Catechesis for the Implementation of the New English Translation

Rev. Rick Hilgartner, the Executive Director of the Secretariat of Divine Worship at USCCB gave a workshop at NCCL on the new roman missal. . Here are some do's from his workshop for preparing for liturgical change.

• Do ask what feelings those you are preparing have about the roman missal. Allow them to express their apprehension or excitement. Acknowledge that they will not like every change, that is normal.  This is a product of the whole church. Invite them to be open to the possibilities, to the surprises, to the things that ultimately will be good for us.
• Do refer to paragraph 10 of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium).  Liturgy is the summit of the church. This is a challenge to the church as well as what is. The liturgy is the summit of all our activity, everything we do leads to it. At the same time it is the fountain, the source, where we find grace and strength, where we discover what it means to be the body of Christ.
• Do clear up the following misconceptions: 1. Vatican II was about fixing mistakes  2. Mass as we celebrated it in the 1950's should not have changed 3. Mass before Vatican II was how it always was done.

• Do explain the importance of language and liturgy. 

---Early Centuries: The mass was in  Aramaic, Greek, then Latin and variety of languages
---Middle Ages:  In the West the mass was in Latin    In the East mass was in Greek.  There was more consistency in the language used as mass.
---Trent to Vatican II: There was more unity in language, the mass was in Latin but there were some attempts in the venacular.
---Vatican II allowed for diversity in language but unity in sacrament.

• Do explain that Pope John Paul II was motivated to have more unity in the texts of the mass from his experience of celebrating masses in different languages.
• Do explain that Sunday, November 27, the first Sunday of Advent begins the use of roman missal, third edition.
• Do explain why is this happening.  It is am important catechetical question. Give some brief historical development of the roman missal

New Latin edition 2002
New guidelines for translation

• Do show what's new in the missal. See USCCB website for this list.

---Additional prefaces, prayers over the people for each day of Lent
---Additional solemn blessings
---Vigil masses for Epiphany and Asscension,
---Extended Vigil for Pentecost
---New votive masses, including masses for virgin Mary
---Masses for various needs pro life mass mass for giving thanks to God for the gift of human life
---Inserts for eucharistics prayers II and III
---Masses for new saints
---Emendations of rubrics
---Interfaces with RCIA seamlessly
---Editorial changes

• Do explain how liturgical language is different than everyday language.   Music is the language of poetry. The new roman missal preserves these texts' dignity. It is a sacred language of beauty and doctrinal truth.
• Do explain that there will be unfamiliar vocabulary.
• Do point out the self deprecatory language... How do we stand before God? Humbly we ask you; We beg you; Grant us, we pray; We beseech you.
• Do teach the new words by singing them. Sing the new words with those who are preparing to use them. It will help them remember. They will notice the new words because it is different to sing them instead of saying them.  This is especially true for their response to "The Lord be with you."  "And with your spirit."  Articulate that this change brings Spanish and English together.
• Do explain that the mass prayers are a dialogue. The priest acknowledges the assembly's presence and the assembly acknowledges the priest's ministry by his ordination, his spirit has been conformed to Christ.  This is about Christ acting through the priest.  The priest is acting for Christ for the church.
• Do explain that the creed shifts from "we" to "I."  The original statement of the creed was a statement of the council. It was in the singular for a baptismal creed. No one can speak for another, it must be personal before it can become communal.
• Do explain some of the following technical changes.

"Only begotten", Jesus was begotten by God even though he existed from all ages.

"Consubstantial with," this is a mystery, talk about the relationship of the trinity, of the same substance, we should hold on to these terms, people in the history of the church have died for these terms.

"Incarnate, " this is not just about Jesus being born. Jesus became flesh, we are talking more than just birth, God became flesh.

• Do explain the changes in the Preface. "It is right and just" is more concise than the older version that was an over translation, "to give him thanks and praise." "Holy Holy, Holy Lord of hosts,"  Explain the meaning of hosts.
• Do explain the changes in Eucharistic Prayer III.  "So that from the rising of the sun to its setting,"....Psalm 113 direct quote
• Do use small group resources to break open the texts. See Renew International "Lift Up Your Hearts".
• Do explain that we will use the word chalice, not cup.  Chalice is a technical word that describes the vessel we use for the wine. We have different kinds of cups, but chalice is the word for the cup we use at liturgy.
• Do explain the use of "poured out for many". This does not have ecumenical ramifications,  Protestants use the term "for many. " These words are faithful to scripture, the emphasis is not about universal salvation, it is about a personal response to the offering. It opens us up to the call to an examination of conscience; am I responding to what God offers? Jesus is the suffering servant.  In Jesus predictions of the passion, he will suffer for many. This term is faithful to scripture.
• Do explain the meaning of the dismissal rite. "Go and announce the good news."
  "Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life."  
• Do show the improvement in poetic  language. Use the collects for the 9th and 27th Sundays in ordinary time to illustrate the beauty of the language. Compare it with the 1970 translation. Take time to break open these beautiful collects.
• Do remember these two liturgical goals:

1. Prepare them to pray the newly translated mass to help them participate more fully, actively, consciously in the liturgy.

2. Familiarize them with the texts.

• Do put together a parish Roman missal catechetical implementation team.
  1. Get the right people on the implementation team, catechists, liturgists, music ministers, staff, leaders
  2. Study the key document
  3. Identify a vision that gives insight to parish mission and liturgical renewal
  4. Identify goals and objectives
  5. Develop an action plan

• Do begin immediate catechesis from August- November

1. September put in bulletin inserts
2.  Use Catechetical Sunday-September 18th as the public launch time
3. Address it at the pulpit
4. Teach the words, start using the words in gatherings outside of liturgy. 
5. January 2012 and on-- break the new prayer texts open, provide ongoing catechesis 

• Do use the opening prayer of mass as a holy card and make it their daily prayer for the week.
• Do remember that catechesis is the key. "Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations..." SC paragraph 14

Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex Vivendi---- Pray, believe, live

For study go to:   Notre Dame Center for Liturgy, Web Catechesis: The Roman Missal 

RESOURCES TO ASSIST YOUR ROMAN MISSAL CATECHETICAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

This is the time to acquaint yourself with resources from a variety of publishers to assist you to implement the New English Translation before you prepare your 2011-2012 catechetical budgets. Even though print resources are not essential for a successful implementation, the following resources, written by Paul Turner and Maureen Kelly from LTP (Liturgical Training Publications), ease the work of putting together excellent liturgical catechesis sessions for adults, youth and children. 

• Preparing Your Parish for the Revised Roman Missal Part 1 will guide pastoral ministers in every aspect of readying the parish for the revised texts of the Mass. $5.95
• Preparing Your Parish for the Revised Roman Missal Part 2 provides a catechetical plan, explores the dynamics of change, and guides decisions on selecting music. $5.95
• Understanding the Revised Mass Texts-Leader’s Edition will help you catechize parish staff, volunteers, ministers and parishioners.  It gives you outlines for eight adult faith formation sessions and take-home reflections. $8.95
• What’s New about the Mass For Teens $8.95 provides outlines and plans for six sessions about the Mass.  There is a booklet for teens to use with this teaching guide. $1.50
• What’s New about the Mass provides session outlines and creative ideas to use with children grades three through seven. $8.95. There is a booklet for children to use with the teaching guide. $1.50
 

Here are some other excellent resources for preparing for the New Roman Missal:

• Diocese of San Jose website roman missal resources, Paul Ford video presentations 
•  USCCB website for the Roman Missal Third Edition, you can find videos that you can download and reproduce  to meet the needs of your parish.
• How to Make Mass More Meaningful
  Discover why Sunday liturgy is so important
  This 5-session e-course will show you how to make Mass more meaningful. Each lesson gets delivered to your e-mail, hot and fresh, every two to three days.
• Imagine what would happen if every Sunday you came away from Mass more filled with God’s Spirit.  Click here to sign up.

• Sadlier Religion This website has been updated to  include the exact changes and specific page numbers that have been made to our 2011 parish editions of We Believe w/Project Disciple for K-6.

• Loyola Press, Free Roman Missal Webinar Explains Changes in Catholic Mass   
• The Pastoral Center at Twenty Third Publications- Teaching About the Revised Missal in Your Parish
• Our Sunday Visitor ;Roman Missal Resources for a Pew Card that shows in bold the wording that has changed in the Roman Missal; The Mass in Scripture by Stephen J. Binz
• St Mary Press

• Renew International "Lifting Up Our Hearts"

   

• Mark Hart from LifeTeen helps high school teens understand HOW and WHY the words of the Mass are changing. Mark compares the “dynamic equivalent” and the “formal equivalent” of how we translate words from Latin to English, and then explains the elaborate process used to create the new Roman Missal. Finally, Mark challenges teenagers to rediscover the meaning behind the words we pray at Mass each week. Click here to view.

• Click here for LifeTeen's video for parents on the New Roman Missal.

• Click here for LifeTeen's video for middle school or junior high age youth.  

• Sadlier has a new resource, The Eucharist: Highlighting the Roman Missal, Third Edition at www.gatherinmyname.com. This downloadable PowerPoint is easy to implement and can be used as an intergenerational parish event; a catechetical session; a session for catechists and other ministerial groups; an enrichment sessions for adults; and an event for parents of children in sacramental preparation or catechetical programs.  It also offers a PDF that is the downloadable "Event Packet" which includes a handout that details all the changes in the Mass – citing the old and the new text for each part of the Mass. Sadlier offers you this parish intergenerational program for free.