Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Hurrah!...Let's stick to it now

From CWNews via CatholicExchange :

In a letter to the president of the US bishops' conference, the prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship has strongly underlined the importance of proper translations for liturgical texts.

Cardinal Francis Arinze warned Bishop William Skylstad that his office could not approve new translations unless they conform to the principles set forth in Liturgiam Authenticam, the Vatican instruction of March 2001. The cardinal also said that existing texts must be brought into conformity with Liturgiam Authenticam, and the US bishops will not receive permission to continue using defective texts.

...Apparently hoping to ward off the possibility of major amendments to the proposed texts, Cardinal Arinze warns Bishop Skylstad that his office is "not competent to grant the recognitio for translations that do not conform to the directives of Liturgiam Authenticam.

In defense of existing translations, liturgists (again including Bishop Trautman) have suggested that a change in translations could prove unsettling to Catholics who have become accustomed to the current liturgical texts. Cardinal Arinze's letter anticipated that argument, responding that "it is not acceptable to maintain that people have become accustomed to a certain translation for the past thirty or forty years, and therefore that it is pastorally advisable to make no changes.

Cardinal Arinze reminds the USCCB president that the Vatican has found "good and strong reasons for a change" in the translations of the Roman Missal and other liturgical texts. While indicating a willingness to discuss minor amendments to the proposed translations, he insists that "the revised text should make the needed changes."

This is a long time coming. If we finally get proper translations AND the a document (rumored for October) directing the choice of proper music for the liturgy... then we can finally take a look to see how the Novus Ordo, celebrated as intended, fits the reform of the liturgy envisioned by Vatican II.

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