US Bishop Donald Trautman’s list of words (NZ bishop's voice joins critics of Mass translation, NZ Catholic, April 19)‘illustrating the failure of the
English Missal to communicate in the living language of the worshipping
assembly’ has notable omissions.
If he regards ‘consubstantial, incarnate, oblation, conciliation,
ineffable, unfeigned’ as solecisms, then logically he should also deplore
‘annunciation, visitation, nativity, transfiguration and ascension’. As human
attempts to describe divine mysteries, these words all convey something of that
mystery by the very fact of not being quotidian (or perhaps I should say,
everyday).
We understand the rosary’s ‘clunky’ terms because previous generations of
priests taught us their meaning. The Missal now presents our pastors with an
opportunity to explain the Mass as the fountain of life, to give the laity a
clearer understanding of the Holy Sacrifice and incentive to attend. Given
today’s reduced attention span sentences could be shortened, but dumbing-down
the language connotes possibly dragging down the faithful from mystical
contemplation to the level of the news at six.
The Mass is literally out of this world. To penetrate this mystery our
hearts must be dilated and our minds raised up ‘into intimate contact with the
High Priest’ (Mediator Dei).
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