Mea maxima culpa

Some of the oddities and abominations of the English translation of the liturgy are about to go extinct , reported the Congregation for Divine Worship last week. Of course, Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation, didn’t relay the Vatican’s formal approval in precisely those terms. But his pleasure was scarcely masked: The Congregation reported “no little satisfaction in arriving at this juncture.”

The changes of “this juncture” will unite the English liturgy more fully with the universal Church, with more theologically accurate—and, in many cases, more faithfully beautiful—language. It’s amazing how those two attributes go together. The more noteworthy changes include:

* At the Consecration, the priest will refer to Christ’s blood which is “poured out for you and for many”—an accurate translation of pro multis—rather than “for all” in the current translation.

* In the Nicene Creed the opening word, Credo, will be correctly translated as “I believe” rather than “we believe.”

* When the priest says, “The Lord be with you,” the faithful respond, “And with your spirit,” rather than simply, “And also with you.”

* In the Eucharistic prayer, references to the Church will use the pronouns “she” and “her” rather than “it.”

* In the Agnus Dei, the text cites the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,” rather than using the singular word “sin.”

* In the preferred form of the penitential rite, the faithful will acknowledge that they have sinned “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.”

* Throughout the translation of the Offertory and Eucharistic Prayer, the traditional phrases of supplication are restored, and the Church is identified as “holy”—in each case, matching the Latin original of the Roman Missal.

While the new translation will probably not be completed in its entirety until 2010, the most common liturgical prayers and texts are now in place. Formally, at least—they will be implemented gradually by local bishops to give clergy and the faithful time to adjust. In the meantime, we can certainly share with the Congregation “no little satisfaction.”