Don't miss this DVD!

Encouraged by Joe's posting about it on Catholic Commentary , I ordered "Become One Body One Spirit in Christ", the DVD on the new translation of the Mass from the Bishops' Conference here. Subtitled "Deepening our understanding of the Eucharist in our lives", and described as an "interactive" DVD it puts the case for the new/corrected translation very powerfully and is worth every penny of the £14.99 (including postage) price. I have not yet seen all of it but I heartily recommend it.

In addition to videos in which members of ICEL (The International Commission on English in the Liturgy) speak there are commentaries on each of the changes to the texts of the Ordinary of the Mass as well as downloadable essays texts and chant examples. I have been aware of many of the changes for some time now, from other sources, but have still made discoveries. One such revelation was the Exsultet or Paschal Proclamation and, reading it through, have been amazed at its sheer beauty and the richness of its allusions. Being no Latinist, I have always thought the current translation good as a text but, by comparison, the new one goes off the scale of superlatives. Indeed, while watching, I have found myself wondering repeatedly at the poverty of the current translation. It seems sad beyond words that we have been deprived so long of those rich scriptural allusions and resonances.

I was nine years old when I was told that we were living in historic times and that we would soon be hearing mass in English. Over forty years later that seems- at long last- to be coming to fruition.