The Genius of The Roman Rite: On the Reception and Implementation of The New Missal

Description

The translation of sacred texts has been one of the most hotly debated issues in the Church since the inception of Christianity, and the same has been true in our own day as bishops and translators have worked for a number of years now on the forthcoming English translation of the Third Edition of the Roman Missal. This moment offers Catholics a fresh opportunity for liturgical catechesis and formation which was not possible in the years immediately after the Second Vatican Council. Beginning with a short history of how the Roman Rite evolved over the centuries and the implementation of the Vatican II liturgical reforms, Keith Pecklers traces the shift in the principles and process of liturgical translation over the past forty years from the Latin typical editions into vernacular languages. Building on that historical background, this volume then treats the new "General Instruction on the Roman Missal" and significant changes in the texts which English-speaking Catholics around the world will be using for the forseeable future when they pray at Mass.

Keith F. Pecklers, S.J. is Professor of Liturgy at the Pontifical Gregorian University and Professor of Liturgical History at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of Sant'Anselmo, Rome. He is author of numerous books, articles and reviews including the award winning Worship and the edited volume Liturgy in a Postmodern World, both published by Continuum in 2003.

"Keith Pecklers has done a great service to English speaking Catholics by writing this book...The book ought to be a valuable resource to all involved in liturgy in ensuring that the new Missal is successfully adapted in parishes throughout the English speaking world." The Furrow, February 2010 -- Martin Whelan "Pecklers is certainly correct in insisting on the vital importance of preparing congregations properly for new liturgical material, and helping them understand the rationale behind any changes. This little handbook will undoubtedly be a very useful aid for those charged with that responsibility. ... It will also be of value to those outside the Roman Catholic Church who wish to keep abreast of liturgical developments there." The Church Times, 21st May 2010.