to the people they serve.
Jack Rakosky | Lay Person | Cleveland | USA
 
It is imperative that any translation be in keeping with the spirit of Scripture and ceremony as it has been handed down for generations. This inevitably involves use of language which has meaning within the culture of the times. There are enough questions within this proposal that can be better addressed by a cautious introduction and trials. Slow down, wait! What's to be gained by rushing except to alienate.
Don Kretschmann | Lay Minister | Pittsburgh | USA
 
Time and money and human energy could be better spent on feeding, clothing, educating, and providing health care for the world's hungry than on changing the wording of the liturgy. It is not how we pray but that we pray.
Anonymous | Lay Person | New York | USA
 
The translations are unnecessary and divisive in a time when unity is crucial.
Alan Boland | Lay Person | Port Elizabeth | South Africa
 
I believe in change, but this is one change I am not for. The current language is beautiful and warm. Leave it alone!
Lynn Drum | Lay Person | Detroit | USA
 
We have been trying the new text for a year, and it is confusing, less meaningful and quite disruptive. My husband has stopped attending mass (for other reasons as well, to be honest, but the new text is an important one of them). I converted after Vatican II because the Catholic faith and its liturgy made sense to me. The recent developments are most disturbing. Are there not more important things to attend to in our church and in the world than these attempts at turning the clock back?
Ingrid de Bont | Lay Person | Pretoria | South Africa
 
I am a convert about 7 years ago. One of the things that I noticed right away is that it is tough to keep the young people involved. My wife and I have the mission to attend mass in all the churches in the diocese of Erie. We have been at it for about 6 or so years. The first thing that we have noticed upon entering a new church is the amount of energy. We are able to tell if the church is alive and well or it is almost dead. Guess what? It is directly related to the numbers of young people involved. These changes will not help this and may cause the further decline of the energy found in our churches. By the way my wife Marge and I have about 5 more churches to go.
ken worley | Lay Minister | Erie | USA
 
I support the waiting and experimenting process in order to get the sense of the faithful. Since liturgy is the work of the people rather than just liturgical elites, we need to listen how the Holy Spirit works through the people in response to the revised liturgy. As an immigrant, who is not an English native speaker, I can see the equalizing factor of the new liturgy, namely inscrutability for both English native and non-native speaking priests. However, inscrutability does not guarantee our experience of the divine. Neither does total clarity. Let us then give some time for testing and experiment with the new liturgy before its full implementation.
Ignatius H. Sasmita, S.J. | Priest | Oakland | USA
 
Thank you for providing an opportunity to voice objections to the new translations in a positive, constructive way.
Charles L. Brown III | Priest | Wilmington | USA
 
I am mystified as to why the one of the translation goals was to render the English to be more true to the Latin. This results in awkward phrasing often LESS imbued with the desired meaning. I am still trying to understand changing the Nicene Creed from WE believe to I believe. Are we not a most essentially, at our core, a community of believers?
Margaret Fortier | Lay Person | Newark | USA
 
This translation, from what I have read of it, is obscure, awkward, esoteric, and lacking in pastoral authenticity. While waiting might be a delaying tactic, what really needs to happen is that the translation is scrapped.
(Sister) Elizabeth Bickar | Religious | Brooklyn | USA
 
Here in Ireland many of us Catholics are reeling from the reports on child abuse perpetrated by our priests and concealed by our Bishops. I must admit that changes in the Roman Missal have not been on our radar. Thank you for making us aware once more that Rome has lost touch with the People of God.
Betty Gleeson | Lay Person | Dublin | Ireland
 
We do not need any more male specific translations of liturgy. Texts such as 'for us men and for our salvation....' . Which is more important, a literal translation of the Latin, or a translation that no longer excludes more than 50% of the worshipping community.
Teresa Mee | Religious | Dublin | Ireland
 
I support the courageous priests who have voiced their concern about this Restoration by the hierarchy. I am old enough to remember the joyless silence of pre-Vatican II liturgy. It appears to be the goal of the authorities to bring it back. I see no reason for hope that this appalling decision can be reversed, unfortunately.
Ray MacDonald | Lay Person | Ottawa | Canada
 
I have written to our local Catholic newspaper, the Southern Cross, to voice my unhappiness with the new translations - their awkwardness in direct translation of the Latin, their hints of dualism, and the fact that they did not take the opportunity to introduce gender-inclusive language, among other complaints. I would strongly suggest a WAIT vote
Elinor Lowry | Lay Person | Johannesburg | South Africa
 
At the bottom of the pyramid, supporting with my money the "Servus servorum and the whole court", I can only say at this point that I am so disappointed with the hierarchy that I am ready to join my children outside of the Institution. As a lay person I used the GI bill to study theology in Italy because there was nothing for the laity in the early 70's in Miami. I left. I studied in Torino and when I came back I was lucky to work for the Archdiocese for 24.5 years, in the times of Archbishop Edward McCarthy. What a beautiful application of Vatican II then! Now...I am struggling with the return of the clericalism, with the climbing of the clergy looking for colors and titles to wear and the emptiness of the Eucharistic celebrations in Latin and the ornaments of the 50s...I feel that I am now "beyond religion"...
George Briz | Lay Person | Miami | USA
 
I am deeply appreciative of the actions now being taken to challenge the merits of undoing the work of Vatican II in the arena of liturgy. I have recently become aware of the polarizing distinctions now being promulgated by some in the Church: the "hermeneutic of discontinuity" vs. the "hermeneutic of continuity". It appears that the re-latinization of liturgical language is a strong expression of those who advocate a hermeneutic of continuity. As one who grew up in (and was nurtured by) the post-Tridentine church, I have had a profound experience in my lifetime of the need for both continuity and discontinuity in the Church. It is a strategic denial of the humanness of the Church to pretend that change and development are not inherently necessary to vitality and life. One way to view continuity is to assert the need to recover core aspects of Christianity that pre-date the development of the institutional church and its immersion in the political arena beginning in the 4th century. God forbid that we permit the Church to fall into the mimicry of our current political and societal polarization. If the body of Christ cannot avoid the profound disrespect of those whose opinions differ that is so widespread in the world today, then I say that the Church has failed in a fundamental way. I am hopeful that persons of good will can catch themselves before going over the cliff into irreversible opposing camps. In the meantime, let us assert our concerns openly and passionately. Perhaps one way to bridge the gap is to provide a greater variety of liturgical choices, without making anyone wrong who disapproves of the alternatives.
Jim McDonald | Lay Person | Los Angeles | USA
 
It is clear to me that 1) the undermining of the work of the old ICEL was/is a power play and has nothing to do with faith or religion; 2) The way the translations are being done here is very counterproductive to intelligent participation in the liturgy (especially by the youth)and also to understanding the real meaning in the liturgy/sacraments. However, I believe that one should not spend. too much time or energy bemoaning the translation as such because this can only distract the church from the very real problems it faces in the building of community and in serving the world -- in a way it is a red herring
Peter Brislin | Lay Person | Bloemfontein | South Africa
 
To borrow from another arena, I don't think there's enough lipstick for this pig.
Theodore J. Miller | Priest | Toledo | USA
 
The new translation should be shelved, and the translation done in the nineties should be resurrected. In the meantime we should continue to use the present translation.
Joseph A. Keough | Religious | Baltimore | USA
 
The Vatican Council was a great step forward in the Roman Catholic Church. The translation of the Missal following it was also wonderful advance in the liturgy of the church. The proposed translation is a major step backward. I notice that many of the sentences are in the passive voice which weakens the language and many sentences use poor or incorrect English. Please at least give us the opportunity to review and comment on these translations.
Donald F. McGuigan, DDS | Lay Minister | Philadelphia | USA
 
My wife and I have the deepest foreboding concerning the imposition of the new translation. Precious or archaic language which is intended (so we understand) to re-introduce a sense of 'mystery' into the celebration of Mass will only further alienate the many Catholics who are just about 'hanging in there.' And it will do nothing for our children and grandchildren. The Mass is indeed a great mystery, but the language with which we choose to celebrate it should be language we can lend our hearts and minds to with full joy and vigour. The proposed changes simply do not reflect our desire to celebrate the liturgy in this way.
John Vaughan-Neil | Lay Minister | Southwark | UK
 
I am an augustinian friar living in the archdiocese of philadelphia and I travel each weekend throughout the united states preaching on behalf of "food for the poor"... I experience parish life in so many dioceses.... and I also experience the effect of the "pastoral" leadership of pastor and bishops wherever I go with regard to the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist... after 40 years of the second Vatican council I can honestly say that the pastoral education of the laity that should have taken hold in the life of these parishes has remained as divided today if not more so than it did 35 years ago because the die hards have gotten stronger in their obstinacy and the spirit of Vatican II has failed to melt the frozen and warm the chilled... a change of language will do nothing to advance anything but solidify the arrogance of those who never understood the movement of the Spirit that pope john XXIII allowed to flow through the church... these so called changes for the better are nothing more than cosmetic surgery to a liturgy that still does not speak to the 21st century Christian catholic... this much to do about nothing will not attract converts from those who have walked away from among us nor will it gain the attention of those curious to look at us another time... why have we wasted all this time and money and energy on "egotistical" improvements and not really learned to communicate within and without... and the scandals abound and no one speaks honestly and the media tears us to shreds and we bury on heads in the ground and they mock us to the point of ridicule... and we pretend it is a persecution and fail to repent for our crimes against the Body of Christ still unhealed and unforgiven... and those guilty get called to Rome for high office appointments... or the hierarchy refuses to step down and repent in solitude for the rest of their lives... they have shamed the Body of Christ and the pope wears Gucci slippers... what a mockery of the humble Jesus...
ralph john monteiro, o.s.a | Priest | Philadelphia | USA
 
If the English does not conform to the Latin change the Latin. English is the new Vulgate.
James Rueth | Lay Minister | Northampton | UK
 
When I first heard of these changes I went to the Archdiocese website to read them for myself to see if they really were as bad a people were saying, they are! Please listen to your people and wait on these changes. Better yet, don't make the changes at all.
Sheila Kelly | Lay Person | St. Paul and Minneapolis | USA
 
Liturgiam Authenticam should be scrapped. We should return to the principles of Paul VI. Latin is a dead language. Let it rest in peace.
Jeremy Tobin | Priest | Canon Regular of Premontre | USA
 
I am amazed that, in BOTH translations, we still say, in the Creed, "for us men" as opposed to "for all of us".
Carolyn Fay | Lay Person | Indianapolis | USA
 
'the church has grown a year every century...it's time now for the people to mature and take their place alongside the 'clerical' church. Jesus wants to find faith...not religion.
Anonymous | Lay Person | Leeds | UK
 
May God help us... I was taught many years ago in the seminary by some very wonderful Benedictine monks that the people are generally 50 years ahead of the clergy when it comes to recognizing the work of the Spirit....how true... But I will most likely not be here in another 50 years to see the result of His work today...I hope the folks in Rome get it sooner than that!!!!
Don Petersik | Lay Person | Seattle | USA
 
I look forward to a time when the English we use is truly inclusive and reflects the acknowledgment that half the human race is female and that women are the backbone of the community that claims Jesus as the source of its inspiration and life.
Philip Baxter | Religious | Lusaka | Zambia
 
As a student at Seattle University (1962-66), I remember resentfully sitting through the medieval pageantry of Mass in the half-empty Cathedral (was that lovely Gregorian chant a choir or a recording? We never found out...). We students, who were there because Archbishop Connolly declared that Mass on campus did not meet the Sunday obligation, generally found this celebration (and the homilies!) to be completely out of step with the wonderful breeze blowing through the "open windows" on campus. I am so pleased to hear that 45 years on St. James Cathedral is helping us to find the courage and the wisdom to stand up for ourselves and our children. Liturgy matters. Many of us are not going to go backwards.
Mary Kay Schoen | Lay Person | Arlington | USA
 
I believe that limiting the use of the New Translation to a diocese or two OR to several delineated American parishes and analyzing the reactions would allow for a reasonable catechesis of Catholics throughout our Country PRIOR to adopting the New Translation. If reactions to the NEW... are so-o-o negative that it seems adoption of it could cause a disruption to the daily life of the Church, then I think the adoption should be postponed until such time as additions/deletions/changes can be made and it be re-introduced...
Sr. Carol Tenerovich | Religious | Pittsburgh | USA
 
I think this issue needs more attention. Testing is needed, this sentences are not going to be understood, especially by the elderly, who make up 90% of our Church. My 85 year old mother would be lost!
Nancy Beck | Lay Person | Phoenix | USA
 
We have had the new version for a long time and it still grates! The changes in the sixties felt so right. The liturgy came alive. These are imposing the dead hand of a dead language on our living liturgy. The warmth of loving prayer is replaced by the chill of "accurate translation" - and horrible English! In South Africa, we have many people from different cultural and language backgrounds, who, of necessity, worship in English. Why bemuse them, as well as anger the rest of us with ugly, complicated, unnatural words? This is Rome at its worst. Will they never learn?
Elizabeth Coutts-Trotter | Lay Person | Johannesburg | South Africa
 
I am an EPISCOPAL bishop. I commend you for your initiative. The Episcopal Church had 6 to 8 years of parish 'trial use' with responses before the final revision to our liturgy was made in 1976-1979. We too had linguistic experts but they are not perfect. It's a good way to proceed. +HWS
Harry W Shipps | Bishop | Georgia (Episcopal) | USA
 
I tend to be rather traditional in liturgical matters, and I believe in following the rubrics, directives and instructions of the larger church. When I saw the Ordo, I was deeply concerned about the tortured English found there. But I thought that perhaps with force of repetition I would grow used to it. However, as the collects and other parts of the new translations begin to leak out, I cannot keep silent. The broken syntax, Latinate grammar and vocabulary will encourage, rather than discourage the paraphrasing, rewording and personal interpretation that this "new missal" is supposed to discourage. Priests will change this mass at will. I know I will. And some will never introduce it. This missal will only damage further the prayer life of parish communities. We have to wait. OR at very least Rome has to submit these translations to us on a provisional basis; allow us to use them for a time and then make revisions based on the common sense of the worshiping communities.
Donald Baker | Priest | New York | USA
 
I am a Director of Music at a parish of 3,800 + families in CA. I have a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts (Music--Performance, Composition)and have worked for years both in pastoral and music responsibilities within the church. For anyone who has studied languages, it is clear that attempting to attain a closely word-for-word translation will do damage not only to the translation but to the thought and intent of the original text but to the idea behind the original text. How can one English translation possibly be effective for the entire English-speaking portion of the Catholic Church? It is quite obvious that the United States, Canada, India, Australia, and other English-speaking countries do NOT use English in the same manner! If Rome is concerned about other language groups using the English translation along-side the Latin to work out their particular translation, then tell those making translations to work specifically from the Latin and NOT use the English. Trying to make the English translation a word-for-word translation will hardly solve the problem and will only create more.
Lyle D. Peters | Lay Minister | Fresno | USA
 
The South African bishops really jumped the gun and instituted the new responses last year. There was a robust correspondence in our SA Catholic paper, the Southern Cross, with a significant outcry and much criticism, completely ignored by the bishops. it is amazing that, in this day and age, when even children in schools are taught inclusive language, that women are so obviously excluded. What a pity more attention was not paid to the original Aramaic, the language of Jesus, rather than to Greek and Latin.
Etheen Lowry | Lay Person | Johannesburg | South Africa
 
Whether the reports of shenanigans behind the new translation are true or not, the new translation is not an improvement.
James Hurley McCarthy | Lay Person | Boston | USA
 
you have to be kidding. is this for real?
terence houk | Lay Person | chicago | USA
 
I was told about this idea, by who I would consider to be a very wise old Priest. Please consider all the options carefully.
Greg Ashe | Lay Minister | Salford | UK
 
Why does Rome hate the English language?
Cynthia Russett | Lay Person | Hartford | USA
 
I simply want to add my endorsement to the thousands of others I understand you have received to slow down (for my part, I'd rather eliminate) implementation of the Latinized translations in the liturgy the Vatican is trying to force upon English speakers. When I was a child (literally) we used those Latin texts as prescribed. When liberated from them after Vatican II, it appeared for a while that we were going to be treated as adults, but no, we now face the "reform of the reform" and are being treated as children again. The reformers of the reform, in my opinion, need some reforming themselves -- and that goes to the very top of the hierarchical ladder.
Robert J. Anzelmo | Lay Person | Washington, DC | USA
 
Dear Bishops around the Globe, Please take your time with this. with love, Jane
Jane Nitsch | Lay Minister | Baltimore | USA
 
What is the Church frightened of that it wants to revert to hiding God's love behind impregnable words?
LISA ANNE SINCLAIR | Lay Person | Sacred Heart, Wimbledon Village | UK
 
I'm 19 and I just began to understand the current translation. Personally I don't want to lose the translation. The wording makes sense to me and not to mention holds deep meaning in my heart. I really don't care if it is more "poetic" or not because to me the words are the most beautiful ever spoken. I will give the new translations a try if I must but if they don't meet my spiritual needs and I can understand them I know I'll just become a wondering Catholic who is in love with God with out a church to truly call home. Please make the English language in proper English there really is no excuse for it not to be.
Anonymous | Lay Person | Cincinnati | USA
 
Hello, As a grad student in Catholic Studies I think this is a mouthful. These sentences are too long. Leave well enough alone.
Anonymous | Lay Person | St. Paul-Minneapolis | USA
 
Are you aware of the amount of Roman Catholics you are ostracizing by the constant regression to former liturgy? I am a daily communicant and find myself having to work harder and harder to give the Church credibility. One of the few things that keeps me loyal is that my parish has a strong social justice ministry. I only wish that those who make the rules would remember that this is what the church is all about.
Susan Harrigan | Lay Person | San Diego | USA
 
The translations are atrocious! Whoever did this English is not their first language. I thought we wanted young people to be attracted to the Church. Such language and theology displayed by the language is pre-Vatican II - no more like Medieval!!
Eva J. Mesina | Religious | Honolulu | USA
 
I have been keeping up with the proposed changes and am appalled that anyone could be serious about publishing text that is so poorly written. When finances are so limited, why place this additional financial on parishes? Why did US bishops allow this to come to this point? Where is your voice, bishops? When so many needs of people are being overlooked, why expend time, energy, finances on this? Is this simply a way to avoid issues the leadership in the Church should be addressing? Thank you for considering my concerns.
Teresine Glaser | Religious | Dubuque | USA
 
As a next door neighbor of St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church in Ossining, and the most Anglo-Catholic of all the Episcopal Churches in the area, any change in the Roman Missal would set back movements toward the healing of the break between our churches. Too often, liturgical councils or committees take action without listening to the people. I urge you to listen to "What if We Just Said Wait."
The Rev. Canon Charles P. Pridemore | Priest | Ossining, NY (Episcopal) | USA
 
Archbishop Gillie Young was Archbishop of Hobart, Tasmania, and a key member of the Council. I remember he came to speak to us when I was a student at Cambridge University and said there were people in Rome just waiting to undo all the good work the Council had done, especially in the liturgy. I never thought such people would wait over forty years. This can not be the work of God. We must pray and pray and pray for the Church.
Peter Morgan | Priest | Liverpool | UK
 
I believe sensus fidelium should be consulted in a new translation of the Mass. In the words of Congar, 'the well-being of the Church and the nature of things’€¦ require that the laity should be able to make themselves heard by ecclesiastical authorities, or by way of information or advice, in everything that concerns them or wherein they may be able to make a useful contribution.' Surely a new translation of the Missal is one of these situations?
Amelia Galiunas | Lay Minister | Galveston-Houston | USA
 
It appears that the USCCB spent an inordinate amount of time fiddling with something that wasn't broken, while neglecting a host of other pastoral duties.
Anonymous | Lay Person | Santa Rosa | USA
 
There are problems with literal translations -- grammar and syntax may affect word order and sentence structure; there is difficulty in idiomatic language--what's clear in the original language may not translate well into another language; there might be archaic words like consubstantial, vouchsafe, hosts. In a study of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, there are several paragraphs that seem to address any attempt to make changes to current liturgical practices and language: #14 reminds us that the goal of liturgical reform is "that all the faithful be led to that full, conscious and active participation in liturgical celebrations ... ."; #34 urges that the rites "should be within the people's power of comprehension and normally should not require much explanation."' #36 addresses the preservation of Latin in the Latin rites, but also mentions the advantages to the people of the mother tongue. Finally, #21 states: "In this restoration, both texts and rites should be drawn up so that they express more clearly the holy things they signify. Christian people, as far as possible, should be able to understand them with ease and to take part in them fully, actively, and as befits a community."
Lillian H. Barbalas | Lay Person | Detroit | USA
 
The change of texts will once again silence an assembly that has struggled to find its voice in public worship, especially musically!
Joan Vos | Lay Minister | Los Angeles | USA
 
I have always considered the ICEL translation of 1973 a work of careful genius because it provided both dignity and simplicity. Those translators understood spoken English and wrote in complete and short sentences. The more samples of the New Roman Missal I read, the more I realize that those who worked on the new translation do not understand either oral or written English. Nor does it seem that they have any interest in making the Mass accessible. If this is a negotiated translation, the people's side lost.
Anonymous | Lay Person | Paterson | USA
 
Totally opposed to changes, I feel unnecessary and have caused me to lose focus during Holy Mass. I detest having to search through printed pamphlet in order to follower the mass, hence no focus
Roger Andre' | Lay Minister | Durban | South Africa
 
We have introduced some of the changes in South Africa but I find no enthusiasm for them.
Tony Thouard OFM | Priest | Johannesburg | South Africa
 
These translations return to language that splits the human person into physical and spiritual instead of recognizing the unity of the human being, body and spirit as one. It is also extremely POOR English! It does not reflect what we actually believe, nor does it reflect the way that we pray. It appears to be a way to force people back into a belief system and style of prayer instead of recognizing the fact that the Spirit works in each of us and encourages us to pray in words that are meaningful to us now - the new translations are NOT this!
Sr. Sara Sanders | Religious | Honolulu | USA
 
In this new version the English is at times cumbersome, sounds archaic and the mentality it encapsulated is academic, scholastic and unsuited to liturgical celebration for ordinary folk. Couldn't image Jesus using such a term as 'consubstantial.' He puts it so simply: "The Father and I are one." (Jn 10.30). We're his followers, so let's follow him.
Tom Cahill | Priest | Religious | Ireland
 
The original ICEL translations went through a vigorous approval process and were passed by all English-speaking Episcopal Conferences. To call this process into question is to falsify the whole liturgical reform process, personally directed by Pope Paul VI, as has been done in recent reports. The Congregation of Divine Worship was run at that time by liturgists whose knowledge has not been surpassed. Any liturgist who knows Latin and Greek would blanch at some of the offerings now on the table.
Anonymous | Priest | Liverpool | UK
 
I think that this new liturgy will have a far more negative effect that those who wrote it could ever possibly imagine.
Jocelyn Caramello | Lay Person | Middlesbrough | UK
 
I don't expect that we will be listened to, but at least we can say that we tried, that we didn't just sit back and accept what seems to be inevitable. I pray that I am proven wrong. Why do we seem to be taking so many backward steps??? Common sense should be the eighth gift of the Holy Spirit!
James Depiazzi | Lay Person | Bunbury | Australia
 
Although I have little hope that we will prevail, I sign in order to be with all those who cherish Vatican II and wish with all my heart that the vision of John XXIII will survive. However, realistically, I expect that the power-hungry Vatican Mafia will prevail. Who would have thought this would be unfolding in less that 50 years since those heady days!
Mary Frances O'C. Moriarty | Lay Minister | Arlington | USA
 
Please, please don't do this to us! How about having our finest writers come together and deliver us a text that is breathtakingly beautiful? I'm certain they could retain the essential message in vibrant and moving language, words that would stir us to follow Christ more deeply, words we would cherish and reflect upon.
Nori Kieran-Meredith | Priest | San Bernardino | USA
 
I am the Church also and I would like to be heard.
rita collins | Lay Minister | Rockville Centre | USA
 
I support this effort to be more pastorally sensitive to the people in the pews.
Rev. Lawrence McBrady | Priest | Chicago | USA
 
As the changes of Vatican II were gradually being introduced, I waited with anticipation for each new unfolding of a rich and meaningful liturgy. While I had been following the Latin Mass with my missal for most of my youth, to pray with words that touched my heart led me more deeply into the liturgy. I was in my early 20's then. The spirit of Vatican II has shaped and formed my theology, my understanding of church, community and ministry over many years. The new changes are strident and, I fear, offer prayers that I can no longer pray.
Valerie Hughes | Lay Minister | Washington, DC | USA
 
We could be like the Anglicans/Episcopalians and have services from the Roman Missal: 8:00AM - Liturgy of 1662 9:30 AM - Liturgy of 1929 11:00 AM - Liturgy of 1979 5:00 PM Saturday Vigil: Greek Spanish Liturgy in Latin!
Richard Hoenisch | Lay Minister | Sacramento | USA
 
Information and concern, about the translation, was sent me by a friend who is a religious and has taught all her life; she is particularly concerned about the effect the literal translation from the Latin will have for people with learning difficulties or who are not academically qualified. I have full confidence in her judgment and hence have signed this petition, even though I have not read the new Roman Missal myself.
Anonymous | Lay Person | Westminster | UK
 
This change is all so disheartening for me as I teach first grade Religious Ed to mostly refugee children. Just getting them to learn of the love of God is hard enough given their past and now they want to change the words to a more threatening tone! They just left a place where their lives were threatened on a daily basis. Please do not change the words.
Lisa Chicchelly | Lay Minister | Des Moines | USA
 
It's like looking in a rearview mirror. I'm going to keep my eye on the road ahead. I'd much rather continue the journey than to sit at home and recall how wonderful things used to be.
Ed Hoover | Priest | Toledo | USA
 
I am a teenager and I attend Mass weekly. I don’t think the translations need to be added. I cannot even understand the words.
Louisa Carenza Keenan | Lay Person | Green Bay | USA
 
I am very distressed over the new language proposal, and also over the backward drift from Vatican II decisions, philosophy and principles in general. If the hierarchy doesn’t stop this nit picking----there will soon be no church at all. In the face of scandal regarding sexual issue world wide, do they really think that such changes in liturgy against the will of the informed lay people is wisdom??
Laurene C. O'Brien | Lay Person | Albany NY | USA
 
Although a missionary in Burkina Faso, I am from the UK and I thoroughly agree with the sentiments expressed in the Statement of Concern and the desire to see more consultation of the People of God. I can not understand how one single English translation can be understood, and accepted by all English speakers across the world: from Ghana to South Africa, in the British Isles, through Asia to Australasia. All the different ways of speaking the language need to be accommodated. English is a living language and the People of God are very much alive.
Terence Madden | Priest | Ouagadougou | Burkina Faso
 
Fiat voluntas tua.
Thomas Patrick Hull | Lay Person | Chicago | USA
 
I heartily endorse this calm level of concern about the poor quality of translation into the English language. The original, longstanding English translation is much superior. This 'new' translation is an insult to those conversant with good English - This cannot be from the Holy Spirit of God!
Matt Gormley, religious priest | Priest | Port Elizabeth | South Africa
 
These new translations hurt my heart. Not only are they a huge step away from the simple, heartfelt words I grew up committing to my young soul, these new texts would make any English teacher worth their salt turn over in their grave!! Cumbersome, incoherent, self-righteous---just awful. In my wildest dreams I can't imagine what these bishops are thinking!! And as I read these texts, I see the extreme view I've always struggled with even more forcefully pronounced- that our time here on earth is only in anticipation of some heavenly prize. I could not disagree more. It didn't make sense to me as a young girl and it absolutely does not make sense to me now. I sign this petition for every little boy and girl sitting in the pews today. Life is about living TODAY, this moment-the future takes care of itself. I think Jesus said that.
Lynne Lafferty Baird | Lay Person | Steubenville | USA
 
Vatican II's vision must be sustained. I am a liturgy commission chair at my parish and lead cantor. We are very concerned about liturgical changes which water down or completely eliminate the direction Vatican II took the Church. Our church is the largest in the archdiocese and the second largest in Alabama. People come to Mass at our parish because of the changes, not despite them. We have a very active music ministry which attracts many people. We fear that these backward changes will destroy the progress which has been made. Our church traditionally brings more new Catholics into the Church at Easter than any other. Those responsible for these new policies should consider this before the new liturgy is promulgated.
Christopher Knight | Lay Minister | Mobile | USA
 
It is not a case of rejecting the new translation. It is just a case of testing it first and involving those who will be using it. Imposition will often cause dissension. If people are enabled to comment on what is being proposed knowing that their comments could result in change, it could work as a way of pulling people together even if not everyone agrees with the final result.
Cecilia Finnerty | Lay Person | Lancaster | UK
 
Every translator knows that there is meaning and nuances lost if you translate word for word from one language to the next. But in this overzealous concern for "purity" and closeness to the Latin translation of the mass, some of our leaders have become the very Sadducees and Pharisees that crucified our Lord Jesus - always worrying about the letter of the law rather than the spirit. Fidelity to a language is NOT fidelity to Christ.
Edgar Hernandez | Lay Minister | Jackson | USA
 
As a former professor of Latin and Modern Languages, I must state that some of these wordings and translations in question would have emptied my red ink fountain pen fairly quickly on my students' translation assignments for accuracy, grammar and style.
Heribert Breidenbach | Lay Person | Chicago | USA
 
As a Professor of English (Ph.D.) Harvard University, I dislike the proposed new translation for its literary and grammatical ineptitude and verbosity. Leave well enough alone!
Edward F. J. Tucker | Lay Person | Wheeling-Charleston | USA
 
I can't help but feel that this "new" translation is jetting me back to my childhood church experiences.
Catherine Ann Platt | Lay Person | Springfield in Illinois | USA
 
This is so disheartening. Holy Spirit send us another John XXIII.
Shirley Bohnert | Lay Person | Venice | USA
 
This is a time to bring people together.
Mary Tigue | Lay Person | Scranton | USA
 
I’m with you...and with your spirit!
van wagner | Priest | Tucson | USA
 
As the mother of two teenagers and an 11-year-old, I can say with certainty that these proposed changes will confuse and alienate children and teens. Are the people behind this proposed change trying to drive children, young people and middle-aged people away from the church? Parents have enough difficulty raising their children to attend Mass and pay attention. The proposed wording is convoluted, unclear and off-putting. The prayers we say now are clear and straight-forward. As a professional writer, I cannot understand why anyone would want to change what now is clear language to something so poorly translated as to make it undecipherable. ... Don't undo 45 years of prayers. Adopting the proposed new translations of the Roman Missal would be a grave mistake. I am a lifelong Catholic who has attended Mass weekly my entire life, even while in college. Even through all the sexual abuse scandals, the Mass was a comfort. These proposed changes will drive the faithful away.
Theresa Sullivan Barger | Lay Person | Hartford | USA
 
The new translation is very heavy handed. It appears to me to be an effort to cloak the beauty of The Word of God so that the meaning is obscure. It would appear to suggest that The Word of God should really only to be understood by some quaint philosophers who may deign to translate its meaning for ordinary folk if it occasionally occurs to them to do so. I thought the The Word of God was meant for everyone. Clearly the authors behind the new translation don't think so. The authors should be urged to re-examine this effort and the emphasis should be on letting the Light of God shine through, instead of trying to hide it.
Fintan J Power | Lay Person | Waterford & Lismore | Ireland
 
The impression given is that the Latin text of the mass is divinely inspired. I can find no evidence of this. Is this another step in the rowing back of the decisions of Vatican?
Micheal Braonin | Lay Person | Dublin | Ireland
 
While some may sincerely believe that these changes will better reflect the original language or intentions of these texts, I believe that this is not the time in the church to be messing with the language that people have come to know in their hearts. Changing statements like, "And also with you." to "And also with your spirit," or "Lord I am not worthy..." to "...that You should come under my roof," will only serve to alienate more people. The faithful are trying to be just that--the faithful, in the midst of deep betrayal and its attending sadness and anger. I think the people of God would be better served by addressing and coming to some new and healthy and inclusive policies with regard to the shortage of ordained ministers, as well as insuring that the "sins of the past" with regard to sexual abuses are not ever allowed to happen again. Please do not alienate even more people with these small and irritating changes. Thank you!
Christine Deily | Lay Minister | Milwaukee | USA
 
Thank you, thank you!! I m grateful for this initiative for I love the Church. I am afraid that the new translation will cause a divide in the Church, much like the Lefevrists - because the present translation has been the main form of my prayer life as a priest, and of thousands of other priests worldwide. I feel not at all comfortable with he new translation. It just does not sit right with me. Therefore, I would plead for a process that takes into account the reluctance of many to adopt the new translation. If the new translation causes a greater division and polarization within the Church, wouldn't it be wiser to hold on to what we have - for the perfect is the enemy of the good!
Guido Gockel M.H.M. | Priest | New York | USA
 
Pretty sad that I have to fear my church and worry that I may be dismissed form my ministry because of my opinion. If this works let's try it on some more critical issues! we all know what those are. However I'm afraid to voice them because that would be expressing my opinion and that is not permitted.
Anonymous | Religious | Cincinnati | USA
 
It is very special for me to go to a Mass in my native language, now that I live in Italy. Wherever I am I say the responses in my heart in English that I understand. The proposed changes fog that prayer with pompous words that get in the way of what I feel and want to express.
Katherine Mezzacappa | Lay Person | Massa-Carrara Pontremoli | Italy
 
Right on!
john Kiely | Lay Person | Santa Clara | USA