CNS: Pope encourages quick completion of English Mass translation

[From Catholic News Service - Please visit for the original context.]

Nov-11-2005

Pope encourages quick completion of English Mass translation

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI expressed his hopes that a new English translation of the Mass prayers would be completed soon.

Writing to members of the Vox Clara Committee, a Vatican-appointed commission of English-speaking bishops, the pope said the new translation from Latin will allow the English-speaking faithful around the world to "benefit from the use of liturgical texts accurately rendered."

Seven of the 12 bishops on the Vox Clara Committee met Nov. 8-10 at the Vatican. The committee was established in 2001 to help the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments evaluate English translations of liturgical texts submitted to the Vatican for approval.

The pope said he was confident that with Vox Clara's assistance "the translation of the 'Missale Romanum' (the Roman Missal) into English will succeed in transmitting the treasures of the faith and the liturgical tradition in the specific context of a devout and reverent eucharistic celebration."

Pope John Paul II promulgated the Latin edition of the Roman Missal in 2002.

The International Commission on English in the Liturgy, a body established by English-speaking bishops' conferences, is translating the Latin text into English. After a national bishops' conference votes to adopt a text, it is forwarded to the Vatican for approval by the worship and sacraments congregation.

A Nov. 10 press release from Vox Clara said the members were informed by ICEL that a "projected schedule" had been drawn up that called for ICEL to complete its translation of the Roman Missal in sections over "the next 23 months."