Catholic mass changes take effect this weekend

Catholic mass changes take effect this weekend

By Keller Russell

CREATED Nov. 26, 2011

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FOX POINT – In a church known for tradition, Saturday night’s service at St. Eugene started with the unexpected.

“You’ll definitely need the cards for the preface,” explained Father Jerry Herda, who prepped his congregation before mass began.

“We’re a people of tradition and ritual and so we get used to saying the same words over and over again,” said Herda.

For the first time in 40 years, some of those well known words inside the Catholic Church have changed.

That didn’t sit well with Sister Lucille Flores, initially.

“When I first heard of the changes, I was very negative because it seemed like we were going backwards,” said Flores.

But she warmed up to the idea, as she learned more about it.

“Mass isn’t changing. Mass is staying the same. We’re simply changing a few of the words to get a more exact translation of mass,” said Father Herda.

One of the most noticeable changes is parishioner’s scripted response to the priest when he says “The Lord be with you.”

They’ll now say, “And also with your spirit” instead of “And also with you.”

Father Herda got the congregation to laugh as they approached that part of mass for the first time, asking them “Are you ready?”

You’ll also hear differences in the priest’s prayers.

“What’s known as the Eucharistic prayer, a prayer at the altar as the priest blesses the bread and the wine, the wording of that changes.”

The Archdiocese asks for your patience.

“This is going to force us into an area where most people are not comfortable, which is change,” said Dean Daniels with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

But he and Father Herda are confident the temporary discomfort will only deepen your prayer life.

“This is an opportunity for us to take step back and really think about the words that we’re saying and ideally bring about a deeper faith.”

Catholic churches around the country are implementing the changes this weekend.

 

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