CLEVELAND–It has some traditions that are over a thousand years old, but now the Catholic Church may never be the same.
Familiar words said within Catholic mass will soon change, and that’s because the church is adopting the third edition of the Roman Missal, a book that dictates the service.
“I don’t know a lot yet,” said Chris Aiken of Mayfield, but I understand that it’s going to bring some of the Latin phrasing back and change the translation a little bit.”
Pope John Paul II asked for the new translation in 2000.
The new edition of the Roman Missal will bring the Catholic prayers closer to their Latin roots, said Father Theodore Marszel of St. John’s Cathedral in Cleveland.
Ft. Marzel said almost every part of mass is effected. The translation even changes prayers that are 1,500 years old.
For example, when the priest says “the Lord be with you,” the parish will now respond with “and with your spirit” rather than “and also with you.”
“It’s going to be interesting, but I think it’s going to be a bit of a challenge,” Aiken said. “In the past few years, they’ve changed a few things. People always struggle with that a little.”
The changes start on Nov. 27, the first Sunday of Advent.
“We will slowly introduce the people to that experience,” he said. “Some parishes have moved ahead much faster. It’s going to take more preparation, which is a good thing and make us more focused on what we’re about.”
However, Ft. Marzel said the response to the Kyrie, the readings, the Lords Prayer and the Lamb of God will remain the same.
“It’s an exciting time for the church,” Ft. Marszal said. “It’s going to bring forth more of the sacred in the actions that we’ll be doing at the mass.”