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I have not been a practicing Catholic for many years but
remain an avid student of Catholicism, some may also add critic, so I was drawn
to an article in the paper titled: CATHOLIC MASS TO UNDERGO ITS BIGGEST CHANGES
IN 40 YEARS.
I remember the last big change which came after Vatican II
where use of the local language instead of Latin was introduced and the
priest’s position at the altar was changed (facing the people) among many other
changes.
There was rebellion which included my mother who just didn’t
like change even if she did not understand any Latin at all; she is happy with
everything now.
So what are the changes and what are the reasons behind
them?
The language is still English but it appears that words will
be changed to become a more direct translation of the original Latin and Hebrew
words.
“Lord of power and might” becomes “Lord of hosts”, Jesus as
“one in being with the father” to “one consubstantial with the father”, “I have
sinned through my own fault” to “I have greatly sinned through my fault,
through my fault, through my most grievous fault”…remember the Latin: Mea
culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.
A priest in the news article said that the changes elevate
the language used at the mass to a more “sacred” language as opposed to a common
“street” language. I can see this rationale because people in the old days,
loved Latin, even though they did not understand it, because it sounded more
mysterious and “sacred” and more “holy” to them.
Vatican II wanted the people to “understand” what they are
saying and what is being said to them, hoping to get people more involved in
the mass. This is a noble effort but I still think people recite words
mechanically, without thought as to what they actually mean just as they did
when the mass was in Latin.
One goal, we are being told, is to encourage more chanting
and singing of the mass. My sister says the chanting and singing just annoys
her, she would rather be with her own thoughts as the mass is performed; can’t
please everybody.
People objecting to the changes perceive a reversal of
Vatican II reforms and they would be correct. I mentioned many times already
that Pope Benedict wants to go “backwards” and reverse those reforms. In his
mind, Catholics are leaving the Church because the Church has become too
liberal; the Church needs to go back to its roots and maybe those Catholics
will come back.
Others are pissed that the Vatican did not ask for any
American input into the changes; priests and bishops were not consulted and
neither were American Catholics but after all, the Church is a dictatorship and
does not really care what American Catholics want or need.
This dictatorship mode of operations is what many feel led
to the priestly sex scandals and to the financial scandals of recent times.
That is why organizations like the American Catholic Council wants to reverse
the way the Vatican
In the end, American Catholics will have to decide for
themselves. Change is hard for everyone but it can be handled. I don’t feel
changing the words will amount to anything because once learned, they will be
mechanically recited as always.
As to the Vatican
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