Today’s National Post ran a front-page story about the upcoming new English translation of the Mass: “Vatican’s new Mass ‘elitist’, priests say”. These priests are based in Ireland, and my own Irish eyes weren’t exactly smiling when I read their views. They are, in a word, wrong – on so many levels.
Judging from the reaction we’ve received to The New Mass iPhone app, and to the talks I’ve given on the new translation in thefaithexplained.com seminar series, these guys are seriously mistaken. In my experience, once people have actually seen the new text, and have had the reasons for the changes explained to them, they are generally thrilled. Not only is the new translation more faithful to the official Latin text, but it does a superb job of highlighting the biblical allusions in the Mass.
The complaints of these priests are also unseemly for other reasons. They are, quite simply, poisoning the well for their own parishioners. In all likelihood, most of these people haven’t viewed the new Mass translation for themselves, but when they read an article in the media – quoting their own priests – bashing it to pieces, they can’t help but be negatively prejudiced against it. In my view, these priests are merely seeking to grab some ill-gotten attention for themselves, when they should be supporting the decisions of the hierarchy whom they (allegedly) serve. If they have legitimate concerns, fine. But let those be aired privately in meetings with the bishops, not in the secular media or the court of public opinion.