Change everything except this

John Schultz at Catholic Light points out this contrast.

The Vatican recently issued updated guidelines for the translation of the Latin texts with the goal of arriving at a more accurate translation, as well as one that reflects "a deeper language that’s more expressive and more poetic," said Monsignor James. P. Moroney, who leads the liturgy office for the bishops’ conference.

and

"My big concern is people are going to feel like they’re being jerked around. They finally got used to the English translation and now they have to get used to another translation," said Rev. Thomas Reese, a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University and a Jesuit priest.

And then goes on to say "I’ll take expressive, poetic and truer to the Latin any day."

First off I always thought that "Woodstock Theological Center" has got to be one of the most apt namings ever. It does crack me up that those in the progressive camp who almost daily come up with things that the Church needs to change find a bad liturgical translation something that must not be changed. Sure allow homosexuality, abortion, contraception, women’s ordination and anything else you don’t like but don’t you dare change "And also with you" to "And with your spirit."

I also find that the defenses for all things liturgical are often very demeaning of the people. We live in a fast paced consumer society where things are changing daily. We learn and then relearn how to operate devices as each one makes the other one obsolete, but yet we can’t bear to have changes in the wording of the liturgy since we "are use to them." Hey we are also use to 2000 years of consistent teaching on all whole range of things, so will we expect ex-America Magazine editor Fri. Reese to be quiet anytime soon? Another example of this demeaning attitude I have heard is the defense of removing the Tabernacle from the sanctuary. The excuse was that it would confuse the people during the consecration because Jesus would both be in the Eucharistic species in the Tabernacle and on the altar at the same time. That we are unable to live out Church teaching because it is too difficult for us. Well except for grace the last one would be true.

I wonder if they ever worry that people "feel like they’re being jerked around" when the Mass in each parish is different in some aspect. When postures change as you cross parish or diocesan lines. When the wording of the Agnus Dei changes depending on the parish. I know I have heard at least five different versions; most where they add in other phrases and occasionally where they do both that and remove "who takes away the sins of the world."

Please pray for our bishop who in the coming days will vote on the new translation. Please "disturb the people" Bishop Trautman and other Bishops opposed to the change.