Letters

Missal translation (letter)

Philip Robinson

Contents - Jul 2002 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Archbishop Pell: the '60 Minutes' beat-up - Michael Gilchrist Saints: Padre Pio canonised: "a model of the priesthood" (John Paul II) - Paul MacLeod News: The Church Around the World - AD2000 '60 Minutes': Archbishop George Pell puts the record straight - Archbishop George Pell Tablet article prompts critical response from Archbishop Pell - Michael Gilchrist Interview: George Weigel: the impact of John Paul II's pontificate - Zenit News Service Chavagnes International College for boys - Paul Russell Cardinal Avery Dulles: US Jesuits need 'wake-up call' - Michael Gilchrist Events: The Italians: Three Centuries of Italian Art 1500-1800 - Francis Young Vatican II, church architecture and "reform of the reform" - Sidney Rofe Letters: Zero tolerance (letter) - Alan A. Hoysted Letters: 60 Minutes attack (letter) - Sam Lynch Letters: Beat-up (letter) - Frank Bellet Letters: Short-changed (letter) - Mrs Carol V. Phillips Poetry: It Is (The Alternative to 'Star Wars') - Andrew Huntley Letters: Teaching the faith (letter) - Fr James Brasier Letters: Catholic chaplains (letter) - Charles G. Jarrells Letters: Women's Commission (letter) - Gillian Gonzalez Letters: Missal translation (letter) - Philip Robinson Letters: Accuracy (letter) - Fr Austin Kenny CP Letters: Vatican II (letter) - Peter D. Howard Letters: Abortion (letter) - George F. Simpson Letters: Obituary - Fr Patrick Cosgrove, South Africa (letter) - Fr E. Lumley-Holmes CSsR Letters: Fr Des Jenkins Golden Jubilee (letter) - Gordon R. Coomber Events: Cathedral painting - Hollywood Ball - Josie di Mauro Catholic Truth Society in Brisbane - B. Massey Books: A Pope and a Council on the Sacred Liturgy, by Aidan Nichols OP - Msgr Peter J. Elliott (reviewer) Books: The Greatest Marvel of All, by Pierre-Marie Emonet OP - Michael Casanova (reviewer) Books: The Modern Rite, by Mgr Klaus Gamber - Fr Peter Joseph (reviewer) Books: New Titles from AD Books Reflection: John Paul II clarifies Vatican II teaching on lay and priestly roles - Pope John Paul II

Why is it that we always seem to want to "reinvent the wheel"? ("New English Missal; Archbishop Pell to chair international committee", June AD2000).

I have in my possession a very interesting, and I would guess, a very rare missal - "New Saint Joseph Sunday Missal and Hymnal, Australian Edition, 1966".

This Novus Ordo Missal puts into the English language the Latin Traditional Missal with some deletions and additions. Deletions: the prayers at the foot of the altar, the Confiteor prior to Communion, and the last Gospel. One addition was the Prayers of the Faithful, or Bidding Prayers. The Nicene Creed starts with "I believe ...".

The words of consecration, particularly of the wine, are as they had been for centuries: "For this is the chalice of My blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant; the mystery of faith; which shall be shed for you and for many that sins may be forgiven." The Council of Trent made unambiguous statements as to why these words - "for many" - were to be used instead of "for all".

ICEL took on a life of its own, and destroyed much of the Mass with its banal translations. Surely it would not be difficult for someone in authority to sack the ICEL for plain incompetence, and go back to the 1966 Novus Ordo Missal, which is far superior to what we have now.

Philip Robinson
Holt, ACT

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 15 No 6 (July 2002), p. 15