The Roman Missal, 3rd Edition

On November 27, 2011, the English translation of the Roman Missal, Third Edition, will be implemented in parishes across Canada. Information and resources for parishes and parishioners will be added to this page as it becomes available, so be sure to check back often.

Announcement from the CCCB
Message from Bishop Fabbro

Announcement from the CCCB
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has received recognitio for all sections of the English translation of the revised Roman Missal for use in Canada. The Permanent Council has agreed that the first Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011, will be the date for the implementation of the English translation of the Missal. The official decree for this date has not yet been published, because our Conference is still clarifying the exact wording of one of the adaptations for Canada.

This process of clarification will not in any way slow down the preparation of the English translation of the revised Missal for Canada. Both the English Sector National Liturgy Office and the CCCB Publications Department are busy preparing the new publication and their work is proceeding on schedule.

As well, the National Liturgy Office is preparing to start the launching of the catechetical material it has already prepared. The resource Celebrate and Song, which contains the parts of the Mass spoken by the people, as well as three newly composed Mass settings and the ICEL chants, is now finished and will be available from the CCCB Publications Service during the first half of April. This resource, which contains the texts of Eucharistic Prayers I-IV and 40 hymns not currently found in the Catholic Book of Worship III, will be available from the Publications Service.

Starting the first week of April, the National Liturgy Office will begin posting texts and power-point slides to be used for workshops at the local level – including workshops dealing with the theology of Eucharist, the process of translation and revision, and the history of the Eucharist. These will be available on the website of the National Liturgy Office.

Two DVDs will also be produced by the National Liturgy Office in collaboration with Salt + Light TV. These will be ready for distribution by the end of August. The first will be a two-hour presentation on the theological emphases of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. The second will be an hour-long presentation with a teaching DVD on the structure of the Mass and the meaning of each part of the Mass. The National Liturgy Office will provide a packet of material including suggested workshop formats and questions for discussion at the parish level. Early in September, the National Liturgy Office will have CDs ready with a cantor singing a dozen or so of the new prefaces to assist priests who do not read music but would like to sing the prefaces.

Message from Bishop Fabbro
On the First Sunday of Advent 2011, we expect that dioceses across Canada will be introducing the new English translation of the Roman Missal. The translation that we are now using has become familiar and comfortable. For the past 35 years, it has helped us implement the reform of the liturgy following the Second Vatican Council. This translation, however, was intended to be provisional and has limitations.

Since Pope John Paul II issued the 3rd edition of the Roman Missal (in Latin) in 2000, the bishops of all English-speaking countries have made a concerted effort to produce a translation that is faithful to the Latin text, one that will transmit the rich biblical and patristic roots of the texts used in the Roman Missal. This new translation, then, will be an important means of nourishing the faith and prayer life of English-speaking Catholics all over the world.

The new translation will sound different from the language we currently use at Mass. It will be richer, more spiritual, more poetic. It seeks to express our reverence before the mystery of God, to respond to the hunger for God that our people experience, and to enhance the beauty and dignity of the liturgy.

I firmly believe that our diocese will benefit greatly, if we take time to implement the new translation well in our parishes. It is important for all of us – clergy, religious and laity – to study the new texts and become familiar with them.

Our priests and deacons participated in a workshop in September 2010. Together we reflected on the texts and opened our hearts to the rich tradition of our Church which is expressed in these texts.

This past October, our pastoral ministers, the leaders of religious education in our Catholic schools, and others attended workshops, which were held in two areas of the diocese. At these workshops, they learned about the reasons behind the changes and the resources available for parish catechesis.

Through January and February 2011, the diocese offered workshops for our parish musicians. These evening sessions examined the principles behind the textual changes, the role of music in the liturgy, and the possibilities musicians have to be agents of change. The walls of each workshop venue resounded with the new musical settings that will be used during the first year of implementation.

My hope is that the introduction of the new edition of the Roman Missal will lead all of us to recommit ourselves to a prayerful, faithful, and vibrant celebration of the liturgy. The implementation of the Roman Missal is an opportunity for renewal of liturgical practice in our diocese. Our priests, deacons and lay ecclesial ministers are called to lead our people in this renewal, to draw them into the mysteries that we celebrate on Sunday, to help them come to a deeper sense of reverence for the Eucharist, and to prepare them for the changes that will occur.

We will take time for a much-needed catechesis of our people to help them better appreciate: what the Mass is; what we are doing at Mass; what we mean by “full, conscious and active participation”; how the liturgy connects with our daily lives and our desire to grow in holiness; and how the liturgy sends us out to bring the Good News to others.

If we take time to reflect on the new Roman Missal and what it means for us as a Eucharistic community, then this time can be a blessed time for our diocese, bearing a rich harvest in our life of prayer and service. Just as the reforms of the Second Vatican Council produced many good fruits, so this new translation can be a moment of genuine renewal for our diocese.

If this renewal is to occur in our diocese the work of implementation will require a commitment from all of us. We need to seize this opportunity with enthusiasm, to open our hearts to the Spirit at work in this time of change, to pray that the Spirit will renew our diocese and strengthen our unity in Christ.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Ronald P. Fabbro, C.S.B.
Bishop of London