There is no NEW MASS!

Today the Church has officially implemented the new translation of the Roman Missal.    Many people, especially in the media are crying out, "the Mass has been changed!"  That is just not true.  The Mass is the same structurally.  What has changed are the words to some responses and prayers.  Now these changes are corrections in translation and not a complete replacement of the responses and prayers.  The book itself which was called the "Sacramentary" is now the "Roman Missal."  The term "Roman Missal" is how it was called in every other nation so it was strange to have the United States call it the "Sacramentary."

Since 1973 there have been questions surrounding the loss of meaning in the English translation from the Latin.  Latin is the language of the Catholic Church. Latin has always been used as the language of academia and the arts.  The Mass in its Latin form did not make a good transition to English after Vatican II.  Therefore, the Church needed to fix this.  These changes have been in the works now for over 30 years.  Now the Mass in English better reflects the actual words in the Latin version.  So far the changes have been well received.

Note that the Mass is a representation of the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. Jesus died once. There can never be a "new Mass."

I hope this new translation will help Catholics pay attention better and focus on the prayer and spirituality of the Holy Mass.