The Mass In English

The English have a home court advantage when it comes to Shakespeare's tongue.  They have stolen the march on us with the new translation of the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite.  They started using the new translation with this month already.  We do not start until Advent, the start of the next liturgical year.  

Bishop Davies also wrote his flock:

"I am also conscious we have just begun to use the new translation of The Roman Missal which unites us in worship. At the heart of Pope Benedict's visit to our country was always the Holy Eucharist celebrated with great dignity and adored with love and reverence. The Holy Father asked that the introduction of this revised English translation would be something more than simply a change of wording: "I encourage you now to seize the opportunity that the new translation offers," he asked, "for in-depth catechesis on the Eucharist and renewed devotion in the manner of its celebration." As we become more familiar with this fresh translation, I hope it will enrich our prayer and understanding, help us to recognise more clearly in the Liturgy the words and images of Scripture and, by the beauty and richness of its language, express our wonder at the mystery and reality of the Mass. I hope we will always go beyond the translated words to the reality they express at the heart of the Mass: Jesus Christ, His Sacrifice and His Real Presence with us as we come together with all the Church. "

Courtesy of Zenit.

Is Tommorrow Is Fast Day #1 In England and Wales

Meatless Fridays are back (in England at least.)  Mark Davies, the Catholic Bishop of Shrewsbury, wrote his flock that:

"From Friday this week, the Bishops of England and Wales have restored the practice of abstinence from meat every Friday. We are familiar with this act of penance on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday but now it is extended to every Friday other than Feast Days like Christmas Day.

"For a number of years we have been asked to choose our own act of self-denial on Fridays to mark the day on which Our Lord gave His life for us. But we know this obligation has in practice been often forgotten. So abstinence from meat each Friday (and for those who do not eat meat, abstinence from some other food) will become a weekly reminder that we are a people called to penance and to conversion of life together. It will become a small but significant weekly witness to our Catholic life and identity. And so I wish us to embrace this in a positive way despite the practical difficulties we may encounter. The very fact this will be an act of penance shared by all Catholics will be a witness to our faith in the midst of our working and family lives. "

"The times they are a changin'" as Mr. Dylan once told us.  The letter can be read in Zenit.

Feast of the Holy Name of Mary

Today is the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary. Since the decree of Pius X, it commemorates the great Polish Hero, John Sobieski [1629-1696], who raised siege of Vienna on September 12, 1683. Mark Alessio provides the background and more.