Committee Head Discusses Catholic Mass Changes

For the first time in 40 years, Catholics will soon use different words at Mass.

Beginning on Nov. 27, the first Sunday of Advent, a new translation of the Roman Missal goes into effect under order from the Vatican.

Monsignor James Moroney, who teaches at Saint John's Seminary in Boston, headed the Vox Clara Committee, the group which oversaw the new translation. He says they made the change to make the language accessible and to reflect fully the Latin text.

"The poetry, the beauty, the depth of the language is a difficult thing to translate for contemporary times," Moroney says. "But poetry and beauty is appreciated in any age."

The parishioners prayers have changed the least, with much greater poetic expression added to the passages delivered by the priest, says Moroney.