I actually made it to Mass yesterday at Maternity of Mary – felt the need for some churchin’ up, I guess. They took a minute to read a prayer which you can find here:
Heavenly Father,I haven’t heard that one before. I have nothing against it, I’m glad they’re doing it. I’m just surprised the DFL hasn’t started howling about revoking the Church’s tax exempt status for violating the ban on political advocacy.
Through the powerful intercession of the Holy Family, grant to this local Church the many graces we need to foster, strengthen, and support faith-filled, holy marriages and holy families.
May the vocation of married life, a true calling to share in your own divine and creative life, be recognized by all believers as a source of blessing and joy, and a revelation of your own divine goodness.
Grant to us all the gift of courage to proclaim and defend your plan for marriage, which is the union of one man and one woman in a lifelong, exclusive relationship of loving trust, compassion, and generosity, open to the conception of children.
We make our prayer through Jesus Christ, who is Lord forever and ever. Amen.
By the way, I dislike the new translations of old prayers, interrupts the flow and adds little. For example: “One in being with the Father” is now “Consubstantial with the Father.” And that’s better how, exactly? The point of Vatican II was translating the liturgy into the local lingo so we could get more out of Mass. I can’t see these changes as a big improvement. I know that’s not your department but who else can I grumble to?
While I appreciate Joe sharing the marriage prayer, I must strongly disagree with his view on the new Order of the Mass. I expressed my support for the changes when they were being implemented and have continued to believe that the new translations reflect a much clearer, truer version of what we are professing (or as Anthony Esolen so eloquently explains, that they restore beauty and splendor to Mass).
These changes have forced us to think about the words we are saying again instead of merely reciting them. And when you do that, you realize just how much of what we are saying in Mass flies against the popular culture of the day (more on that later). If you want to truly be part of the “counter culture” today, a great way to do that is to attend Mass. And yes Joe, the new translations can be a little awkward at first, but I think once you get used to them you’ll find the words are more meaningful than what they replaced.
