"And with your spirit..."

(My students are taking their final exam, so that means I have time to update Isidore...)

This weekend, some representatives from our team of catechists and members of the music ministry (including my organist friend) attended a day-long workshop on the New Translation of the Mass in Marietta at St. Mary's (a gorgeous Church - if I am able to resurrect Roamin' Catholic, I'll have to do a post on it!)

Sneak Peek of St. Mary's: Ooo.. pretty!

The workshop was led by Jason Lewis, a consultant for the Diocese of Steubenville, who did an excellent job leading four hour-long sessions concerning the Biblical basis for the New Translation that will be coming on November 27 of this year (that's the first Sunday of Advent - the beginning of a new liturgical year!). The Diocese here is really making an effort to educate the people about the changes that will be made to the Liturgy while also keeping a low profile about it. The workshop was very informative - but as Lewis (and a few other people stated): "It's not THAT big of a deal!"

The theme of the workshop (Put forth by LTP and the USCCB's Committee on Divine Worship)

Essentially, all of the changes that the congregation will have to adjust to fit on the front and back of a pew card that is about half the size of a normal sheet of paper. Sure, we'll all make mistakes as we slip into rote memory of how we currently respond when Father says: "The Lord be with you..." (among other things) but the new translation really brings us back to Scripture, and the importance of the Mass as a sacrificial offering based completely upon Biblical references. If anything, the change of words should help us to actively participate during Mass without actually DOING something....say, like, interpretive dancing or some other form of, uh... "actively participating" that was a result of the misinterpretations (to put it..nicely) of the "spirit of Vatican II."

So in all, I'm really excited about the New Translation because I think it will make the novus ordo much more meaningful. It really is a reform of the reform, as Pope Benedict XVI stated on May 6 of this year:

The Liturgy of the Church goes beyond the 'conciliar reform', the objective of which in fact was not mainly to change the rites and texts but rather to renew the mentality and to put the celebration of Christ's paschal mystery at the center of Christian life and pastoral work. Unfortunately the liturgy has perhaps been seen - even by us, pastors and experts - more as an object to reform than a subject capable of renewing Christian life, seeing that "a very close and organic bond exists between the renewal of the liturgy and the renewal of the whole life of the Church. -Vatican Information Service

Good things, friends. Good things! Remember, it's NBD (no big deal). 'Til next time...

+JMJ+