Coming Soon: English Translation of Roman Missal

(28 Apr 10 – RV) Pope Benedict XVI today welcomed the news of the imminent publication of the English translation  of the New Roman Missal. The Pope made the announcement during lunch today with "Vox Clara" Committee members

Set up in 2002, shortly after the publication of the New Roman Missal in Latin, the main task of Vox Clara has been to aid the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, in overseeing the English language translation of the Missal.

The Commission includes bishops from America, Britain, Africa, India and Oceania who have met at regular intervals with officials at the Congregation to present them with the advise of biblical and liturgical scholars from the English speaking world.

Eight years later, it seems, this task has finally come to an end. At lunch with the bishops on Wednesday, Pope Benedict welcomed the news that “the English translation of the Roman Missal will soon be ready for publication”.

Thanking the bishops for their ‘great labour’ the Pope however pointed out that while the task of translation has come to an end, another equally demanding task now begins, that of preparing Catholics in the English speaking world, for the new translation.

“Many will find it hard to adjust to unfamiliar texts after nearly forty years of continuous use of the previous translation” he said. “The change will need to be introduced with due sensitivity”.

The Pope went on to point out that in order to avoid the risk of confusion or bewilderment, the introduction of the new translation must be accompanied by in depth catechesis. He told the bishops that they need to firmly grasp this as an opportunity for “a renewal and a deepening of Eucharistic devotion all over the English-speaking world”.