The experience of many Catholics at Mass reminds me of my cousin Stefano’s first time at an American football game. Coming from Italy, Stefano knew football very well—but his “football” is our soccer! So when he first visited the States, and our family took him to see the Chicago Bears, he failed to fully grasp […]
Bride and Bridegroom Beautiful changes have been made to the translation of the prayer that comes shortly before Holy Communion is distributed. Since Vatican II, the priest has said, “Happy are those who are called to His supper” as he held up the Eucharist. The new translation is more poetic and better fits the solemnity […]
“For all” to “for many” Of all the changes in the new translation, two small words used by the priest at the consecration are evoking the most questions. Those two words are “for many.” Currently, the priest refers to Jesus’ blood as having redemptive value “for all”: “This is the cup of My blood, the […]
From “We believe” to “I believe” Can a one-letter word really make a great difference? In the case of the revised translation of the Nicene Creed in the new Roman Missal, the answer is emphatically, “Yes!” Instead of starting the Creed by saying, “We believe in one God…” we will begin by saying, “I believe […]
In the prayer known as the Confiteor (which begins, “I confess to almighty God…”), the new translation cultivates a more humble, sorrowful attitude toward God as we confess our sins and accept responsibility for our wrongdoings. Instead of simply saying, “I have sinned through my own fault,” as was done in the old translation, we […]
Catholics are very familiar with the parts of the Mass—perhaps too familiar. Sunday after Sunday, we recite certain words such as, “Amen…Thanks be to God…Alleluia…Holy, Holy, Holy Lord….” These words are so ingrained that we often say them robotically, out of simple routine. Indeed, if someone poked us in the middle of the night and […]
