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Reaction to Mass changes largely positive
By Julie Filby
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Photo by James Baca/DCR |
After more than 10 years of development, involvement from 7,000 religious and laypeople, and 18 months of preparing clergy and parishioners, the new Roman Missal debuted in churches across the country Nov. 27.
While the reaction to the new language has been largely positive; after 40 years of saying the same words at Mass, the changes were bound to cause some challenges.
“The reaction has been favorable, but frustrating at the same time, because we’ve become so familiar with the text that we’ve prayed for so long,” said Deacon Charles Parker, director of liturgy for the Denver Archdiocese. “It’s difficult for all of us, myself included at times, to remember all the responses that are new.”
Parishioners—whose degree of preparedness for the new translation varied widely—have turned to missalettes, pew cards and other worship aids for help.
“I haven’t had to use a missalette in years,” said Cindy Millar, a parishioner at St. Andrew the Apostle in Wray. “Having to find the place in the missalette, and trying to remember the new prayers has been a challenge.”
Deacon Parker doesn’t see the challenges negatively, but simply that parishioners want to get it right.
“They want to respond correctly,” he said. “Overall we just want to get up to speed.”
Millar, who is involved with the parish’s religious education program, Altar and Rosary Society, liturgy committee and sings in the choir, feels the comfort level will come with the new words, just as it did with the new music.
“I really like the new music,” she said. “And now that we’ve got the music down, we just need to figure out the new words.”
Many parishes implemented the music changes in September and October.
Priests in the archdiocese have shared their experience with the new translation with Deacon Parker.
“I’ve heard from priests that they really have to look at the prayers before Mass and go over them,” he said. “They do have to be prayed with a different cadence and rhythm … they’re laid out in a different way than what they’re used to.”
Father Michael Pavlakovich, V.F., pastor of Light of the World Church in Littleton, admitted to some initial anxiety.
“I think I was pretty stressed the first weekend to do everything well,” he said. “But after the fifth Sunday Mass, I was well broken-in and I’m finding my stride.
“I’ve been privileged to celebrate Mass for almost 25 years now,” he continued. “And even though I was certainly more comfortable with the former translation, I believe this new translation genuinely calls us to greater reverence and attention in the celebration of the Mass.”
Clergy and laity alike can be renewed by the fresh language.
“People have been very positive and it’s caused them to listen anew to the Mass,” said Deacon Parker. “It’s caused all of us—priests, deacons, laity, cantors—to really think about what we’re praying, and think about responding in a way that may be even more fitting to God because it’s not rote; it not out of habit or automatic pilot.”
Although auto-pilot is bound to kick in for a while, from time to time.
“When half of us say ‘And also with you’ instead of ‘And with your spirit’—Father (Jonathan Dellinger) says: ‘Let’s try that again,’” explained Millar, with a laugh. “Some of the words and phrases will take a little longer.
“What’s the word … consubstantial?” she said. “With some … it will be a matter of making the prayers flow nicely.”
Deacon Parker is optimistic the faithful will be comfortable with the new language soon.
“I think by the first of next year,” he said. “I really think give Sunday parishioners eight to 10 weeks.”
Millar echoed the sentiment.
“It’s just going to take some time,” she said. “Before you know it, we’ll be right back (to the same comfort level) where we were three weeks ago.”
Father Pavlakovich, who conducted many workshops throughout the archdiocese to help prepare Catholics in northern Colorado for the changes, has received positive feedback from several in his parish.
“I’ve had many parishioners comment about the beauty of the translation,” he said. “One gentleman told me he has lived through the Latin, the English translation and now this translation … (he said) this was the most beautiful he has ever heard.”
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