Catholic Sensibility

More on authority and the faults of the CDWS Thanks to the many visitors and commenters below. I'd like to continue to rake the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments (CDWS) over the coals a bit. Regarding the draft translation of the Ordo Missae, I think some aspects of it are an improvement over 1967-75 ICEL: the Gloria, to mention one example. But the whole work has problems. Foremost, I have my doubts about an English to English change of the routine dialogues. I think a better focus would be on the presidential prayers, but ICEL had that one covered in the translation of Roman Missal II, and from what I saw, that seemed fine work, despite being deep-sixed by Rome. For better or worse, memorized responses are part of the background hum of worship. Switching from Latin to vernacular was a strenuous and exciting time, and people took years to adjust to it. I think asking people to "and with your spirit" might be asking more than they are willing to give. Conservative Catholics around St Blog's seem to be approaching these alterations with the same glee I remember seeing thirty-five years ago. As those memories fade, the average pew person is only faintly aware of today's liturgy tussles. I wonder how many traditional-leaning Catholics will paint this with the same brush they used in 1970. And if the trad-leaning liturgically naive are resisting, how will this go down among progressives who will resent any imposition from Rome? Then throw in those alienated by clergy and bishop scandals and you have three broad groups of people who have little reason to embrace this switch. I can hear it now: "What!? More changes? Why can't they leave my Mass alone?" "Rome is only trying to impose its imperial will." "Don't bishops have better things to do than tinker with the Mass?" I might like the 2004 English Gloria, and I might enjoy composing a few settings of it that people might actually sing. But most people reciting at 7:34AM on Sunday in my parish are not going to grasp the need to change. A few weeks ago, the priest wanted to use the Apostles' Creed at a Mass. He announced it, but began "We believe," which prompted a spirited recitation of the Nicene. One event can be smiled at. But weekly doses of liturgical reindoctrination might wear thin, especially if clergy will need to leave liturgical autopilot at the rectory. I think the CDWS focus on Latin is misplaced. They've already shown their bias for Latin over fidelity by adopting a Latin biblical translation as definitive instead of the original Greek or Hebrew. I can appreciate the sensibility that desires to conserve the well-rendered prayers of the Roman Rite. I cannot abide an appeal for fidelity on one liturgical issue while bypassing it on another. That strikes me as shortsighted at best, and hypocritical at worst. These days, many Catholic laity have no reason to believe anything but the worst where the hierarchy is concerned. Personally, I would have liked to see a broad consultation in all language groups: solicit compositions of prayers and rituals from writers, poets, monastics: sensible and prayerful people. Translate these, if needed, into Latin and move from there. The CDWS is concerned that they lack the expertise in minor languages of the world. I can appreciate their nervousness with German being used as a base for Eastern European translations or English for third world tongues. The simplest solution is to prepare faithfully literal English and German translations to supplement efforts in these languages, but permit second translations to be used for praying the rites in the source languages in question. Even if these were the right changes, this is the wrong time. Catholics would be better served by changes made at the parish priest level: workshops on homiletics, public speaking, and presidential style for clergy. Every Mass at every cathedral should reflect a motch above the best of the wealthy suburban parishes in the diocese and the bishop should lead priests by personal example. More time taken by priests to lead a prayerful Mass by example: this would have an effect, trickling down to the laity. Slavish fidelity to rubrics is not enough to lift liturgy out of the doldrums where it is most often found. A valiant try perhaps, for the CDWS, but thumbs down for timing.