Monday, August 31, 2009

New Mass Translations

The USCCB has set up a great website that gives a sneak-preview of the upcoming changes to the ordinary form of the Roman Rite.

A lot of blog commentators have bemoaned the changes; but they are necessary, because many parts of our current translation is out of step with the Latin original - to which all translations must be faithful - which is itself in harmony with the Roman liturgy as celebrated since antiquity.

Personally, I think a lot of time, energy, & money is spent on translation work that simply isn't necessary. Latin works pretty well in the Roman liturgy. God speaks it fluently.

6 comments:

Mark G. said...

Ah, the endless fragmentation argument...

You gettin' sassy with me!?!

Fr. Christian Mathis said...

That's Jill.....miss sassy. Of course we could always just go back to the original Greek!

Anonymous said...

I like the Latin. For those willing to make the effort to learn a little, it is beautiful.

Mark G. said...

But Father! We do...

Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison...

Anonymous said...

We can learn Greek also.

Mark G. said...

Sure, & that is certaily profitable for Scripture study & the writings of the Greek Fathers.

My comment is directed toward Latin-rite Catholics, whose language of law, theology, & liturgy is officially & properly Latin. It is as impossible to have a Western Church without Latin as it is to have an Eastern Church without Greek.

I think good & faithful translations - which is what this post is really about - are useful & necessary. But it's a shame so many Latins have been so eager to shuck their patrimony.