Proposed liturgical changes

By Catholic News Service

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops approved a new English translation of the Order of Mass June 15.

As in Canada, the bishops are likely to wait until they have approved and received Vatican confirmation of an entire new Roman Missal in English before implementing the new Order of Mass.

The text that the U.S. bishops approved included only the main parts of the Order of Mass, the daily prayers with which people are most familiar. Some changes people will see when the new version eventually takes effect will be:

• Whenever the priest says "The Lord be with you," the people will respond "And with your spirit." The current response is "And also with you."
• In the first form of the penitential rite, the people will confess "I have sinned greatly . . . through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault." In the current version, is says: "I have sinned through my own fault."
• The Nicene Creed will begin "I believe" instead of "We believe" - a translation of the Latin text instead of the original Greek text.
• During the offertory prayers, the priest will pray that "the sacrifice which is mine and yours will be acceptable" instead of the current prayer that "our sacrifice will be acceptable."
• Before the preface, when the priest says "Let us give thanks to the Lord our God," instead of saying "It is right to give him thanks and praise," the people will respond "It is right and just."
• The Sanctus will start "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts," instead of "Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might."

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