The current newsletter of the Bishops' Committee on Divine Worship (BCDW) reports that the English translation of the third edition of the Roman Missal should be sent to the English-speaking Bishops Conferences by the end of summer. This seems to be what many have expected.
When the English translation is received, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will then formally determine the date of implementation. With a release of the English translation by the end of this summer, that still points to the probable date of implementation being the First Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011. This, as well, is what has been expected all along.
Here in the Archdiocese of Chicago, we plan to make use of the whole calendar year of 2011 to help the leaders of parishes prepare for the implementation. The whole first half of 2011 (January – June) will focus on vicariate and regional workshops for various groups of ministers: priests, staffs and other parish leaders, liturgical musicians, catechists/teachers, DREs/principals and youth ministers, deacons, etc. The aim of these gatherings is twofold: first, to help participants understand the context of the third edition of the Roman Missal (what it is, where it comes from, how it fits into the renewal of the Liturgy called for by the Second Vatican Council); second, to put them in direct contact with the English translation.
The second half of the 2011 calendar year will be to assist the general faithful of the Archdiocese. In each vicariate, there will be a four-part series on the Mass, with a focus on using the texts of the English translation. The approach will be a mystagogical method of reflection and application: using the texts and exploring their images, phrases, and biblical allusions as a means of coming to a deeper understanding of the Church’s liturgy.
Some resources that would be helpful to priests and to parish leadership might include the CD, Prepare and Pray: Eucharistic Prayers I, II, III, IV, published by World Library Publications. This is a recording of Bishop J. Peter Sartain proclaiming the revised Eucharistic Prayers.
Another good resource is Preparing Your Parish for the Revised Roman Missal, published by LTP. This resource identifies a number of areas of parish life, giving guidance and various suggestions as to how to begin thinking about how to implement the revised English translation.
Also, visit LTPs website, Revisedromanmissal.com. There are various resources that parishes could use to help prepare their people. Of note is a collection of free downloadable bulletin inserts. Be sure to look at other helpful resources that our own LTP has developed for the Roman Missal.
Finally, I continue to encourage pastors and parish leadership to begin speaking now about the revised Roman Missal. Write about it in the parish bulletin; give specific examples of the revised translation (see the Order of Mass on the USCCB Web site); gather with small groups of the parish and “run through” the Order of Mass discussing the texts as you go.