Paraphrases?
  • KyleM18
    Posts: 150
    Ok, so I thought paraphrases of the Mass Ordinary (namely the Gloria) aren't allowed after RM3, but then I see St. James in Seattle doing a paraphrase (see page 3 of the bulletin). Are they now allowed for some reason? Thank you!
    SJC Feast of St. James.pdf
    6M
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Kyle,

    They're not allowed, if I understand correctly, but the person or persons to whom you should address the question, "IF they're not allowed, why does the Cathedral use them?" isn't on this forum.
    Thanked by 1MarkB
  • MarkB
    Posts: 1,025
    That's abominable and most assuredly prohibited.
  • bangerman
    Posts: 45
    I know they did away with that practice when Paul Thornock was in charge there, but he's been gone a while now, so I guess that awfulness is making a comeback.
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,295
    That's messed up.
  • Caleferink
    Posts: 429
    I used to live there. They did that before the new translation of the Missal, and have retained it for certain occasions for whatever reason since then. The rector there is one who led the charge to resist RM3. When he did relent, he had the parishioners take a poll there about it where they could voice their displeasure about it (what the purpose of it was or to whom it was intended, I have no clue). The music director there had been "just" the organist for a long time before Dr. Thornock, maybe even before Dr. Savage. So it's a case of out with the new, in with the old. They're notorious for PC'ing official Mass texts like male references to God in the Psalms. To be fair, most of the actual music they do there is superb, and the rector is a fantastic musician himself, but the liturgical leadership at the cathedral and really throughout the archdiocese is...um...lacking, to put it charitably.
  • CatherineS
    Posts: 690
    The poor Gloria! It gets paraphrased frequently in parishes in Brazil, apparently because 'the bishops approved version xyz'. The most egregious was a parish where they just sang the refrain three times (Gloria, gloria, gloria nas alturas!) because it was .... too long. Long describes the way time will feel when you stand before God trying to explain that you thought it took too long to praise Him.

    It's delightful to see the new generation of priests trend away from "throw things out" attitude and arrive in the parishes full of real zeal and faith and a desire to glorify God. Last week the music leader for one evening thought she'd 'vary things' and use a new Gloria, without running it by the priests (it was approved by the bishops!). When she handed me the utterly paraphrased text I thought "uh oh." And afterwards Mass the deacon casually wandered over and confiscated the offending xeroxes, managing to be quite gentle. The music leader was mortified to have chosen poorly, but it was truly just in ignorance. I give thanks for young clergy who are not afraid to be persistently if diplomatically firm in leading this revival. It's very cheering.

    The Agnus Dei and Sanctus get paraphrased too sometimes. Misericordia. Who has the guts to do that???
    Thanked by 4Don9of11 liampmcdonough Viola tomjaw
  • KyleM18
    Posts: 150
    I just wanted to make sure. I didn't know the history of the cathedral's music, but the director of the cathedral near me sung at that cathedral for a long time, so I've been checking out their music.
  • CatholicZ09
    Posts: 264
    Were paraphrases technically allowed prior to the new translation, or did they just happen to become commonplace?
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,159
    In a few countries where there is a long-standing tradition of paraphrases (e.g., Germany), they were allowed, but not generally.
    Thanked by 1CatherineS
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    (e.g., Germany)


    The French have an expression.... "Plus ca change...... " (but I can't make the correct accent here at the forum)
  • m_r_taylor
    Posts: 316
    Paraphrase like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNGM5g-yf04
  • vansensei
    Posts: 215
    The words of the Ordinary aren't ours to change or modify, and it's always sad when it happens.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    [Off topic warning] There's a wonderful dynamic equivalent of the Three Little Pigs. Shoot, if stand up comics can do this, why can't the Mass have one tenth of the beauty and dignity this implies....

    http://biggeekdad.com/2011/11/the-three-little-pigs/
    Thanked by 2M. Jackson Osborn StimsonInRehab
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,388
    Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

    @Chris, you can perhaps type a text with diacritical markings in your word processing program (as I did), and then copy it into your Forum posting?
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Fr. Krisman,

    I can try that. Thank you for the idea. On the other hand, I could just restrict myself to English.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,159
    There are also HTML codes for accented characters: á, é, etc.
    Those are represented as á and é .

    See: https://sites.psu.edu/symbolcodes/codehtml/#accent
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