Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook
Uproar After NC State Agent 'Fixes' Girl's Lunch Preschooler has to eat chicken nuggets instead of mom's meal »

US Bishops Rewrite Catholic Mass

Language loftier, less prosaic

By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 12, 2008 7:10 AM CDT

(Newser) – For the first time in almost five decades, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has changed the wording of the Catholic Mass for both priests and congregations. The Mass liturgy, often criticiized as being too conversational to be reverent, is being rewritten to sound loftier, reports National Public Radio. 

One example of the change: when a priest blesses bread and wine for Communion he now says: "Let Your Spirit come upon these gifts, to make them holy." In the new liturgy the priest will say: "Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down Your Spirit upon them like the dewfall." The changes won't take affect for a few years.
 

US Cardinals with Pope Benedict XVI during the Papal Mass at Washington Nationals Park in Washington DC. A new English translation of the Mass has been agreed by US Bishops.
US Cardinals with Pope Benedict XVI during the Papal Mass at Washington Nationals Park in Washington DC. A new English translation of the Mass has been agreed by US Bishops.   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
A new English translation of the Roman Catholic Mass has been agreed by US Bishops and the Vatican. The language of the new version is loftier than the old.
A new English translation of the Roman Catholic Mass has been agreed by US Bishops and the Vatican. The language of the new version is loftier than the old.   (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)
Pope Benedict XVI greets Cardinal Edward Egan, Archbishop of New York, right, as they celebrate Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York.
Pope Benedict XVI greets Cardinal Edward Egan, Archbishop of New York, right, as they celebrate Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York.   (AP Photo/Mel Evans, pool)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Be the first to comment on this story.

More Newser Stories

Pope OK After Incident Before Christmas Mass

Vatican Condemns Obama Stem-Cell Decision


NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne