New Mass Translations Changing the Way Catholics Pray
Roman Catholics are a little out of their comfort zone after changes to Mass have been implemented for the first time since the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.
The Associated Press reported that while the Mass' rituals have remained the same, the English language has changed, and the texts needed to be updated.
The Catholic church went through a yearlong process to revise the prayers and instructions of the Mass in a way all were happy with. The updates were introduced Sunday.
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Before the translation in the 60s, the original text was in Latin and only read by the priests unless someone in the congregation knew the language.
"I don't think I said it the right way once," Matthew Hoover, a regular Catholic church goer told AP. "I kept forgetting, and saying the old words."
The changes were "a lot less difficult than I thought it might be even though probably all of us are going to end up holding our worship folders for a few weeks until we memorize all the new language," said Mickey Mattox, 55, a professor at Marquette University to AP.
One of the new responses in Mass sees the traditional, "Peace be with you...And also with you" phrase to "Peace be with you...And with your spirit." Another change sees the Nicene Creed response "We believe" change to "I believe" and the word "cup" become "chalice." Many feel the new changes are more poetic rather than necessary, but the church insists the translation is closer to the original Latin.
"It's more British in some ways," said Monsignor Michael Clay to AP "But this is the first time that every English-speaking country in the world will be using the same translation of the Mass."
"It's not shaking my church experience," said Kathleen McCormack, a church volunteer, who wasn't too excited about the Mass changes. "You have the spirit between you and God and the words are insignificant."
