First Mass in new translation: so how was it?

[musicus]

... Back to the topic now, please. Your various accounts are fascinating and a useful contribution to the historical record.

I will lock this thread on Sunday, so do please post any other accounts you may have.

[Nick Baty]

But do remember that, for many of us in the North West, the First Mass in the new translation is not until 2nd October!

[musicus]

Sorry. I'll keep it open until Sunday October 9. Thanks Nick.

[Peter Jones]

If the priest sings the Introduction, the Gospel Dialogues, the Preface Dialogue and Blessing - as I did - the "and with your spirit" melodies can be confusing for the people. Half of my congregation sang a minor third and the other half a whole tone at the opening of Mass and at the Blessing.

http://www.icelweb.org/musicfolder/openpdf.php?file=Greeting.pdf
http://www.icelweb.org/musicfolder/openpdf.php?file=LiturgyWord.pdf
http://www.icelweb.org/musicfolder/openpdf.php?file=PrefaceDialogue.pdf
http://www.icelweb.org/musicfolder/openpdf.php?file=Blessing.pdf

[Southern Comfort]

Half of my congregation sang a minor third and the other half a whole tone at the opening of Mass and at the Blessing.

To avoid ambiguity, you should use the chants with the minor third, as in the Appendices:

http://www.icelweb.org/musicfolder/openpdf.php?file=SimpleGreeting.pdf
http://www.icelweb.org/musicfolder/openpdf.php?file=SimplePenitentialAct.pdf
http://www.icelweb.org/musicfolder/openpdf.php?file=SimpleBlessing.pdf

and so on. Then it is very clear what interval the priest is singing.

[Peter Jones]

Thank you SC. Very useful.

I suppose we shall have to wait and see how all this is set out in the published altar missal. It's confusing enough with Penitential Act (Rite) III alternative texts being in an appendix. Celebrants will be running out of ribbons.

[Southern Comfort]

All those extra chants will be at the back in Appendix I, pp. 1479 onwards...... The Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling with Water is in Appendix II, p. 1507 onwards. Sample invocations for the Penitential Act are in Appendix VI, p. 1528 onwards. Yes, you may need extra ribbons!

[Nick Baty]

Four times during a workshop yesterday I said, "The Lord be with you". Four times, came back the response, "And also with you" (with a faint "your spirit" from somewhere in the back row), followed by much laughter.

Negative comments included a few older folk who couldn't quite get their heads around "Lord God of hosts" because, they said, it meant nothing whereas "power and might" gave them a mental image.

A few people were uncomfortable with "peace to people of good will". And there followed a lively discussion: did this phrase include more or fewer people than those mentioned in "his people on earth" and did we not wish peace on all people, regardless of their good will!?!

For me, the most interesting thing was that, in a room of 50+ parish musicians, many of whom were involved in church life beyond their musical commitment, few knew anything about the new texts, apart from the fact that they're coming. (And only one knew about this forum – I included the URL on the handout.) Three more workshops left in this series: it will be interesting to see if yesterday's pattern is repeated.

We have two more Sundays before we switch to the new translation in this part of the world – and it appears that few are ready for it.

[alan29]

Well the new texts are confined to the priest. The rest of us are still using the old responses and singing the old texts.
I know I get irritated very easily but the cup/chalice thing really jabs me in the ears. For the life of me I can't fathom what point the translators are trying to make by settling on this linguistic ineptitude. Jesus almost certainly used a cup and not a chalice, and the assembly almost certainly drink from a chalice and not from a cup. So what are the translators up to?
Got to say that "Behold.... " just sounds too "Carry on Caesar" or 3rd rate magician, and "The word of the Lord" and its variants sounds like someone selling fish in Birkenhead Market.
However, I haven't heard a single comment either for or against ....

[Nick Baty]

"The word of the Lord" and its variants sounds like someone selling fish in Birkenhead Market.
However, I haven't heard a single comment either for or against ....

Well you couldn't really say a word against the old Birkenhead market – as a child, my dad used to help the stall holders clear up on Saturday afternoons. He was paid with half a sheep's head! I believe the eyes were a real delicacy. Am I off topic?

[musicus]

Am I off topic?

No more than usual.

[docmattc]

Following the homily this morning the supply priest invited us to stand and say the pharmacist's creed. So called, he said, because it advertises ibuleve.

[SOP]

You have to keep an eye on him Musicus!

Well, last week we all did really well by reading the missalette however this week some confidence was creeping in and that is when the ones reading the missalette had to speak a bit louder!!! The Lord I am Not Worthy is the real stumble at the moment, at least it is for me.

[alan29]

"The word of the Lord" and its variants sounds like someone selling fish in Birkenhead Market.
However, I haven't heard a single comment either for or against ....

Well you couldn't really say a word against the old Birkenhead market – as a child, my dad used to help the stall holders clear up on Saturday afternoons. He was paid with half a sheep's head! I believe the eyes were a real delicacy. Am I off topic?

No more than the translators.

[contrabordun]

The Lord I am Not Worthy is the real stumble at the moment, at least it is for me.

Yes, I've scored nought out of two so far on that one, as well. It comes at one of those points in the Mass where a lot of music gets juggled in a 30 second timeframe and the eyes get unglued from the new words.

The one I definitely do approve of is "Glory to you O Lord". It seems to flow better (in exactly the same way that "and with your spirit" doesn't ).