The New English
Translation of the
Mass
Student Booklet
2011
Evolution of the Mass
BIG IDEA: Why has our Mass changed?
Your teacher will present the different significant
changes to the Mass over time.
(Become one Body, One Spirit in Christ DVD Exploring the Mass –
Evolution of the Mass)
Using the Evolution of the Mass DVD timeline record five changes to the Mass that
you feel are significant.
1.___________________________________________________________________
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2.___________________________________________________________________
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3.___________________________________________________________________
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4.___________________________________________________________________
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5.___________________________________________________________________
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What have you learnt about our focus question?
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Read the following article.
Why a New Translation?
Why can’t things just stay the same? Why is everything always the same?
Human beings both like and dislike change at the same time. We are comfortable with what is
familiar but at the same time if nothing changes we become frustrated. This tension spills from
everyday things even into the spiritual life and our being Christians.
Many of us are so familiar with Mass that we can just about say it with our eyes shut.
Change, therefore, is bound to be a bit of a shock to the system. This is not necessarily a
bad thing; it can provide growth and new life. Also, it is easy to forget there was a time
that we celebrated Mass in a very different way and over the years we have used different
translations of what are originally Latin prayers.
Sometimes translations aim to produce a close ‘word for word’ version. This is a good way
of doing it but sometimes the language can feel quite different to the way we normally
speak or write. Another way of translating is to express the gist of the meaning in more
everyday English.
So here we are with a new translation and we have to ask ourselves ‘why?’ Why a new
translation? Why don’t we just stick with what we know?
The present translation was not intended to be permanent. As they worked on it the
scholars wrote a version that aimed to provide a good sense of the original Latin without
giving a word for word exactness. It was understood that it would have to be looked at
again. As time passed, it was felt that some ideas found in the original prayers have not
come across as well as could be hoped. There are some lovely expressions in our present
version yet there are some profound and beautiful ideas that remain hidden. There are
lots of quotations from the scriptures woven into the words of the Mass that can be easily
missed. It would be wrong to dismiss what we have been using but at the same time we
must acknowledge that it is not perfect.
Work on a new translation has gone on for many years. In that time there has been a
change in approach to the project. Now the aim is to produce something as close as
possible to the original Latin and to try to hang on to more of the rich insights hidden
there. It will seem very different and this gives us an opportunity to look again at what we
are really saying at Mass. It opens to us ideas that can help our faith grow. It is hoped that
as we think about the changes our understanding will deepen and that our prayer at Mass
will take on even more meaning.
Being open in our minds and hearts can help us draw ever closer to God.
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Why has our Mass changed?
Use the sentence starters below to write a structure recount in response to this
question.



Our Mass has changed a number of times. These are ...
The most significant changes to the Mass have been …
The recent change has meant …
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Extension: Some people might find change the changes to the Mass a challenge.
What points might you make to convince them that this is a necessary and
worthwhile translation? Understanding what people’s objections are is the most
important aspect of changing their thinking. Can you speculate what these
objections might be? Write a letter to the people at your Parish outlining why these
changes are positive and will bring about a better understanding of our Eucharistic
celebrations.
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Order of the Mass
BIG IDEA: Why is there a structure to the Mass?
Put the following in the correct order.
__________________ Rite
P_______________ _____ Faith
__________________ Procession
Prayer of the ______________
G_________________
P___________________ of the Gifts
P__________________ Act
P____________ over the
K__________
G___________
_____________a
E___________________ Prayer
Liturgy of the __________
L__________ Prayer
Opening ________________
Sign of _____________________
First ______________________
_______________ of the Bread
______________________ Psalm
C_____________________
___________________ Reading
Communion S________
Gospel A___________________
P____________ after Communion
G____________________
Concluding R______
H____________________
D________________
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Introductory Rites
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MASS THE PRESIDER OR PRIEST SAYS A GREETING. THE NEW
WAY TO RESPOND IS BELOW.
Priest: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
All:
Amen
GREETING
Priest: The grace and peace of Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All:
And with your spirit.
*Take a few moments to practice this with your classmates.
Pair Discussion: In pairs try to work out what you think, “And with your spirit.”, means?
Record your answer in the space below.
What do you think, “And with your spirit.”, might mean?
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READ THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE. Highlight the 5 key points.
“And with your spirit” is the literal translation of et cum spiritu tuo, which itself is a literal
translation from the Greek. This phrase, whether in Greek or in Latin, was quite strange to
the ancient world. It appears only in Christian writings. It already forms part of greetings at
the end of some of the Pauline Epistles: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your
spirit brethren. Amen” (Gal 6:18; cf Phil 4:23; Philemon 25); “The Lord be with your spirit.
Grace be with you” (2 Tim 4:22).
First of all, we must ask whether St Paul is referring to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit.
And at first sight it would seem that he cannot be referring to the Holy Spirit because he
speaks of “your spirit”, and the Holy Spirit does not belong to any human being or group of
human beings. So he must be referring to the human spirit. Paul sometimes speaks of the
human being as composed of body, soul and spirit, but like the rabbis of his time he also
tends to use “spirit” and “soul” as interchangeable terms. “Spirit” can designate the whole
person regarded as a thinking and feeling being. So “with your spirit” could well be simply a
way of saying “with you”. Certainly Paul has no intention here of speaking of the human
spirit or soul as distinct from the body.
So to conclude, when we begin again to say “And with your Spirit” instead of the everyday
“And also with you”, we should understand that we are not referring to the soul of the
priest as distinct from his bodily existence. We are making reference to the awe-inspiring
mystery of our common redemption and healing through the Holy Spirit whom the
resurrected Jesus has sent into our hearts. In particular we are referring to the special
grace gift of the Spirit by which men are made priests, praying that that grace will continue
to enable them to perform all their duties in holiness in the service of the priestly people of
God.
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What do you now understand about the phrase, “And with your spirit”?
“AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT.”
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New Penitential Act - Cloze Activity
The Penitential Act is said during the Introductory Rites at the beginning of the Mass. This is
part of the ACTS OF PRAYER AND PENITENCE. Penitence means to feel or show sorrow and
regret for having done wrong.
Mary
failed
Saints
pray
bring
thoughts
sinned
grievous
Sisters
mercy
almighty
PENITENTIAL ACT
Priest: Brothers and _________________, let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare
ourselves.
All:
I confess to _________________ God,
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly _______________,
in my _____________ and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have ___________ to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my _________________ fault;
therefore I ask blessed __________ ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and ______________ ,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to ___________for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have __________ on us,
forgive us our sins,
and ______________us to everlasting life.
Amen
Priest: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting
life.
All:
Amen
Extension: Applying your understanding in new situations.
Why might it be important to ask for forgiveness and show you are sorry for the mistakes
you have made before you begin worship? Think of other situations were being sorry for
your actions in important. Write a short report on this topic highlighting the range of
situations in life when seeking forgiveness is important.
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GLORIA:
The Gloria is a beautiful moment within the Introductory Rites that is based upon the words
the Angels sang at the birth of Jesus.
The Gloria is:
A hymn of praise, which is generally sung, (excluding Advent and Lent which its absence
expresses the penitential dimension of these seasons).
Watch the Introductory Rites Clip
http://www.togetheratonealtar.catholic.edu.au/receive/dsp-content.cfm?loadref=44
Read along with the students in reciting the GLORIA.
All:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace to people of good will.
We praise you,
We bless you,
We adore you,
We glorify you,
We give You thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
You take away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us;
You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer;
You are seated at the right hand of the Father,
Have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One,
You alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
With the Holy Spirit,
In the glory of God the Father
Amen
Extension: Communicating your understanding for different audiences.
Suggest ways in which students in Year 7 might learn the new words for the Gloria. Think
about learning styles and create a mini lesson for students with particular learning
preferences.
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Let us give thanks - It is right and just
In the dialogue between priest and people at the start of the Eucharistic Prayer there are
some important things going on.
The priest says, ‘Let us give thanks to the Lord our God’, inviting us to give thanks and to
draw us deeper into the Eucharist which, as we know, means ‘thanksgiving’.
He asks us to join him in Christ’s sacrifice of thanksgiving which is the Mass.
Notice we add to the idea that it is ‘right’ to give thanks another one that it is ‘just’. Words
like ‘just’, ‘justice’ and ‘judge’ recall our duty to do the right thing but these words have a
meaning in the Bible that helps us understand the Mass more deeply.
The Old Testament picture of God as Judge can seem threatening – that he will judge us
and therefore he may condemn us. This should not be underestimated for we must
recognise the call to do what is right. But the Bible also portrays God as a Judge in a richer
way. We are told he is the Judge who defends the widow and the orphan, who rescues the
downtrodden and the oppressed.
A modern vision of judge tends to focus on one who weighs evidence and then makes a
decision. The biblical understanding adds to this. The judge not only makes an assessment,
he helps, he provides a solution. When I look to Jesus to come as the Judge of the living and
the dead I should see him as my rescuer, my Saviour.
The priest makes this clear as he continues with the Preface. He says ‘It is truly right and
just, our duty and salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks’. In Mass the work
of our salvation is being accomplished in each of us. As we give thanks we are being drawn
into God’s saving work.
It is not only our duty but it is also the way in which God, our Judge, comes to our rescue. It
is truly right and just.
Talk with others about the idea of God as our Judge.
Do we thank God often enough?
Do we connect our thanks with Mass?
Practice the new words below and consider your new understanding of these words.
Presider:
All:
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Presider:
All:
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Presider:
All:
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right and just.
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The Lord be with you. Lift up your hearts. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right
and just.
Giving thanks is at the heart of our faith. We are thankful for the many good things God has
done for us: the wonder of creation, the joy of life itself, the comfort of family and friends.
As Christians we see something deeper in the struggles of life and hardships that we
endure. It is not easy, but we can learn and grow and become more fully human from both
the joys and sorrows of life. All this should be part of our thanksgiving every day. It is
perfectly expressed in the Mass, Christ’s act of thanksgiving.
Our reply to the priest’s invitation to give thanks helps us to recognise that this is
something we are all called to do. We say, ‘It is right and just.’
Write a private list of things you are grateful for having. Reflect upon the gifts you receive.
In our coming Yr. 12 Graduation Celebration take the time to remember this list and truly
give thanks for the gifts from God.
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Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts
What do angels do?
We might think of Gabriel visiting Mary at Nazareth or be aware of guardian angels. The prophet
Isaiah had a vision of the angels worshipping God chanting ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of
hosts (Chapter 6 verses 1-3). We repeat this at Mass to show that our worship is united to this
heavenly praise. To remind us of this the priest ends the Preface with words such as ‘with the
Angels and all the Saints we proclaim your glory, as with one voice we sing…’
And we are joined not only to the worship of angels. Jesus offered to his Father a perfect sacrifice of
loving obedience, the most perfect act of worship possible. The heart of the worship of heaven is Jesus’
sacrifice of praise. Every Mass unites us to his offering.
The new translation replaces ‘power and might’ by ‘hosts’. It is closer to the passage in
Isaiah and to the Latin Missal where the word used means the heavenly army. There is
more to it than being accurate. ‘Power and might’ means not just any kind of strength or
power, such as nuclear, electric or mechanical power. It is God’s power found above all, in
people, all those who worship and serve him.
In heaven, the angels and saints worship God and here on earth we join with them in the
sacrifice of praise. We are part of a great host or army of servants, who do not seek to
dominate or intimidate but who join together in love, worship and praise. In singing or
saying the Holy, holy we remember that we are united to the living and the dead, a great
multitude throughout history and beyond.
Why does the Church recommend that we sing the holy, holy whenever we can?
Think about the sacrifices that people make in their daily lives for others.
Think about this idea of our being united with the living and the dead at Mass.
Can this help us in times of joy and sorrow?
It is thought that Jews at the time of Jesus and later the early Christians used this prayer in
daily worship because they knew that all our prayer comes before God in heaven. All that
we say is special to him. As time passed we started using these words in Mass but we can
also pray the Holy, holy regularly as a prayer in itself.
What do angels do? What do Christians do?
Both are messengers of Good News, who look after others, worshippers of God. We have a
lot in common with angels.
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The Holy, holy in the New Translation is given below. Pray through the words quietly and
slowly.
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Lord, I am not worthy …
When we have visitors coming we often spend time tidying up the house so that everything is
presentable and in order. Imagine having a VIP guest come to stay. Such a visit might prompt us
to redecorate or do some of the jobs we have be promising to get round to but have never
completed.
When the centurion confessed to Jesus that he was unworthy to receive him under his roof
– into his house - it was not because things were a bit untidy or in need of a touch of paint.
He understood his own unworthiness to receive the Lord on a visit to heal his sick servant (see
Matthew Chapter 8).
In the Middle Ages when the priest brought Holy Communion to the housebound they welcomed
Jesus into their homes repeating these same words of the centurion. Again, they were not
apologising for dirty paintwork or broken furniture. They were admitting their unworthiness that
the Lord should enter their house, under their roof, let alone the home of their hearts. They
recognized they did not deserve so great a guest even as they realized they needed him and
gladly welcomed him. A quite natural development included this line in the Mass for us all.
It is very appropriate that this greeting spoken as the Lord enters the dwelling of a sick person
should be said by everyone receiving Jesus. We might not need a visit from the local GP but we all
rely on the one who heals all our ills.
The New Translation of the words we say is given below.
Lord, I am not worthy
that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word
and my soul shall be healed.
We can see that the New Translation retrieves this line ‘under my roof’ and this can help me think
of how Jesus makes his home in me as I must make mine in him. I must make him welcome, listen
to him and wait upon him as Martha and Mary did when they welcomed Jesus under their roof. It
can lead me to think of how I take Christ with me as I leave Mass to bring him, in my heart, into
the heart of my home. He is to be that silent, unseen guest under my roof. I have received him in
Holy Communion and I must be aware that he comes with me in my daily life.
As I echo the words of the centurion about my unworthiness to welcome Jesus I do not simply ask
for forgiveness but healing. I admit that I am a sinner in need of the healing touch of Jesus to
mend my life so that I may amend it. In receiving him in Communion I admit my weakness and
my need of this medicinal nourishment.
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Pause for a moment to reflect upon discuss with others this idea of welcoming Jesus ‘under my
roof’’.
Write a short reflection on this topic. Begin with the sentence starter…
When I welcome Jesus under my roof I ….
Take time to think about those aspects of my life and myself that need healing.
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Time to Go
peace
invitation
nourished
Business
procession
attention
Latin
message
pilgrim
command
Gospel
Sunday
gathering
life
Mass
world
Cloze Passage
As we come to the end of __________ we seem to return to our roots and the reason why we are
there in the first place.
The name ‘Mass’ comes from the words in Latin that are said as people are told that the time has
come to return to the ________________ of everyday life. ‘Ite missa est’ is simply a command to
go and in the ancient world might have been said to a _______________________of people as
things wound up and it was time to leave. It gave us the _____________ name ‘Missa’ which we
translate as ‘Mass’.
We come to Mass every ________________for several reasons: to give glory to God, to hear his
Word, to offer the Sacrifice of the Mass for the living and the dead, to be
_____________________ by the gift of Holy Communion and in order to be sent out into the
world. In a way, we come to Mass in order be told it is time to go. At the heart of every Christian’s
vocation is the call to witness to the _________________by a life of faithful service.
The words of dismissal reflect on our vocation. To draw this out special forms of the
__________________of ‘go forth, the Mass is ended’ have been written.
‘Go and announce the Gospel of the
Lord’,
reminds
us
of
Jesus’
___________________to ‘go out and
teach all nations’ – to spread the Good News.
Some may have the task of teaching in a public way but all of us are called to spread Christ’s
____________________ in ordinary ways. Sometimes it’s not even what we say but how we say
it; it’s not always what things we do but how we do them. Often people who are attracted to the
Church say that what caught their ___________________ is the sense that a person of faith has
something very special about them. It is so important that our lives reflect our beliefs. Our
attitudes and the way we treat people give the most eloquent witness.
‘Go in _______________, glorifying the Lord by your life’ tells how we give glory to God. It is by
the way in which we live. Jesus said ‘I have come that they may have ____________and have it to
the full’. Saint Irenaeus, one of the early teachers of the Church, wrote ‘The glory of God is man
fully alive’. As we try to live fully at one with God and our neighbour we give him glory and we live
in peace. It is the peace which Christ gives, the peace which our ___________needs.
We go out of the church as part of a great ______________as members of the Church, the Body
of Christ on our ______________way to the glory of heaven.
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The different forms of the dismissal at the end of Mass in the New Translation are given below.
Go forth, the Mass is ended.
Or:
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
Or:
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.
Or:
Go in peace.
To whichever line is said we still reply:
Thanks be to God.
Think about ways in which you witness to your faith in every day life.
Challenge yourself to make one commitment to living out God’s command in your daily life.
Write this commitment on a small slip of paper and bring it to the next Mass you attend.
Use this to remind yourself that through your participation in the Mass you are called to
bring the Gospel and God’s love to others.
This workbook was constructed by Ms Penny Lawrence, Acting REC at Domremy College,
FiveDock, 2011.
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