They don't like it

If a bunch of nuns in pants-suits hate it, then thats all the more reason for us to LOVE the translation. Don't be surprised to hear a pants-suited nun uttering the prayers in the current translation once the new one is employed, and it wont be out of ignorance for the new translation.

I typically don't rant on my blog, but I couldn't help it this time.

Yes, we, the most educated people in the history of the world, are just too damn stupid.

Another example of Lefty-Elitism watching out for us po'ignant folks who don't know no better...

Fr. Philip, OP

How can anyone put any stock in anything this group of wack-jobs might say? Check out the rest of their publication: sections on Call to Action and Womenpriests, just to name a few. These are not the nuns of our youth, nor are they the nuns of tomorrow; they are the "social justice, polyester pants-suited Joan Chittister types" who will, thankfully, be off the radar soon.

Imagine that. Religious sisters, many of whom spent their lives educating young boys and girls in Catholic schools, now say some words are just too "hard" for adults to understand or learn.

What do you think their reaction would have been if little 7th graders Johnny or Mary told Sister that the vocabulary test she was about to give them was filled with words that were "not easily understandable"? You think Sister would have wielded a yardstick in a way that would make Darth Vader envious?

Hilarious that a letter signed by Sr. Jeannine Gramick appeals to the authority of Church documents and individual bishops. Yes, that's the same Jeannine Gramick who was banned by the Holy See from ministry to homosexuals because of her open opposition to Church teaching. Isn't blatant hypocrisy the only sin still recognized by the left?

O.K. There's a lot wrong with the ideas of these "wack-job" nuns. But attacking them for their choice of clothing? Please.
Ultra-conservative "wack-job" Robert Hansen couldn't stand women in pants suits either. Takes one to know one I guess.

And what's wrong with caring about social justice issues? The Pope does, as did JPII, and JPI, and Paul VI (ever read "Populorum Progressio"?) John XXIII cared very deeply about social justice issues...

Can't we just take the planks out of our eyes and pray for one another? I'll wear a burka at the same time if that floats your boat.

These old biddies have a far more sinister agenda than simple condescension. We see it with the homosexual "marriage" debate, the abortion question, etc. Control language, and you can twist the debate to your own wicked ends.

"Androgenous Being, who lives in Nature, cool name dude. Your egalitarian democracy come, but don't boss us around, on Mother Earth as it is in the collected writings of Sue Monk Kidd. Give us today from each according to his ability, to each according to his need. Help us get over our hang-ups without being JDGMNTL (the word we dare not utter) of others. Help us embrace our temptations, as we indulge one another. Ahumans."

Goodness I wish I could comment to them.

"The proposed text, "he who was born ineffably of the inviolate Virgin," is not easily understandable to Christian people, much less to the youth who are leaving the Church because of its irrelevancy."

Dear sisters,

Considering that the youth of our Church have not yet been exposed to this translation, I find it quite proposterous that you believe the youth of our parishes are leaving the Church because the Church is making such corrections to the translations.

As a 26 year old woman with friends who have not left the Church, I can tell you that it is the dumbing down of our faith, making it all together ordinary as well as the terrible influence of our culture that is causing youth to leave. Too often I grew up in an atmosphere without being exposed to the scholarship of the Church and thus making theological concepts seem to be exactly what the secular world was telling me they were: musings of a bunch of ignorant and uneducated individuals.

As someone who teaching confirmation class, it is often the concepts that bring about questions of "What does this mean" to our teens that lead them to ask questions and thus get the answers that have more depth and thus show the beauty of our faith.

In fact, this would make me want to study the Church's teachings on our blessed mother and I might actually go look up the word "inviolate" and thus gain a better understanding of our theology as opposed to a word that I might completely gloss over while I give into the tendency of mindlessly repeating the words of prayers at Mass without fully participating in the Mass by actually contemplating what the meaning is of what I am saying.

Following the links from the Nuns' site is one magical mystery tour. (OK, they did link to the Vatican but that was probably an oversite) Very trippy in a womyn empowering far-our so-last-century way. For nuns, they don't mention Jesus much.

I am happy the words of the new translation are not difficult for you to understand.

However, theological terms like "consubstantial" and the odd English grammar used in the new translation create problems in parishes that serve lower socio-economic classes. By far I am NOT suggesting that folks in these parishes lack intelligence, but many either lack formal education or do not speak English as their first language. The new translation creates a huge pastoral problem... and in many parishes like this, time cannot be spent addressing theological language when more pressing issues like poverty, housing and more basic human needs take precedence.

If indeed the Liturgy is the summit of our Christian life together, shouldn't the liturgy be linguistically accessible to all folks that attend English liturgies?

Catholic Clergy Ask Bishops to Keep Mass HOLY

10/30/2007 - 01:24 PST
MARYSVILLE, PA, OCTOBER 30, 2007 -

The Confraternity of Catholic Clergy respectfully asks the Bishops of the United States (USCCB) to disregard the recent letter from the National Coalition of American Nuns on Liturgical Translations. We totally disagree with their request to reject a literal and accurate English version of the Roman Missal based on the typical Latin text. It is our contention as ordained ministers who daily celebrate the sacred liturgy and who serve the spiritual needs of the faithful that they deserve nothing less than total and complete conformity to the authentic and official texts approved by the Holy See.

Since the Eucharistic Sacrifice is the ‘source and summit of Christian life’, it is imperative that the Church’s ministers celebrate 'digne, atténte ac devote' (worthily, with attention and devotion). Reverence is achieved not only by diligently following the rubrics but also by having accurate texts which incorporate sacred language. Ritual (gestures) combines with Rite (words) to make proper worship. 'Full, conscious and active participation' by the faithful in the sacred liturgy is only possible when pedestrian language and banal translations are abandoned once and for all. The congregation is more educated and sophisticated than purported by those who insist accurate and literal translations from the Latin into English would be confusing at best and frustrating at worst.

We live in a culture where the vulgar, crass and obscene are part of everyday conversation. It proliferates the media at all levels: radio, television, movies, theater, magazines, and the internet. Yet, good taste and graceful language are not archaic. Sacred worship requires a sacred vocabulary and nomenclature which expresses the value and need for reverence for ‘the Holy’ and which transcends the secular world and allows the worshipper to approach the threshold of heaven. Accuracy demands that the word "consubstantial" be restored to the Creed since the Council of Nicea (325) canonized the terms 'homoouios' (Greek) and 'consubstantialem' (Latin). Adjectives which predicate the divinity of Christ, prominent in the Latin, need to be reinserted into the English.

'Holy', 'sacred', 'venerable', and 'immaculate', etc., are not foreign terms to Catholic vocabulary. Edified language "inspires the believer to aspire to those things which are holy and sacred. Banal and pedestrian language lowers us into the gutter. One can and ought to seek a poetic sacred language that uplifts the human spirit to seek the divine rather than being content with the mediocrity of mundane.

Contact: Confraternity of Catholic Clergy
www.catholic-clergy.org