Soliloquy in an International Cloister

Watch your step as Brother Lawrence takes you inside the monastery walls of a five hundred year-old international order. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll wish you had ignored your hormones and joined the monastery.

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Location: Rome, Italy

09 April 2006

Quo vadis?

As I'm sure you are all aware, a new English translation of prayers for the mass is being prepared. The original set of translators were all sacked, and replaced by a group that will be more faithful to the Latin text from which they are translating. They are bringing back a host of archaic words and expressions that were tossed after Vatican II--things like saying "And with your spirit," instead of "And also with you." This has upset a number of people, including a fair number of bishops. In a recent interview, the head of the translating committee responded to the criticism by saying: "But some Americans, instead of saying 'Come here,' will say, 'Get your butt over here,' to express impatience. When we speak of 'your spirit' we are using a similar device, but in this case to express respect for the priest as a temple of the Holy Spirit."

My question is, when exactly during the mass will the priest say, "Get your butt over here?" And to whom will it be said? And isn't this talk of butts a dangerous thing, given the recent scandals in the Church?

Good grief! Next thing you know, we'll be saying "thee" and "thou" again.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

The mind poggles ...

10 April, 2006 17:21  
Blogger BroLo said...

Does it?

10 April, 2006 21:16  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Afraid so ...
Dominus vobiscum and all that jazz.

13 April, 2006 11:48  

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