New Roman Missal Changes Are Coming, but Mass Itself Will Remain Unchanged

There are always questions to ask whenever change comes into our lives. What does this change mean for me? Will I be able to adapt to the change? How will this change affect the future? Catholics in the U.S. will begin asking such questions about the new Roman Missal changes that will go into effect in Advent 2011. When the words we use at Mass change, many people may wonder why, and wonder if they can adapt to the change. In the midst of all the questions, one thing must be made very clear: The Mass itself is NOT changing. it's the English translation of the words we use in Mass that will, in some instances, change. In their article "New Roman Missal Changes - The Words We Use at Mass", Joe Paprocki and D. Todd Williamson chart the history of changes to the Roman Missal beginning in 1570 when Pope Pius issued the first edition to Pope John Paul II’s Latin edition in 2000 and up to the present. This article shows that despite the changes to the words, the meaning of the Mass has remained true. In order to help lay Catholics, catechists, and priests prepare for the changes in the language we will use at Mass, Loyola Press is providing a number of helpful online resources that will provide answers to the many questions people will have about the Missal changes. See http://www.LoyolaPress.com/RomanMissal to stay up-to-date with the changes to the Roman Missal.