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O
Bishops' Statemen.t
On
Changes
must remember he is speaking to a Person, not merely reciting
formulas. Note that this applies no matter which language is
used in the prayer; it applies equally to the Canon as to the
Collect or the Lord's Prayer. The latter prayer is gravely abused
by a sing-song recitation which pays little attention to the
praises and petitions actually contained in the words. The con-
clusions of prayers, although in set formulas, must never be
hurried, or routinely said. Since the affirmative response of the
people is expected, the rhythm and tone of the priest should be
sufficiently strong to encourage and facilitate the response.
II!. Extent of Liturgical Use of English
The extent to which it is lawful to use English in the liturgy
throughout the dioceses of the United States is determined in
the decrees of the National Conference of Bishops, enacted April
2, 1964, and confirmed by the Consilium for the implementation
Friday, Nov. 6, 1964- THE PROGRESS--7
9. At low Masses, where possible, it is desirable that the
congregation or the choir or other group, or a cantor recite the
Proper chants, adding psalm verses as needed.
10. Psalms or psalm verses added to the Proper antiphons
of the Roman Missal, whether sung or recited, should follow the
text of the Book of Psalms published by the Confraternity of
Christian Doctrine, from which the respective antiphons have
been adopted.
11. For the present, the form of the common preyer or
prayer of the faithful may be determined by the individual
Bishops. For example, the invocations of the third part of the
Litany of the Saints may be used, or the variants of the Byzan-
tine Litany already employed in some places.
of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy in a rescript of May 12. Since the Collects, etc., and the Preface of the Canon
In The Liturgy ,o
is found in the decrees, which should be consulted for additional to his other duties, should very briefly summarize these prayers
details. (The use of officially approved vernaculars other than for the benefit of the faithful. •
English, although conceded by the body of Bishops, is dependent Positions of the Fa,fhful at Holy Mass
upon the judgement and permission of the individual local ' At sung or high Masses it is customary and desirable for
The Bishop's Commission on the Liturgical Apostolate
has issued the following document describing and
explaining changes provided by the Constitution on
the Liturgy approved by the Second Vatican Council.
Change will be effective in the United States begin-
ning the First Sunday of Advent, November 29.
1. Understanding Liturgical Texts In
The Vernacular
The Constitution on the Liturgy, issued by the
Second Vatican Council, states that it is of the
highest importance that the faithful understand the
rites because the sacraments "not only presuppose
faith but by words and object they also nourish,
strengthen, and express it;" moreover, "they do indeed impart
grace, but in addition, the very act of celebrating them most
effectively disposes the faithful to receive this grace in a fruitful
manner, to worship God duly, and to practice clarity" (59).
Another basic principle taught by the Constitution is that "Christ
is always present in His Church, especially in her liturgical
celebrations." Among the ways He is present is "in His word,
since it is Ha'Himself Who speaks when the Holy Scriptures are
read in the Church." He is present also "when the Church prays
and sings, for He promised: 'Where two or three are gathered
together in my name, there am I in the midst of them' " (7).
The widespread interest in the Council and particularly in
the discussions on vernacular in the liturgy have prepared the
people for changes. Many are filled with hope for a great advance
in meaningful participation by all the people in the sacred rites.
At the same time it is evident or will soon be evident that
beyond use of the language which the people understand there
must be developed an understanding of the "language" of the
liturgy in a deeper sense. No one can find the meaning in the
allusions to Abraham's bosom or to Jerusalem in the funeral
rites unless he knows Abraham as our father and Jerusalem as
the place of God's presence with His people, the prefiguring of
the Church on earth and in heaven. We all know how necessary
is a grasp of Scriptural idiom to understand the Epistles. This
is also necessary to appreciate the use of water, oil, bread,
and wine, and to know the significance of such phrases as
"now and eternal covenant" and "Lamb of God." The simple
phrase, "through Christ our Lord," or "through Him and with
Him and in Him," expresses a direction in devotion, a union
with Christ's worship of the Father that is not yet the spon-
taneous manner of praying among our people. The same is true
of praying the psalms as Christian prayers.
Understanding the liturgy is not merely a matter of
vocabularly or of remembering Biblical events. Christ's earthly
life followed in large part its Old Testament prefigurings and
He established the basic rites of His Church on the basis of
meanings already indicated in the Scriptures. He made the
inspired psalms and canticles His own prayers. His great act
of worship and sacrifice for mankind, "the paschal mystery"
(S, 0, 47, 61, 102, 106), was intended as a new Exodus, a passing
from this world to the Father, and it took place at the time
of the Passover celebration.
Because of the Scriptural basis of liturgical language and
actions, the Constitution on the Liturgy provides for more
extensive reading of Scripture in the liturgy and also for the
integration of preaching with Scripture. It states that the sermon
is part of the liturgical service and that it "should draw its
content mainly from scriptural and liturgical sources, and its
character should be that of proclamation of God's wonderful
works in the history of salvation, the mystery of Christ, ever
made present and active within us, especially in the celebration
of the liturgy" (35).
The Constitution also states that Bible services should be
encouraged (35) which include of their nature a sermon on the
texts read to the people and said or sung by them. And it states
that it is essential to "promote that warm and living love for
Scripture to which the venerable tradition of both eastern and
western rites give testimony" (24) -- a love which may be
possessed by the simplest as well as the most learned members
of the Church, as history shows us.
Since, as the Constitution states, it is now a primary pastoral
duty to enable the people to take their full internal end external
part in the liturgy (14, 19), it is clearly our duty to equip
ourselves at once to carry out this task and to begin to carry it
out among our people. Providentially, the Scriptural, catechetieal,
and liturgical renewals of recent decades hove already produced
an abundance of reading matter, at many levels, which can
serve to enrich our basic structure of its rites and prayers and,
at the same time, help us to inform our people. A brief bibliog-
raphy of some basic books which serve beth these purposes is
included herewith.
But what is most necessary of all ts that we begin, If we
have not begun already, to meet with Christ as He speaks to
us through the liturgical rites and the inspired word of
Scripture. This should best start with the use of the primal
form of Christian "mental prayer" or "meditation," tradition-
ally known as "facile divina"--(or, as we might call it in
English, "praying the Bible.") This means, very simply,
prayerfully "hearing," by slow meditative reading, a Biblical
or liturgical passage as Christ's word here and now: asking
ourselves, for example, what is He telling us here about
Himself, about the Father, about the divine plan for our own
salvation and that of our people? How does He ask us to
respond to this word of God's love with Him, now In our
prayer and also in our life?
Such a form of meditation, especially when the passages
chosen are those which the priest is to explain and open out to
his people in Sunday Mess, or at a baptism or wedding or
funeral, or at a Bible service, will, experience shows, serve to
integrate the priest's prayer-life in itself and with his work for
his people as "minister of the Word." Any study of the liturgical
texts and of Sacred Scripture then serves to enrich and deepen
both the priest's own prayer and worship and the sermons in
which he opens out God's Word to his people.
The question, obviously, is not one of making Biblical
scholars either of all priests or of the faithful. It is one simply
of restoring that living familiarity with Scripture and, through it,
with: Christ, which is our rightful inheritance.
Bibliography
Liturgy and Doctrine, by Charles Davis (New York: Sheed
and Ward), short summary of rediscovered relationship between
Scripture, liturgy, doctrine and life.
The Liturgy and the Word of God (CollegeviUe: Liturgical
Press; paper), a symposium covering all aspects of the subject.
The Psalms as Christian Prayer, by Thomas Warden (New
York, Sheed end Ward). One of the best presentations of the
Scriptural form and basis of Christian piety.
The Family and the Bible, by Mary Reed Newland (New
York: Random House), provides valuable guidelines as to how to
introduce the faithful to the Bible, in its relationship to the
liturgy, to doctrine and to life.
Key to the Psalms, by Mary Perkins Ryan (Notre Dame:
Fides), presents key themes, events, figures in the O.T. and N.T.,
in reference to the liturgy end Christian living.
The Bible Today (Coilegeville: Liturgical Press; magazine).
II. Reading and Praying In The
Vernacular
The introduction of the common language into liturgical
rites is an event of numerous and important implications.
Clearly it was the intention of the Fathers of the Second Vatican
Council to provide the people with rites of sacred worship
which would be meaningful and intelligible to them (36, 54, 63,
101, 113). Both those parts of the liturgy which instruct the
hithful and those parts which express their prayer and devotion
are to be spoken or sung in the vernacular language. This
reform in our custom is intended to bring the people into more
effective contact with the Sacred Scripture and the holy texts
of the liturgy, thereby fostering deeper faith, greater knowledge,
and more sincere prayer.
But these worthy objectives will not automatically be
achieved by the use of the vernacular. Such prayer end readings
will have to be done in a more meaningful and appropriate
manner than has unfortunately been employed by some priests
when reciting Latin texts. To celebrate the liturgy in a manner
that is apparently hasty, matter-of-fact, and without attention to
the meaning of the words would, of course, be irreverent and
improper no matter what the language; however, when the
vernacular is used, there is the greatest possibility of scandal.
These observations, which must be honestly admitted, are com.
manly expressed whenever the vernacular is discussed and both
clergy and hity are surely anxious not only to avoid the danger
but, first of all, to seek the fullest advantages the vei'nacular
can bring. For this reason, the following comments are offered "
on the manner of speaking the English tongue in liturgical
services, in the hope that they might serve as a guide to all.
For the purpose of these remarks, there is a basic difference
between reading the Word of God and reading other texts.
A. Reading The Word of God
All Scripture reading are to be proclamations, not mere
recitations. Lectors and priests should approach the public
reading of the Bible with full awareness that it is their honored
task to render the official proclamation of the revealed Word of
God to His assembled holy people. The character of this reading
is such that it must convey that special reverence which is due
the Sacred Scriptures above all other words.
1. It is of fundamental importance that the reader communi-
cate the fullest meaning of the passage. Withottt exaggerated
emphasis or affectation, he must convey the particular signifi-
cance of those words, phrases, clauses or sentences which
constitute the point being made. Careful phrasing and inflection
are nessary to enable the listener to follow every thought
and the rehtionships among them. Patterns of speech, especially
monotonous patterns of speech, must be avoided, and the pattern
of thought in the text must be adhered to. The message in all
its meaning must be earnestly communicated.
2. The manner of speaking and tone of voice shoud be clear
and firm, never indifferent or uncertain. The reader should not
draw attention to himself either by being nervous and awkward
or by being obviously conscious of a talent for dramatic reading.
It is the message that should be remembered, not the one who
reads it. The voice should be reverent without being unctuous,
loud without shouting, authoritative without being offensive or
overbearing. The pace must be geared to understanding--never
hurried, never dragged.
S. By his voice, attitude, and physical bearing, the reader
should convey the dignity and sacredness of the occasion. His
role is that of a herald of the Word of God, his function to
provide a meaningful encounter with that living Word. Perfection
in his mission may not always be achieved, but it must always
and seriously be sought.
B. Praying and Speaking Aloud
When the celebrant leads the people in prayer, or speaks to
them, or addresses God in their behalf, his manner of speaking
will differ somewhat in each case. In every instance, however,
he should convey that he sincerely means what he says. This
sincerity is crucially important; it makes the difference between
a matter-of-fact, ritualized, indifferent celebration anti one that
is truly an expression of faith end devotion.
1. Dialogue. In the greetings and verbal exchange between
celebrant and congregation, all participants should speak their
parts with meaning. When the priest says, "The Lord be with
you," for example, he must convey that he is really addressing
the people, that he sincerely means the greeting, and that he
invites response. The tone and inflection of voice must be natural
and convincing. At the same time, dialogue should never become
extremely informal; all must be aware that the words they
speak ere part of a sacred rite. The liturgy must always be
characterized by dignity and reverence as well as meaningful
and sincere speech.
2. Prayer. When reading the orations, preface, and the like,
the priest should speak in e manner befitting his sacerdotal role.
His tone of voice should be more formal, more reverent; yet he
Ordinary in accord with n. 6 of the Decree.)
A. Divine Office
The entire text of the Divine Office may be sung or said in
English, according to the terms of the Constitution and the
decrees. In the case of the clergy, however, the faculty to use
English must be obtained from the Ordinary, local or religious.
This permission is not needed if the cleric takes part in the
Office with a group of the faithful or of religious who lawfully
use the English Office.
The editors of the breviary in English issued by two pub-
lishers, Benziger Brothers and the Liturgical Press, have been
approved by the Conference of Bishops.
B. Sacraments and Sacramentals
The entire rite of the Sacraments and Sacramentals, other
then the Eucharist (below), may be celebrated in English,
including the essential forms of the Sacraments. It is always
required, however, that the approved text be used.
The text approved for the Sacraments and Sacramentals is
the official Collectio Rituum newly edited and published. The
Bishops' Commission on the Liturgical Apostolate has authorized
four editions of the Collectio Rituum, issued by the following
publishers: Benziger Brothers, Bruce Publishing Company,
Catholic Book Publishing Co., and the Liturgical Press.
For the rites of the Sacraments and Sacramentals which
are not contained in the official Colleetio Rituum, the English
translations found in The Roman Ritual by the Reverend Philip
Waller (Bruce Publishing Co.) have been approved for liturgical
use.
C. The Holy Eucharist
In the celebration of Muss it is lawful to use English in the
lessons, in the prayer of the faithful, and in the ordinary and
proper parts which pertain to the people. In sequence, the use
of English and the retention of Latin for these parts may be
enumerated as follows:
Entrance rite--Preparatory prayers at the foot of the alter--Latin
Introit antiphon--English
Kyrie--English
Kyrie--English
Gloria--English
Prayer or Collect (including the introductory
Dominus Vobiscum and Et cam spiritu tuo)--Latin
The Word of God
Epistle and other lessons--English
Gradual, Alleluia, and other Chants,English
Munda car scum, etc.--Latin
Gospel (including the introductory versicles and
responses)--English (Homily)
Creed--English
Preparation of the Gifts
The Lord be with you and response, and Let us
pray--English
Offertory antiphon--English
Silent prayers of the priest--Latin
Prayer over the gifts or secret prayer--Latin
The Eucharistic Prayer
Preface of the Canon (including the introductory
dialogue and response beginning Dominus no.
biscum)--Latin
Sanctus--English
Silent prayers of the Canon and the conclusion
--Latin
The Eucharistic Banquet
Lord's Prayer (with the invitation Let us pray,
the people to follow the same postures as the clergy, as these
are listed in the Roman Missal in the new code of rubrics (1960).
This we recommend for accepted usage around the country,
when Mass is offered as a sung Mass.
With regard to recited or low Masses, which will be the
usual manner for the offering of the participated Mass, a very
practical problem presents itself. For the low Mass, the Missal
formerly gave only one rule: that those present should kneel
throughout, except at the Gospel. This direction, which was
made obsolete by various local customs, was suppressed in
1960, so that now it is appropriate to adapt the postures of the
sung Mass to congregational use at the Low Mass in participated
fashion.
The problem has been somewhat complicated in the prec.
tical order by some liturgists, who with every good intention
and quite properly stress standing as the posture most expres-
sive of the spirit of lmblie prayer. As the priest stands, it
seems proper that the people should stand, when they pray,
sing or speak with him. However, this does not take into
consideration the very practical problem, which standing poses
for the older members of the congregation, and Indeed many
of its younger members.
Accordingly, then, the following usage is recommended with
a view to making it as simple as possible.
Positions of the Faithful at Low Mass
The Liturgy of the Word
Entrance Rite (up to the Epistle) STAND
(If no Hymn is sung, kneel during Celebrant's prayers at foot
of altar)
The Word of God (up to the Offertory Antiphon)
Epistle " SIT
Gospel STAND
Homily SIT
Creed STAND
"1. Common Prayer, or
Prayer of the Faithful STAND
The Liturgy of the Eucharist
Preparation o! the Gifts (up to the Preface)
Offertory Prayers SIT
"2. Prayer over the Gifts
(Secret) STAND
Eucharistic Prayer (CANON)
Preface and Sanctus STAND
After Sanctus through the
great "Amen" conchd-
ing the Canon KNEEL
Eucharistic Banquet (COMMUNION)
The Lord's Prayer STAND
After Agnus Dei KNEEL
Postcommunion and dis-
missal STAND
Blessing KNEEL
Recessional STAND
Reception o! Holy Communion
Whether the individual communicant kneels or stands, while
receiving Holy Communion, depends on local custom and circum.
stances. Obviously, the Ordinary can decide for his Diocese.
Additional Kneeling
For requiem Masses, and on certain penitential weekdays.
the rubies of the Missal prescribe kneeling during the Collect and
the Pnstcommunion.
This rule applies on the weekdays of Advent, Lent, Passion-
tide, September Ember days, Vigils of II and HI class outside
Paschal time, and in Masses for the dead.
*I. These prayers are optional at present.
etc.)--English '2. New changes will allow this prayer to be said cloud.
Lihera, quaesumus (with the versicle Paz Domini "'""m""""w"""n"m"m"mm"""""w"m""m""m""m"`""m"""mm"'"`m"mmm"""
and response)--Latin
Haec commixtio--Latin
Angus Dei--Engiish
Silent prayers of the priest before Communion
(and during the ablutions afterward)--Latin
Communion of the ithful (including Behold the
Lamb of God etc. and the formula for Com.
munion)--English
Communion antiphon--English
Post Communion (including the introductory Doe.
inus vobiscum and Et eum spiritu tno)--Latin
Dismissal (The Lord be with you, Go, the Mass
is ended, etc. with the respenses)--English
Placeat--Latin
Blessing--English
Last Gospel (including the introductory versicles
and responses)--Latin
Where it is used, the "common prayer" or prayer of the
faithful mentioned in art 53 of the Constitution on the Liturgy
may likewise be in English.
The English transhtion of the parts permitted in the ver-
nacular is given in the Roman Missal newly edited and published
for use in the dioceses of the United States. Two editions of the
official altar missal have been authorized by the Bishops' Com-
mission: Benziger Brothers, and Catholic Book Publishing Co.
IV. Directives Concerning the Use of
The Vernacular at Mass
1, In the dioceses of the United States of America it is lawful
to use English, to the extent described in the decree of April 2,
1964, at all Musses at which the people are present, beginning
on the First Sunday of Advent, November 29, 1964. (The clause
"at which the people are present"--in the Constitution "adstente
pepulo"--may be interpreted as applying to all scheduled parish
or institutional Masses.)
2. The lessons, epistle, and gospel in,English should be pro-
claimed facing the people at both low and sung Masses.
S. At low Masses and at sung Masses without a subdeacon,
it is possible and even desirable that the (lesson or lessons before
the epistle, if any, and the) epistle should be proclaimed by a
reader, whether clerical or lay, other then the celebrant. The
reading of the gospel should be reserved to the deacon or, in his
absence, to the celebrant.
4. Although the use of English is permitted to the same
extent in low Masses and in sung Masses, the vernacular texts
of the Ordinary and Proper must "be sung to melodies or settings
approved by the competent ecclesiastical authority, i.e. the
National Confei'ence of Bishops.
5. It remains lawful to sing the Proper chants recto touo or
to psalm tones in the absence of appropriate settings.
6. At beth high Masses and solemn Masses, the lessons,
epistle, and gospel may be recited in a loud, clear, and solemn
tone of voice without chant.
7. The English greetings, versicles, etc, may be sung recto
tono in the absence of appropriate settings.
8. Especially on Sundays and feast days it is desirable, at
least at the principal low Masses that psalms or hymns approp-
riate to the respective parts of Mass should be sung by the
people. This is particularly applicable at the entrance of the
priest (and during the preparatory prayers which remain in
Latin), between the lessons, at the Offertory, during Communion,
and as a recessional (that is, immediately after the blessing,
during the Latin last gospel and the recession of the celebrant).
New Hungarian Bishops
Receive Pope's Message
VATICAN CITY (NC) Pope Paul VI sent a
message to the hierarchy and people of Communist-
ruled Hungary on the occasion of the consecration of
five new Hungarian bishops in
Budapest, urging them to pre-
serve and transmit Hungary's
Christian traditions to future
generations.
The colorful ceremonies in
Budapest October 28 were re-
corded by state-owned radio
and televlsion and relayed to
Hungary's 10 million citizens.
The bishops were named fol-
]owing the recent agreement
signed by the Holy See and
Hungary.
The papal message in Latin
was read following the conse-
cration by Archbishop Endre
Hamvas of Kaiocsa.
The message read:
"Spiritually present on this
solemn moment among our
most beloved sons of Hungary,
we desire to address our pater-
nal greetings to the five newly
consecrated bishops, to the
entire hierarchy, to priests, to
men and women Religious, to
the Christian faithful and to
all people of this noble nation.
"And while we express our
best wishes and raise our
prayers for the new prelates.
that they may be strong in the
spirit of GOd and united al-
ways with this Apostolic See
and with their episcopal broth-
ers . . . we encourage all to
show true love for their coun-
try, especially preserving in-
tact and transmitting faith-
fully its Christian traditions to
n e w generations, traditions
which are the thousand,year-
old glory of Hungary, and
which in the centuries (ahead)
will be the fortress and guaran-
tee of prosperity and progress.
"In the pledge of which,
invoking the Intercession of
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
patroness of Hungary, and of
St. Stephen and the o t h • r
saints of this land, we impart
to all from our heart our
warm apostolic blessing."
Consecrated bishops during
the ceremony were Auxiliary
Bishop Jozsef Winkler of Szom-
bathely, Bishop Pal Brezanoczy
for Egar, Bishop Jozsef Ijjas
for Csanad, Bishop 3ozsd Ces.
erhati for Pecs and Bishop
Jozsef Bank for Gyeer.
Study Whole
Bible, Expert
Advises
NOTRE DAME, Ind. (NC)--
Neither the Old Testament nor
the New Testament can be fully
understood without reference to
each other, Rev. Roland De.
Vaux, O.P., director of the
Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem.
told a University of Notre
Dame symposium on Biblical
Theology October 30.
"For us Christians," Father
DeVaux said, "the word of
God is contained in the Old
and New Testaments. Both
Testaments are the source of
divine revelation; both were
written under he inspiration of
God. And to understand the
word of God in each Testa-
sent, one must consider both
Testaments together. '?
The French priest - scholar,
who has conducted research in
Jerusalem for more than 30
years, contended there cannot
be a complete theoloi,y of the
Old Testament as distinct from
and exclusive of the New Testa.
sent.
"There should be one bli-
cal theology embracing beth
testaments," he said. "Tim
Old Testament k the preflg.
uratioa of, ud the
tion for, the New. PaOOd
Testament cu be tully USa
derstood only in the light of
the New."
Father DeVaux said most of
the recent books on biblical
theology employ a "purely ra-
tional and scientific method."
He argued that theology goes
about its work under the light
of faith, Thus he insisted, "a
true theology of the Old Testa.
ment can be written only by
one who has the faith of the
Old Testament as the revealed
word of God."