Letters

Mass translation (letter)

Leo McManus

Contents - Dec 2004 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Religious literacy: why not a national inquiry? - Michael Gilchrist US and Australian election results: the cultural revolution challenged - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Gone fishing: Catholic Earthcare Australia adopts discredited Green agenda - Pat Byrne Administration: Cardinal Pell: Church administrators must put Christ's mission first - Cardinal George Pell English language: Will Rome ensure the completion of an improved Mass translation? - William Oddie Liturgy: Redemptionis Sacramentum on the liturgical rights of the faithful - CDF New Evangelisation: Rebuilding a lost Faith - Fr John Walter Archbishop Fulton Sheen: 25th anniversary - Martin Tobin Society: American surveys show advantages of sexual abstinence education Letters: Orthodoxy succeeds (letter) - Fr Adrian Head Letters: Seminary reforms (letter) - Fr Peter Thompson CM Letters: Election result (letter) - Maureen Federico Letters: Liturgical development (letter) - Msgr Peter J. Elliott Letters: Catholic youth (letter) - Robert Denahy Letters: Graham Greene a Catholic? (letter) - Malcolm Mackinnon Letters: Mass translation (letter) - Leo McManus Letters: 'Fem-speak' (letter) - C.V.Phillips Letters: Misunderstanding over 'Come As You Are' (letter) - Peter Hannigan Letters: Call to holiness (letter) - Mark Calleja Letters: Abortion (letter) - Maryse Usher Letters: Nihilism (letter) - Robert Prinzen-Wood Poetry: The Salami Treatment - Bruce Dawe Books: Decoding Da Vinci, by Amy Welborn - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: Theology of the Church, by Cardinal Charles Journet - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: Making Sense of Private Revelations, by Fr Paul Newton - Msgr Peter J. Elliott Books: Architects of the Culture of Death, by Donald DeMarco and Benjamin Wiker - Jodie Brown (reviewer) Books: Inspiring Christmas Gifts Reflection: Today is born to us a Saviour of the world - Pope John Paul II

I do not accept Philip Holberton's criticism of the new draft translation of the Mass (September AD2000). Mr Holberton asks, "Why after 50 years is the Church going back to the past?" But the sacrifice of the Mass goes back 2,000 years.

I have no difficulty in accepting the words which cause much annoyance to your correspondent. I very much dispute the claim that words such as "grievous", "of your bounty" and "deigned" are no longer current.

As for the complaint that "venerable" implies that Christ was an old man at the time of the Last Supper, this expression rather means worthy of veneration or reverence. In any case, didn't Christ say "Before Abraham was, I am"?

As for the query about our not being worthy to have the Lord under our roof, are we not all sinners and therefore not worthy of the Eucharist? However, as we join with the priest to offer the Holy Sacrifice, this is so pleasing to God that we are made worthy. This includes those who through no fault of their own cannot be present at the Mass.

LEO McMANUS
Townsville, Qld

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 17 No 11 (December 2004 - January 2005), p. 15