BAPTISM CLASSES - FEBRUARY & MARCH 2012
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FEBRUARY 2012 BAPTISMAL CLASSES FEBRUARY 6, 13 & 20 (MFC, ROOM 103) 7:30PM PRE-REGISTRATION BY JANUARY 28TH GROUP BAPTISMS: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH AT 11AM |
MARCH 2012 BAPTISMAL CLASSES MARCH 5, 12 & 19 (MFC, ROOM 103) 7:30PM PRE-REGISTRATION BY FEBRUARY 25TH GROUP BAPTISMS: SATURDAY, MARCH 24TH AT 11AM |
| PLEASE NOTE: Parents & Godparents/Sponsors must be in the MFC Gym by 10:30AM | |
Parents and Godparents/Sponsors are required to attend all of the monthly classes chosen before or after the baby is born. St. Matthew Parishioners need to take the classes at St. Matthew’s.
Pre-registration is required and “NO” late registrations will be accepted. Registration packets are available at the Administration Building. The child's state birth certificate is required. Godparents/Sponsors from another parish may attend classes in their own parish if they bring a letter or certificate of completion.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION - Class Schedule: Grades 1 - 8
ST MATTHEW RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SCHEDULE FOR 2011-2012 (GRADES 1-8)
The St. Matthew Religious Education Schedule will be available soon.
The St. Matthew Religious Education Schedule will be available soon.
Registration forms for St. Matthew Religious Education Classes Grades 1 - 8 can be picked up in the Administration Building. For more information please call Sr. Therese at 478-5010.
FIRST COMMUNION
For children entering preschool (age 4) through grade 5
There is no charge. Classes will be held in St. Matthew Catholic School.
For more information call: 478-5010.
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ADULT EDUCATION - FAITH FORMATION
MISSION STATEMENT:The mission of the St. Matthew Adult Education and Faith Formation Program is to provide a Christ centered program that offers the environment and resources for God to work through people. We follow the direction of Vatican II set forth for our Church, which is rooted in Sacred Scripture and grounded in the concepts of peace, justice and human dignity, and our own Mission Statement. Our hope is that the programs will help to educate people to become committed to living the Gospel through liturgical celebrations, prayer, healing, hospitality and social action.
Below is the table of contents in the Adult Education and Faith Formation Spring 2011 Catalog. Please click on the link below to download the Spring 2011 Catalog.Read more: Adult Education - Faith Formation
ST. MATTHEW SENIOR CENTER
Open Monday through Friday from 7AM until NoonAnyone who is 60 years of age or over is welcome to join in the various activities that are held Monday thru Friday. The Senior Center is located in the Parish Hall. A nutritional lunch is served daily at 11:15AM.
To register, please come to the Parish Hall between 9 AM and 11 AM on weekdays, or call Georgia Wall at 478-5017.
Please click here for more information.
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THE NEW ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE ROMAN MISSAL
SERIES OF ARTICLES
Dear Parishioners,
Let us pray that we continue to grow in our understanding and reverence for the Mass.
In Christ,
Rev. Dennis D. Aréchiga, Pastor of St. Matthew
ARTICLES:
WE ARE ONE WE ARE UNIVERSAL
WE ARE UNIVERSAL AND WE ARE ONE
REVISED TRANSLATION THE INTRODUCTORY RITE
The response of the congregation , however, will change from “and also with you” to “And with your spirit.” This translation more closely reflects the wording of the Latin text:
Option A consists of the Confiteor (“I confess”); the follow changes are listed in bold type.
Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling Holy Water
REVISED TRANSLATION - THE CREED
The Apostles creed may be used instead of the Nicene Creed during Lent, the Easter Season and at other appropriate times.
There have been no changes to the translation of the Apostles Creed.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL & THE PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
Following the Creed are the Prayers of the Faithful.
These petitions, which begin with prayers for the leadership of the Church and the leadership of our civil government, also reflect the needs and concerns of the local parish community. There will be no change in the format of these prayers.
THE PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the Preparation of the Gifts. This part of the mass is relatively brief, and while the changes in translation are relatively few, their significance is non-the-Iess important.
Often during this part of the Mass the choir will continue to sing after the procession with the gifts is completed, thus the prayers said by the priests and the responses on the part of the congregation are barely perceptible. When the song is finished in time, the priest will say the offertory prays. If one listens carefully, he/she will notice one significant change.
May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of al/ his holy church.
This response concludes that part of the Mass we call The Preparation of the Gifts, more traditionally referred to as the Offertory. Next week we will look at the changes in the Eucharistic Prayer which is the center and summit of the entire Mass.
THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Holy, Holy, Holy
The Institution Narrative
An Acclamation of Faith
The Eucharistic Prayer continues up to and including the great "Amen."
SERIES OF ARTICLES
Dear Parishioners,
As many of you know, beginning on Nov. 26th, the Vigil for the First Sunday of Advent, we will be implementing the new English translation of the 3rd Edition of the Roman Missal. To better prepare for the implementation of these changes, we are providing a series of articles that will review the changes that will focus on the different sections of the Mass. This is a good time for us to be catechized on what the Mass is, how it is structured, and what are the changes that will take place this coming Advent.
Each week leading up to November 26th a new article will appear in this series. As faithful lay members of the Church it would be a good idea to look at some of the new responses and begin memorizing them now so that the adjustment phase will be easier to handle. At St. Matthew’s Parish beginning in Advent, we will have the new responses in both the missalettes and in a trifold published by the Liturgical Training Publication (LTP) which will both be located in the pews of the church. You are welcome to visit LTP’s website www.LTP.org and www.RevisedRomanMissal.org if you yourself would like to order a trifold for your personal use; there are many other companies that also sell these worship aids. We will ask parishioners to leave the trifolds in the church pews so that we can all share them while at Mass.
Another helpful or really “must visit” website is that of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: www.usccb.org. There you will also find more information on the upcoming new translation. After going to the website click on the tab “Prayer and Worship”; then click on the tab that is the last one if the left hand side of the web page entitled “Roman Missal”; then click on the tab “Sample Texts”; then click on the tab “People’s Parts (with commentary)”. Now you can see an excellent comparison of the old texts and the new ones side by side.
Beginning the weekend of October 22nd/23rd we will begin introducing some of the new acclamations for the Mass, such as the Holy, Holy. We have permission from our archbishop to do so. All choirs at St. Matthew will sing the same Mass, “The Mass of Renewal” (Gokelman/Kauffman), for the first few months of the new liturgical year so that whatever Mass you attend, you will hear the same acclamations being sung. Later, new musical settings for the Mass will be explored by the various choirs.
Each week leading up to November 26th a new article will appear in this series. As faithful lay members of the Church it would be a good idea to look at some of the new responses and begin memorizing them now so that the adjustment phase will be easier to handle. At St. Matthew’s Parish beginning in Advent, we will have the new responses in both the missalettes and in a trifold published by the Liturgical Training Publication (LTP) which will both be located in the pews of the church. You are welcome to visit LTP’s website www.LTP.org and www.RevisedRomanMissal.org if you yourself would like to order a trifold for your personal use; there are many other companies that also sell these worship aids. We will ask parishioners to leave the trifolds in the church pews so that we can all share them while at Mass.
Another helpful or really “must visit” website is that of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: www.usccb.org. There you will also find more information on the upcoming new translation. After going to the website click on the tab “Prayer and Worship”; then click on the tab that is the last one if the left hand side of the web page entitled “Roman Missal”; then click on the tab “Sample Texts”; then click on the tab “People’s Parts (with commentary)”. Now you can see an excellent comparison of the old texts and the new ones side by side.
Beginning the weekend of October 22nd/23rd we will begin introducing some of the new acclamations for the Mass, such as the Holy, Holy. We have permission from our archbishop to do so. All choirs at St. Matthew will sing the same Mass, “The Mass of Renewal” (Gokelman/Kauffman), for the first few months of the new liturgical year so that whatever Mass you attend, you will hear the same acclamations being sung. Later, new musical settings for the Mass will be explored by the various choirs.
Let us pray that we continue to grow in our understanding and reverence for the Mass.
In Christ,
Rev. Dennis D. Aréchiga, Pastor of St. Matthew
ARTICLES:
1: An Introduction
WE ARE ONE WE ARE UNIVERSAL
The four marks of the catholic church are: ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC (or universal) and APOSTOLIC. We say this every time we recite the Nicene Creed at Mass. Beginning on the first Sunday of Advent (November 27) there we be several changes in the English translation of the Latin prayers we use at Mass. While some translations will be altered, the Mass itself will not change. What is changing is the English translation of the current Latin text. The Mass will still consist of the same four parts of which we are accustomed: Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist and Concluding Rites.
The Church is ONE and the Church is UNIVERSAL. The driving force behind these changes in translation is that despite the church including members from many diverse cultures of the globe who speak hundreds of different languages, our faith remains one – it is the same wherever we go. By using translations more directly connected with Latin, the universal language of the church, the fact that we are one is emphasized.
There are two general ways to translate a text: a process called “dynamic equivalence” which seeks to uncover the general meaning behind the text and a more direct or literal process. When the Second Vatican Council approved the translation of the Latin Mass into the vernacular (official language used) of individual countries, a new organization was formed called ICEL - the International Commission of English in the Liturgy. ICEL is composed of theologians, linguists and liturgists from the countries in the world where English is spoken, such as Great Britain, Australia, India, Canada, the U.S.A, etc. ICEL chose a more dynamic translation that sought to capture the general meaning of the text but at times was somewhat removed from a more direct translation. In consultation with ICEL, the Vatican leadership called for a more direct translation of the Latin text we use today, which is the Third Edition of the Roman Missal. Missals contain the prayers of the Mass including prayers for saints on their feast days; as new saints are canonized, there is a need to update the Roman Missal. Reflecting the universal nature of the Church these revised translations will be used by all English speaking countries. We are universal and we are one.
The book that contains the prayers proper to the priest and deacon that is now called the Sacramentary will be renamed the Roman Missal, the name it had before the Second Vatican Council. In the upcoming weeks we will examine the revised translations used by the congregation one part at a time in order to provide a better understanding of the root meaning behind these changes. New musical settings will have to be learned to accompany the new wording, and the choirs and song leaders are beginning their preparation as well. With greater understanding of the reasons behind the changes, we hope parishioners will embrace them in a positive way, despite the challenge of learning new responses. Prayer cards with the new responses will be placed in the pews for the first several weeks during this transition.
The Church is ONE and the Church is UNIVERSAL. The driving force behind these changes in translation is that despite the church including members from many diverse cultures of the globe who speak hundreds of different languages, our faith remains one – it is the same wherever we go. By using translations more directly connected with Latin, the universal language of the church, the fact that we are one is emphasized.
There are two general ways to translate a text: a process called “dynamic equivalence” which seeks to uncover the general meaning behind the text and a more direct or literal process. When the Second Vatican Council approved the translation of the Latin Mass into the vernacular (official language used) of individual countries, a new organization was formed called ICEL - the International Commission of English in the Liturgy. ICEL is composed of theologians, linguists and liturgists from the countries in the world where English is spoken, such as Great Britain, Australia, India, Canada, the U.S.A, etc. ICEL chose a more dynamic translation that sought to capture the general meaning of the text but at times was somewhat removed from a more direct translation. In consultation with ICEL, the Vatican leadership called for a more direct translation of the Latin text we use today, which is the Third Edition of the Roman Missal. Missals contain the prayers of the Mass including prayers for saints on their feast days; as new saints are canonized, there is a need to update the Roman Missal. Reflecting the universal nature of the Church these revised translations will be used by all English speaking countries. We are universal and we are one.
The book that contains the prayers proper to the priest and deacon that is now called the Sacramentary will be renamed the Roman Missal, the name it had before the Second Vatican Council. In the upcoming weeks we will examine the revised translations used by the congregation one part at a time in order to provide a better understanding of the root meaning behind these changes. New musical settings will have to be learned to accompany the new wording, and the choirs and song leaders are beginning their preparation as well. With greater understanding of the reasons behind the changes, we hope parishioners will embrace them in a positive way, despite the challenge of learning new responses. Prayer cards with the new responses will be placed in the pews for the first several weeks during this transition.
WE ARE UNIVERSAL AND WE ARE ONE
2: Introductory Rites
REVISED TRANSLATION THE INTRODUCTORY RITE
The Introductory Rites of the liturgy includes everything that happens from the time we stand for the Opening Song in the Entrance Procession until the time we are seated for the readings. In this section we will discuss the Introductory Rites up to the Gloria. The Gloria and Opening Prayer will be covered in the next article.
Our Sunday liturgy begins with an Opening or “gathering” Song or Hymn. The gathering song should create an atmosphere of celebration and help put the community in the proper frame of mind for worship. It occurs during the Entrance Procession which includes the altar servers who hold the cross and candles, the deacon(s) and presider. Although only these person process in, they symbolize the procession of the entire congregation that has come from afar to gather and worship together. A procession is also symbolic of a journey; more specifically, the spiritual journey that each of us in on in our seeking of God’s kingdom.
The priest begins the Mass with the Sign of the Cross, as he had always done, using the words “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The people respond “Amen”. The greeting said by the priest, taken from Pauline Epistles, has changed only slightly, and the three options remain:
Our Sunday liturgy begins with an Opening or “gathering” Song or Hymn. The gathering song should create an atmosphere of celebration and help put the community in the proper frame of mind for worship. It occurs during the Entrance Procession which includes the altar servers who hold the cross and candles, the deacon(s) and presider. Although only these person process in, they symbolize the procession of the entire congregation that has come from afar to gather and worship together. A procession is also symbolic of a journey; more specifically, the spiritual journey that each of us in on in our seeking of God’s kingdom.
The priest begins the Mass with the Sign of the Cross, as he had always done, using the words “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The people respond “Amen”. The greeting said by the priest, taken from Pauline Epistles, has changed only slightly, and the three options remain:
| Priest: | The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. |
| or | Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. |
| or | The Lord be with you. |
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“Et cum spiritu tuo” “And with (the) spirit of you” |
The key word in this revised translation is the word Spirit, which is found in the scriptures. St. Paul ends four of his epistles with the words “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” By responding in these word to the greeting of the priest, we are not only returning the greeting, but asking that the Spirit of God fill the congregation as we celebrate the Eucharistic Liturgy.
The Penitential Rite
There are three distinct options for the Penitential Rites: A, B and C. Option C, currently the one our congregation is most accustomed to, consists of the deacon offering a petition ending in “…..Lord have mercy, ….. Christ have mercy; …. Lord have mercy”, and the congregation repeats the response; this will remain unchanged.
Option A consists of the Confiteor (“I confess”); the follow changes are listed in bold type.
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Previous Translation I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault in my thoughts and in my words in what I have done and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin all the angels and saints, and you my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord, our God. |
New Translation I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin all the angels and saints, and you my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord, our God. |
The new translation also calls for us to strike our chest three times, each time we say “through my fault”. We are reminded of our weakness and sinfulness as human beings and of our need to trust in God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Option B is one that we have rarely used at St. Matthew Parish. These are the previous and new translations:
Option B is one that we have rarely used at St. Matthew Parish. These are the previous and new translations:
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Previous Translation Priest: Lord we have sinned against you: Lord have mercy. People: Lord have mercy. Priest: Lord, show us your mercy and love. People: And grant us your salvation. |
New Translation Priest: Have mercy on us, O Lord. People: For we have sinned against you. Priest: Show us, O Lord, your mercy. People: And grant us your salvation. |
This rite is used during the Easter Season and at other appropriate times during the liturgical year. When used, it replaces the Penitential Rite mentioned above. This form of the Penitential Rite is a reminder of the waters of our baptism. The deacons move through the congregation, sprinkling them with holy water. Upon being sprinkled by the holy water, people make the Sign of the Cross. This reminds us that it was through baptism in the Trinitarian formula (namely through baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit) that our sins have been washed away. The response to the presider’s prayer is: Amen.
3: The Creed
REVISED TRANSLATION - THE CREED
Brief History: The Nicene Creed, as we know it today, was written in two parts and was initially a reaction to the Arian Heresy. Arius said that Jesus was not "one in being with" or consubstantial" with the Father, but was created by the Father. The Council of Nicea (the first Ecumenical Council), in 325, addressed this heresy and gave us the first part of the Nicene Creed that describes the relation between God the Father and God the Son. Fifty-six years later the Council of Constantinople added that part of the Creed that tells of the relationship of the Holy Spirit to the Father and the Son. The combination of these gives us the Nicene Creed that we know today and contains the basic beliefs and teachings of Christianity.
The Translation: Like other parts of the Mass, the Creed has had some changes in translation to better reflect the Latin Text. The old and the new translations are shown side by side on the opposite page.
"I Believe": The opening word of the prayer is changed from "We" to "I". While we collectively believe as community, we also collectively believe as individuals. The Greek text used the plural "We believe", but the Latin Text has always used the singular Credo - "I Believe". Thus the new translation, following the Latin text, is in the singular.
If we are individually to profess our faith as a community, it would be inappropriate for the priest to begin with the words "I believe in one God...." and the congregation follows. The presider, therefore, will introduce the Creed in these (or similar) words: "Let us together profess our faith using the words of the Nicene Creed" The congregation will then as a community, begin their profession with the words "I believe.. ... "
The words "I believe" are repeated four times in the creed - once for each person of the Trinity, and a fourth to profess our belief in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
"Of all things visible and invisible": These words have been changed from "of all things seen and unseen". Unseen simply means that some things cannot be seen by us in the present, but perhaps could be seen under a different set of circumstances. For example, I cannot see my cousin in Chicago if I am in San Antonio, but if I were in the same room with him, I could see him - he would change from the unseen to the seen. The word "invisible" is more powerful, implying the invisible spirit of the angles and the spirit of God himself.
"Only Begotten": these words also appear in the Gloria. They replace the word "only" and give a more fuller meaning to the Latin text.
"Born of the Father before all ages": This more clearly expresses the fact that Jesus was dwelling with the Father before time began. This idea is also found in the first two verses of the fourth Gospel.
"Consubstantial" replaces the expression "one in being with". This is closer to the Latin word, "consubstantialis" which means "having the same substance as". Since consubstantial is not a part of our everyday vocabulary it can be a word that will cause us to pause and reflect not only on what we are saying, but on the "hidden meaning "that lies therein.
"Incarnate": means to become man. The first Joyful mystery is the Incarnation. The old translation born of the Virgin Mary could be understood to mean that Jesus did not become flesh his physical birth. The words Incarnate of the Virgin Mary tells us that he was both God and man from the moment of conception.
"Suffered death": The present text tells us that he suffered, died, and was buried. The Latin text merely says that he suffered and was buried. Adding the word death to "suffered" gives us a fuller understanding of the fact that the suffering led to his death.
"In accordance with the scriptures": Christ's death not only fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures (as implied in the previous translation but also points to the New Testament idea of fulfillment in the Resurrection. The Latin is more closely translated in that both Christ death and resurrection are fulfilled in the events of the paschal mystery.
"Adored": The revised translation replaces "worshipped" which is more consistent with the translation of the word "adoratur" throughout other parts of the new Roman Missal.
"I Confess": Here means "I profess" - more powerful than merely acknowledging, as we have in the current translation.
"I look forward to the resurrection": replaces the phrase "we look for the resurrection". Not only is this a more clear translation of the Latin, it is also more personal. We are not looking for the resurrection as though it is a foreign object, but we look forward to our participation in the resurrection event.
The Translation: Like other parts of the Mass, the Creed has had some changes in translation to better reflect the Latin Text. The old and the new translations are shown side by side on the opposite page.
"I Believe": The opening word of the prayer is changed from "We" to "I". While we collectively believe as community, we also collectively believe as individuals. The Greek text used the plural "We believe", but the Latin Text has always used the singular Credo - "I Believe". Thus the new translation, following the Latin text, is in the singular.
If we are individually to profess our faith as a community, it would be inappropriate for the priest to begin with the words "I believe in one God...." and the congregation follows. The presider, therefore, will introduce the Creed in these (or similar) words: "Let us together profess our faith using the words of the Nicene Creed" The congregation will then as a community, begin their profession with the words "I believe.. ... "
The words "I believe" are repeated four times in the creed - once for each person of the Trinity, and a fourth to profess our belief in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
"Of all things visible and invisible": These words have been changed from "of all things seen and unseen". Unseen simply means that some things cannot be seen by us in the present, but perhaps could be seen under a different set of circumstances. For example, I cannot see my cousin in Chicago if I am in San Antonio, but if I were in the same room with him, I could see him - he would change from the unseen to the seen. The word "invisible" is more powerful, implying the invisible spirit of the angles and the spirit of God himself.
"Only Begotten": these words also appear in the Gloria. They replace the word "only" and give a more fuller meaning to the Latin text.
"Born of the Father before all ages": This more clearly expresses the fact that Jesus was dwelling with the Father before time began. This idea is also found in the first two verses of the fourth Gospel.
"Consubstantial" replaces the expression "one in being with". This is closer to the Latin word, "consubstantialis" which means "having the same substance as". Since consubstantial is not a part of our everyday vocabulary it can be a word that will cause us to pause and reflect not only on what we are saying, but on the "hidden meaning "that lies therein.
"Incarnate": means to become man. The first Joyful mystery is the Incarnation. The old translation born of the Virgin Mary could be understood to mean that Jesus did not become flesh his physical birth. The words Incarnate of the Virgin Mary tells us that he was both God and man from the moment of conception.
"Suffered death": The present text tells us that he suffered, died, and was buried. The Latin text merely says that he suffered and was buried. Adding the word death to "suffered" gives us a fuller understanding of the fact that the suffering led to his death.
"In accordance with the scriptures": Christ's death not only fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures (as implied in the previous translation but also points to the New Testament idea of fulfillment in the Resurrection. The Latin is more closely translated in that both Christ death and resurrection are fulfilled in the events of the paschal mystery.
"Adored": The revised translation replaces "worshipped" which is more consistent with the translation of the word "adoratur" throughout other parts of the new Roman Missal.
"I Confess": Here means "I profess" - more powerful than merely acknowledging, as we have in the current translation.
"I look forward to the resurrection": replaces the phrase "we look for the resurrection". Not only is this a more clear translation of the Latin, it is also more personal. We are not looking for the resurrection as though it is a foreign object, but we look forward to our participation in the resurrection event.
The Apostles creed may be used instead of the Nicene Creed during Lent, the Easter Season and at other appropriate times.
There have been no changes to the translation of the Apostles Creed.
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The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed |
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| Previous Translation | New Translation |
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We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen |
I believe in One God, the Father almighty, maker ofheaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through Him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate ofthe Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand ofthe Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen |
4: Preparation of the Gifts
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL & THE PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
Following the Creed are the Prayers of the Faithful.
These petitions, which begin with prayers for the leadership of the Church and the leadership of our civil government, also reflect the needs and concerns of the local parish community. There will be no change in the format of these prayers.
THE PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the Preparation of the Gifts. This part of the mass is relatively brief, and while the changes in translation are relatively few, their significance is non-the-Iess important.
Often during this part of the Mass the choir will continue to sing after the procession with the gifts is completed, thus the prayers said by the priests and the responses on the part of the congregation are barely perceptible. When the song is finished in time, the priest will say the offertory prays. If one listens carefully, he/she will notice one significant change.
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Previous Translation: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation Through you goodness we have this bread to offer which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life. |
New Translation: Blessed are you Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work ofhuman hands, It will become for us the bread of life. |
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Congregation proclaims: Blessed be God forever. (no change)
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Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become out spiritual drink. |
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you: fruit of-the vine and word of human hands, it will become our spiritual drink. |
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Congregation proclaims: Blessed be God forever. (no change)
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While there is no change in our response to the prayers of the priest, the presider's prayer reminds us that the bread and wine that we offer first came from God (through your goodness we have received) and having received these gifts from God, we now return them to Him as a part of our offering.
Congregation:| The priest continues: | |
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Pray, brethren, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father. |
Pray brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father. |
The congregations response remains the same, except that the words "holy" is inserted before the word "church".
May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of al/ his holy church.
This response concludes that part of the Mass we call The Preparation of the Gifts, more traditionally referred to as the Offertory. Next week we will look at the changes in the Eucharistic Prayer which is the center and summit of the entire Mass.
5: Eucharistic Prayer
THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
The Eucharistic Prayer is the center and the summit or the highpoint of the entire Mass. Everything that comes before it leads to it, and everything that comes afterwards flows from it.
From the time of the Council of Trent until the Second Vatican Council there was but one Eucharistic Prayer. That prayer is what has become the first Eucharistic Prayer. Shortly after the Second Vatican Council three more Eucharistic Prayers were added. Eucharistic Prayers II and IV were based on prayers that date back to the third and fourth centuries. Eucharistic Prayer III is especially appropriate for Sundays and feast days, but the celebrant always has the option of choosing which he will use. Two Eucharistic Prayers of reconciliation were composed as part of the Jubilee Year of 1975, and another four Eucharistic Prayers have been composed for Masses for Various Needs and Occasions.
The Eucharistic Prayer begins with an opening dialogue between the celebrant and the congregation. Note the differences in bold type in the new translations of the responses.
From the time of the Council of Trent until the Second Vatican Council there was but one Eucharistic Prayer. That prayer is what has become the first Eucharistic Prayer. Shortly after the Second Vatican Council three more Eucharistic Prayers were added. Eucharistic Prayers II and IV were based on prayers that date back to the third and fourth centuries. Eucharistic Prayer III is especially appropriate for Sundays and feast days, but the celebrant always has the option of choosing which he will use. Two Eucharistic Prayers of reconciliation were composed as part of the Jubilee Year of 1975, and another four Eucharistic Prayers have been composed for Masses for Various Needs and Occasions.
The Eucharistic Prayer begins with an opening dialogue between the celebrant and the congregation. Note the differences in bold type in the new translations of the responses.
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Previous Translation: Priest The Lord be with you. People: And also with you. Priest Lift up your hearts. People: We lift them up to the Lord. Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People: It is right to give him thanks and praise. |
New Translation: Priest The Lord be with you. People: And with your Spirit Priest: Lift up your hearts. People: We lift them up to the Lord. Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People: It is right and just. |
The people respond to the preface with the acclamation Holy, Holy, Holy which is usually sung. The words God of power and might are now translated God of hosts - the "hosts" referring to the host of angles in heaven (see Isaiah 6:3 and Luke 2: 13). Thus, the revised translation reads:
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Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full ofyour glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
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The translation of the prayers said by the priest has also changed, but for now we will only consider those that will be most noticeable to the congregation.
The solemn words of consecration are the same in all Eucharistic Prayers, and have changed slightly.
Consecration of the bread: Two words have been added for the sake of clarification, and these are in bold print:
Consecration of the wine: The most notable changes here are: the word cup is now translated chalice (calix in Latin); the word everlasting (in reference to the covenant) is changed to eternal (aeterni). Shed is changed to poured out (effundetur) and all is now "many" (multis) as seen in the Latin text. The words of consecration of the wine are:
| Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which will be given up for you. |
| Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. | |
| Do this in memory of me. | |
After the consecration, instead of saying "Let us proclaim the mystery of faith" the priest will now say simply: The mystery of faith. It is a statement of fact, rather than the proclamation of an event.
In the new translations there are three responses, rather than four, to this acclamation on the part of the congregation. The first response in the old translation Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again has been eliminated. This response was never found in the Latin lext. The current three responses are as follows:
| We proclaim your Death, 0 Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again. |
| or |
| When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your death, 0 Lord, until you come again. |
| or |
| Save us Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free. |
Three Eucharistic Prayers for Masses of Children were written and included in an appendix. These were included as a part of the English Sacramentary, but were never a part of the Latin Roman Missal. These three Eucharistic Prayers have not been retranslated and will not be included in the new English Roman missal. They will later be retranslated and, once approved, be included in a appendix to the Roman Missal. Until this happens, the existing translations (with appropriate changes) may continue to be used.
THE MITER AND THE MINARET
Reflections of a Catholic Deacon in a Muslim Country
If you missed reading Deacon Norman Kutschenreuter's series "The Miter and the Minaret - Reflections of a Catholic Deacon in a Muslim Country" - it's now available online. Click the below links and begin reading the series now or save the files to your computer for later reading.The Miter and the Minaret:
| Pages 1 - 5 | Pages 6 - 10 | Pages 11 - 15 |
| Pages 16 - 20 | Pages 21 - 25 | Pages 26 - 30 |
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 Pastor: Fr. Dennis D. Aréchiga |