Anthony Ruff, O.S.B., is a Benedictine monk of Saint John’s Abbey USA and a professor of liturgy liturgical music and Gregorian chant at St John's University School of Theology Seminary.He blogs at Pray Tell.
He is the founder of the National Catholic Youth choir. He is widely published and frequently presents across the country on liturgy and music. He is the author of Sacred Music and Liturgical Reform: Treasures and Transformations, and of Responsorial Psalms for Weekday Mass: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter. He does priestly ministry at the local county jail and the neighbouring community of Benedictine sisters in St. Joseph.
So when such a prominent person writes an open letter to his bishops it is obviously of some importance to us all to take note and reflect on what he is saying with respect.
He has this to say on the introduction of The New Missal:
"With a heavy heart, I have recently made a difficult decision concerning the new English missal. I have decided to withdraw from all my upcoming speaking engagements on the Roman Missal in dioceses across the United States. After talking with my confessor and much prayer, I have concluded that I cannot promote the new missal translation with integrity. I’m sure bishops want a speaker who can put the new missal in a positive light, and that would require me to say things I do not believe."
Click here for supporting article from US Catholic Magazine
Image above from Catholic Herald
Click here for the situation from 400 Irish priests ( a tenth of the total ) who
at a news conference in Dublin, said the proposed literal translations from Latin had produced texts that were “archaic, elitist and obscure and not in keeping with the natural rhythm, cadence and syntax of the English language”.
The association also criticised the new translation for “exclusivist, sexist language”.
and an article here from the UK Catholic Herald on the Irish priests where there are 105 comments at the time of writing.
As always, the comments sections appending these articles are interesting and informative but sadly some are sickeningly offensive to those who dislike/disagree with some aspects of the translation.
2 comments:
Ah, Phil, like you, I very much like and admire and feel for Fr Anthony. It must not be easy to take such a stand when in the US at least a whole section of the Catholic population blindly endorses whatever is presented to them by the hierarchy.
So I say thank you to him to speak his heart and mind and I pray for him at the same time for him to be safe always.
love, claire
Yes thanks Claire, - I hope he gets the support he deserves on this.
Blessings my friend !
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