As Roman Missal changes, so will music

Coming revision in Mass texts provides an opportunity to re-educate Catholics about liturgy, conference participants are advised.

ANNE DIBERNARDO | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Posted: 06.18.09

FIND OUT MORE

• To follow the topic of the Latin translations, visit Jerry Galipeau’s blog.

• To see proposed changes in the English Mass text, please visit the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops' Web site.

MIAMI SHORES | Change is in the air for the English-speaking Catholic Church.

The new English translation of the Missale Romanum (Roman Missal) is due to arrive in November 2010. That new translation means many of the Mass responses and songs that are “part of (Catholics’) bones” are going to change.

It’s the equivalent of changing the words to the song that’s traditionally sung during the seventh-inning stretch at baseball games to “take me out to the ballpark,” said Jerry Galipeau, keynote speaker at a conference hosted May 30 by Barry University.

“People would gasp. It’s part of the fans’ bones,” said Galipeau, who holds a doctorate of ministry with a concentration in liturgical studies and is associate publisher at World Library Publications, one of the leading publishers of music and prayer resources for the Catholic Church.

The goal of the conference – “Christ Yesterday, Today and Forever: Music Ministry in a Changing World and Church” – was to help clergy, musicians and choir members prepare to address the pastoral, liturgical and musical issues related to the upcoming revisions.

The new missal is the result of Pope John Paul II’s initiative in 2000 to bring the English text closer in conformity with the Latin. Since Vatican II, there have been two revisions of the missal. Prior to Pope John Paul II’s initiative, the method used for translation was called “dynamic equivalence,” which was to choose as close a word as possible, but not a word-for-word translation of the text.

For Catholics this would mean that when the priest says, “The Lord be with you,” they would reply with the more literal translation, “And with your spirit,” instead of the current, “And also with you.”

“About half of the musicians say to ask the composers to rewrite the music to fit the new text, but keep the sense of it, while the other half say they don’t want to have to deal with it. Because the music is so much a part of us it will be difficult,” Galipeau said. “I’m not even quite sure where I land yet.”

The International Commission on English and the Liturgy has been charged with the task of translating the Latin missal to English. The bishops in English-speaking countries throughout the world have been looking at new translations and sending suggestions back. According to Galipeau, in November of this year the U.S. bishops will send their final approvals to Rome.

“Within the next two to three years, we will see this change in the United States. Once Rome says yes, the bishops in the United States have requested one year to implement the changes in the parish,” Galipeau said.

He encouraged musicians to prepare people for the changes and use the opportunity to do some liturgical catechesis.

“People will be talking about the Mass like they never had before. What a great opportunity to say, ‘What does the Mass mean? What does it mean to be a practicing Catholic who comes to Mass every Sunday? Why do we gather? What are the introductory rites all about?’ When was the last time we asked those questions? We’re in a comfortable zone, but as soon as something changes it’s ‘oomph’ – take the opportunity to catechize,” Galipeau said.

He pointed out that music can inspire vocations.

“In my own life – I studied to be a priest for eight years – I can remember sitting at Mass listening to the song, ‘Here I Am, Lord,’ and I knew God was calling me to do something. I thought it was the priesthood, but it was through music. I can stand here and talk to you forever, and sometimes it can be one piece of music that can go right through your heart. That’s our responsibility. I really believe this,” he told the musicians.

He implored them to take on the mandate to evangelize.

“Every time you pick up your guitar, about to strum, you are just about to evangelize … at the keyboard, holding a flute, etc. When the conductor lifts her hands, we breathe and out comes Jesus Christ. It’s a big responsibility, but we have the Holy Spirit. There is one woman who sings in my choir … all I need to do is look at her and I am seeing Jesus Christ.”

The conference was co-sponsored by Barry University’s Department of Theology and Philosophy, the Institute of Hispanic/Latino Theology and Ministry, Barry Campus Ministry and the Miami Chapter of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians. It was supported by the archdiocesan Office of Worship and Spiritual Life and St. Thomas University.

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