A National Catholic Reporter editorial bemoaned the new translation of the liturgy, saying it makes them feel sad. And CMR is all like boo-freakin’ hoo. But there was one paragraph where we couldn’t help but agree with the editorial. Wholeheartedly.
The Reporter editorial says:
Yet this Sunday, Nov. 27, the first Sunday in Advent, when we are gathered around the eucharistic table — what should be the greatest sign of our unity — many of us will feel depressed. We will feel like losers when we hear not the words that Jesus’ blood “will be shed for you and for all” but that Jesus’ blood “will be shed for you and for many.”
Finally! CMR and the National Catholic Reporter can agree on something.
It’s not so much we’re calling them “losers.” It’s more like we’re just agreeing with their self evaluation.
November 28, 2011 at 5:45 pm
My goodness, this is a nasty little piece. If you really believe that the writers at National Catholic Reporter are so misled, wouldn't you feel better about yourselves praying for them rather than sneering at and scorning them?
November 28, 2011 at 6:03 pm
Lily
My goodness, this is a nasty little comment. If you really believe that the writers at CMR are so unkind, wouldn't you feel better about yourself praying for us rather than sneering at and scorning us?
Wait. What?
November 28, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Oy to both this post and the NCReporter post.
November 28, 2011 at 7:00 pm
All I want for Christmas is to be able to sit down with you and have a beer or soda or coffee or whiskey, or whatever you drink and just talk about life. I think I would pee my pants laughing.
November 28, 2011 at 10:56 pm
One of the most scary thoughts is when the prayer reads: "the faithful here assembled" and if I am not among the "faithful" I had better get among the "faithful" quickly. Demanding heaven from the Lord, just isn't not going to cut it.
November 29, 2011 at 12:18 am
Can I add my thoughts about the interweb traffic I am reading about the introduction of the new translation in the US, from the prespective of an Australian.
We have been using the new translation for a month now. There are obviously a few teething problems. Priests have told me how hard it is to get used to saying the new tranlsation having been saying the Mass in the same form since their ordination. Some have commented that they now know (a little) how priests must have felt when the Norvus Ordo was originally introduced.
There are obviously views from all sorts of people "I like this change …", "I don't like that change". I myself am generally loving it, although I do miss my favourite words in the the Creed "of all that is, seen and unseen". I always loved the emphasis on the word "is" as a radical statement of God's relationship to "being".
Anyway – back to my point – over here in Australia I have not noticed a single element of tension about the introduction between "conservatives" and "progressives". No one is protesting and no-one is gleeful at the progessives getting their comeuppance. It just seems that everyone (and I worship in a "family" Parish on Sunday and in a "rosary-rattling" inner city chapel during the week)is focussed on the Mass – and not on each other's reaction to it. It is really quite beautiful.
Reading the interwebs makes me feel as if there are two Catholic churches in the US. It makes me sad. I really pray for more charity between my brothers and sisters in the US.
This post is not a dig at CMR. I love you guys and I dont find you nasty. Indeed some of the posts about the 70's moving aside have been hilarious. It is just that, standing over here across the Pacific, the struggle that is occurring in the US over the new translation is symptomatic of a worrying divide.
God bless.
November 29, 2011 at 2:09 am
Last anonymous, you didn't live through the 90s in the American Church; the fact we haven't lynched the "progressives" is a miracle of charity in and of itself. People who took far fewer liberties with the liturgy would've been up on heresy charges in other eras.
November 29, 2011 at 3:38 am
"We will feel like losers." Did the apostles feel like losers at the Last Supper when the Lord said those words? Do these depressed progressives even realize where those words of consecration come from? If so, aren't they ashamed to try to change the words of God? Where do they get off presuming to correct the Lord?
November 29, 2011 at 3:48 am
Haha. Yes!
November 29, 2011 at 5:16 am
When I grow up, I want to be out-of-the-closet snarky like the Archbolds.