Monday, August 23, 2010

"I believe that the new translations are a step backwards..."

From Carl Olson at Insight Scoop:
"...  and confusing to the people in the pews." That comes from Fr. Thomas Reese, S.J., whose commitment to the AmChurch and talent for dispensing ridiculous sound bites to major newspapers should not be doubted, or questioned in any fashion or form whatsoever:
The Father Reese Creed:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzrbPZblKTa9er8YlU_W8HOeg9ZcX8HxbkIJ79PS_OHqh4UZ62fP544U5Qce4JSTfiMZyRvYS0C3u6DqUxpp6NwhzmchjuEo0v0kCXMoYtUnrV3L_n1ZAXIt4L3anFX0pJZKMJXvXgokg/s320/FrThomasReeseSJ.jpgI believe that the new translations are a step backwards and confusing to the people in the pews.
I believe that Latin blocks simpletons such as most Catholics from understanding the mystery of Christ.

I believe Benedict XVI is an extremely bright man, but he doesn't have any street smarts.
I believe he is still stifling theologians who challenge ideas about Catholicism,
And I believe the Vatican is insisting we continue to explain the gospel in the language of the 13th century.

I believe Sotomayor and Diaz may truly be the new face of the Catholic Church in America;
I believe that President Obama wisely wants them to contribute to the image and reality of his administration.

I believe it is important to make a distinction between people who are pro abortion and people who are pro choice.
I believe President Obama wants to develop programs that will reduce the number of abortions while keeping it legal under most circumstances.
That's quite the faith! A fundamental conviction—articulated well in Fr. Reese's comment in the WaPo—is that ordinary Catholics are simple-minded, easily confused, intellectually challenged folks who can barely cross the street on their own, never mind comprehend some (much needed!) changes to the Missal.

Of course, if Catholics really are so clueless and pathetic, we shan't overlook the fact that since the late 1960s a huge number of them have been catechized, instructed, lectured, guided, lectured, and educated by Fr. Reese and Co., whose first instinct is to doubt the Church while lauding the dominant culture for (take your pick) being tolerant, inclusive, nuanced, moderate, balanced, fresh, new, blah, blah, blah.
Those who have reviewed the translation say it requires new responses from church members in about a dozen places in the Mass. Generally, those responses are relatively simple, as when members will respond "And with your spirit" after the celebrant says, "The Lord be with you." The current response is, "And also with you."
You, dear Catholic simpleton, are in danger of being confused by responses that are "relatively simple." And even if you weren't confused, you would still likely lack street smarts. You need to be a community organizer to have any of those.
"I believe that the new translations are a step backwards..."
Fisking an AP article about the new Mass translation

4 comments:

John C. Hathaway said...

That's one small step backwards for Fr. Reese and one giant leap forwards for Catholicism.

Let's not forget that one of B16's very first actions as Pope was having Reese fired at _America_.

Adrienne said...

It's all so discouraging. As I gain in years (hitting 65 soon) it is obvious that Vat II is a huge mess...

Fr. John Mary, ISJ said...

I thought the laity of this new millennium were the brightest and the best.
And they can't understand this new translation?
Wow!
How can you have it both ways?
Oh, I see.
When it suits your "agenda"...they're the "brightest and the best" when they dissent against the Church's teachings on abortion, contraception and homosex;
they become imbeciles when they are confronted with actual English that gives the proper translation of the Latin original.
Oh, I see.
Jack Russell Terriers rule; THEY understand proper English better than this bloke:<)!

Kathryn said...

This simpleton, street smart (well maybe not street smart) Catholic gets it. And I think it is beautiful. The more I learn about tradition, the more I fall in love with the Catholic Church. Here is what our bulletin said this weekend (don't know if it came from another source): "The new translation we will be using at mass employs a more formal style than we use in normal converstaion. Many sentences will be longer. The vocabulary will be broader. As with all change, there will be some challenges. The adjustments will take some effort, but the results should be worth that effort. Longer sentences will appear in English because our current translation breaks these up when they occur in Latin. Because the new translation stitches these phrases together again, it may be a little more difficult to say and hear at first. But these longer sentences are producting prayers that express more nuances and meaning. They will hold up over repeated usage and will reward those who use them for meditation and reflection."