The Lord’s Prayer
The “Our Father” presents an interesting pastoral conundrum. In the United States, a very successful simplified setting with admirable treatment of the English language is already widely used. Australia has its own widely used setting based closely on the Latin Pater noster, and other countries have their own settings as well. Many would regret tampering with an element of the reformed liturgy that the people sing so well. Several possible pastoral solutions were given serious consideration. ICEL could have selected one from the many current settings of various countries to include in the Roman Missal. Or ICEL could have refrained from proposing a revised setting, with the suggestion that each country retain what is presently in use. After much consideration it was decided to offer to all the Conferences of Bishops a new setting based on the Latin Pater noster (GR 812, GS 9‐10). Each country will examine the setting and decide whether or not to introduce it, either alongside or as a replacement for settings currently in use.
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