The Mass is about to change for good, but some folks are not happy about it.

Once I became more learned in the Catholic faith (no thanks to the 1990's RCIA program, mind you) and I developed a love for Latin, I have been one of the many Catholics who has never really been satisfied with the watered-down, English translation of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Now, thanks be to God, Rome has come to our rescue! At the Vatican’s insistence, a new and improved translation of the Mass is being promulgated for the entire English-speaking world.
I didn't know better until these last 6 years, but the controversies surrounding the English translation of the current rite of Mass developed under Pope Paul VI back in the sixties, split the Church:

• You had the “progressives” who wanted all kinds of changes in the liturgy and who brought us experimentation, disobedience, and liturgical abuse—and called it “the spirit of Vatican II.”
• Then you had the “traditionalists”—mainly those from the SSPX (Society of St. Pius X), who had many complaints about the New Mass—some valid, some not-so-valid. I understand some of their valid complaints, but if Rome permits the Mass to be celebrated in the vernacular, then who are any of us to question that? HOWEVER, if the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is to be said in the vernacular, then surely we should insist on unsing the CORRECT translations from the Latin! And DO NOT get me started on sappy, PC, 'inclusive language...'
• Then you had the rest of us - most of the faithful who were confused and didn't know that some of what we were handed was simply NOT what Vatican II intended.

Now, Rome has set out to correct the mistakes in the translation so that the Church will not be torn apart over something as simple as a bad translation. The new translation is already in Rome’s hands, and it may give it final approval at any time. I can not wait to use the new translation - it is beautiful!
Here lies the new problem: the “change agents” in the Church—who love to mold the liturgy to their hearts’ desire—are up in arms about the new accurate translation of the Mass.

Gee - am I surprised?? NO

The International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) of the 1970's , came up with the inaccurate translation of the Mass that we all have had to endure. They made what was supposed to be sacred sound bland and casual instead.
These liturgists were obstinately proud of what they did to the Mass, and they’ve defended it to the death ever since. They have been in charge of the translation of the Mass for decades. They have caused bitter—and highly unnecessary—divisions in our Church.
Rome has turned the tables on these “agents of change”—and now, suddenly, Rome is the one opposed to change! (??)
Therefore, we’re in for a big battle in our Church . . . and it’s coming to each of our parishes.

Here's the deal . . .
If you’ve ever had to deal with them, you already know that the “progressive” liturgists hate tradition. They want nothing to do with Latin, and want everything to be “new”, “relevant” ,“hip”, “modern” ,etc. Until now, they got their way and we’ve been stuck with their flawed translation ever since.

But . . . due to the hard work of many good Catholics who wanted the Mass to be accurate and who wanted a return to a sense of the sacred (as Pope Benedict XVI so aptly put it), the translation that we’ve all endured for decades is about to be corrected. Officially.  The change is coming all the way from Rome. “Rome has spoken. The matter is finished.”

Well, you would think . . .

But the progressive liturgists are not going down without a fight. They never do. They have started a campaign against the new translation in the pages of publications such as America magazine and The National Catholic Reporter (not to be confused with the much better National Catholic Register) newspaper. They have launched an Internet petition drive called “What If We Just Said Wait?” that wants “a grassroots review of the new Roman Missal.”   I have seen this petition - it is telling whose signatures are on this list - if you look by diocese, you see religious sisters who no longer wear habits and do not adhere to orthodox teaching and run less-than-orthodox schools. That is only the beginning of those who sign the petition. I can only imagine what Christ would have said to a "petition" against one of His teachings while he was on earth!  These progressive liturgists who have been in charge of many dioceses for the last 40 years are not going to give up without a fight. The old-guard liturgists have said that they’re going to fight the new translation every step of the way. They’ve launched this petition drive to convince bishops and priests to resist the changes. They are protesting, pouting, and stomping their feet.

These folks talk about how Rome is “turning back the clock” and going “against Vatican II” and how the new translation is “too difficult” for people because it uses sacred language. What? Who do they think they are? Who do they think WE are - morons incapable of learning a few new phrases or concepts? It strikes me as idiotic as those adults who "baby talk" to children because they can not grasp the idea that those children use and understand the same language as the rest of us!

They messed up our liturgy and AMEN that the corrections are almost in our hands!

The Mass is the most important part of our Catholic spiritual and sacramental life. It’s the highest form of prayer. It is the re-presentation (not a symbolic representation) of the redemptive sacrifice of our Lord on the cross at Calvary—and it is not to be taken lightly.

Contrary to popular belief, it is NOT merely a “gathering” , “community meal”,or a “breaking of bread” . . . or any of the other banal platitudes that are passed off for liturgy these days.

It’s also the Holy Sacrifice and it is sacred.

So after so many years of suffering with such a bad translation of the Mass, we’re going to have a better Liturgy in English! Thank You, God! And thank you, Papa B!

At their most recent meeting, Bishop Arthur Serratelli (chairman of the bishops’ committee on liturgy) spoke of the urgency of educating the faithful about the new translation. He said:
     “The point is rather simple, and in one sentence, it is this: Now is the time to act. We should not wait... In parishes, material could easily be placed in parish bulletins beginning now...Merely providing the resources is not enough. We need to encourage the people to use them.”

So, where does that leave me and my family? We must educate ourselves and trust that the Bride of Christ is taking care of God's children and it is not a difficult step - a few changes in words will lead to a greater understanding of the Church's teachings and the theology of the Church.

Read the changes for yourself.

As you can clearly see, it is not that much. If we are honest with ourselves, it is easily learned. Perhaps this forces us to examine ourselves and face the selfishness that causes us to fight change? But I say to you, it is not that much and it sounds much more reverent and heavenly.

Just my .02