Year of Renewal in Worship and Prayer Part 3—The of the I Archdiocese of San Francisco Textual Study “C”

“.” (Mysterium fidei.)

For your bulletin or newsletter For ministers and study groups “The mystery of faith.” The that follows the words of Have you ever wondered why we sing the memorial institution has been included in the Eucharistic Prayer only acclamation in the middle of the Eucharistic Prayer? This since the . It’s worth noting the acclamation comes just after institution narrative and nuanced similarities and differences between the options: consecration, when the repeats the words of Jesus A) All three acclamations recall the saving action of Christ from the . The moment when the priest takes through his death or Cross. B) The first and the third explicitly recall his Resurrection, up the bread and wine as he is speaking the words of Christ and it is implied in the second acclamation by the fact that is a special time for most Catholics. The acclamation the people are addressing the living Christ. expresses and affirms C) All three express faith and hope. The People of God our belief that the acclaiming Christ look to him for his glorious return (as whole mystery of the WELL SAID! expressed in the first two acclamations) or as Savior (the Crucified and Risen third acclamation.) Christ’s mystery is our salvation. Christ is present and “The mystery of faith is D) The second acclamation, based on 1 Cor 11:26, explicitly active in the the Paschal Mystery, ties the Paschal Mystery to the Eucharist. celebration. the mystery of Christ The commonly used acclamation that most Notice that these dying, rising, and pre- communities know, “Christ has died, Christ is risen, are acclamations, not sent among his peo- Christ will come again,” will not be included in the revised proclamations. ple. It is the whole . Fr. Paul Turner notes succinctly, “It is not a Acclamations are plan of God realized direct translation of any of the acclamations.” prayers addressed to in Christ’s saving love.” Despite its popularity and wide use, it has also been someone, critiqued for not being an acclamation directed to Christ, as proclamations are Lawrence Johnson, The Mystery of the others are, and because the participation of the faithful made about someone. Faith, p. 87. in the Christ’s mystery is also not expressed. The three With the revised acclamations that will be included in the revised missal missal the presider will simply announce “The mystery of offer us a more faithful rendering of the Latin acclamations faith.” This is a more literal translation of the Latin in the Missale Romanum. mysterium fidei. Much as a reader says, “The Word of the For Discussion Lord,” and people respond with an acclamation, so in this  Does your community sing each of the options for the moment the priest makes the announcement and we memorial acclamation at some point during the year? respond with the acclamation. Why or why not? The acclamations themselves have also been slightly  What could our liturgical or catechetical ministers do to revised in translation (see reverse side for examples). help the community come to a deeper understanding of Because they are usually sung, composers of liturgical what the memorial acclamation signifies? music have written many new settings that will enable For Faith Sharing communities to get comfortable with the new texts.  My life gives witness to the Death and Resurrection of Question of the Week the Lord and to hope in his return in the following way(s)  Which of the memorial acclamations might I take as a … prayer mantra for the week? For further reading: Lawrence J. Johnson, The Mystery of Faith: A Study of the Structural Elements of the Order of the (Revised Edition). Washington, DC: Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions, 1981, 2003, 87-88. Paul Turner and Kathy Coffey, Understanding the Revised Mass Texts. Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 2010-2011, 39- 41. Year of Renewal in Worship and Prayer Part 3—The Liturgy of the Eucharist I Archdiocese of San Francisco Textual Study “C”

“The mystery of faith.” (Mysterium fidei)

LATIN TEXT REVISED ENGLISH TRANSLATION NOTES ROMAN MISSAL, 3RD EDITION—NOT FOR USE UNTIL 11/27/11. [Sacerdos dicit:] [The priest says:] Much as we acclaim, “The word of the Lord,” or “The ,” we now also acclaim “The mystery of Mystérium fídei. The mystery of faith. faith” with similar syntax. The priest’s text in English is a more literal translation of the Latin text. By its Et populus prosequitur, acclamans: And the people continue, acclaiming: context the people will know to respond with the memorial acclamation.

Mortem tuam annuntiámus, Dómine, We proclaim your Death, O Lord, The acclamation, “Christ has died, Christ is risen, et tuam resurrectiónem confitémur, and profess your Resurrection Christ will come again” has been an added text in some donec vénias. until you come again. English-language editions of the since 1970, but it will not be included in the new edition of Vel: Or: the missal.

Quotiescúmque manducámus panem hunc When we eat this Bread 1 Corinthians 11:26 “For as often as you eat this et cálicem bíbimus, and drink this Cup, bread and drink the cup, you mortem tuam annuntiámus, Dómine, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, proclaim the death of the donec vénias. until you come again. Lord until he comes.”

Vel: Or: Each of the three memorial acclamations acclaims the saving action of Christ and the faithful’s Salvátor mundi, salva nos, Save us, Savior of the World, participation in it (e.g. “you have set us free,” “we qui per crucem et resurrectiónem tuam for by your Cross and Resurrection proclaim … and profess,” “we eat … and drink … liberásti nos. you have set us free. we proclaim”). These are acclamations of a people caught up in Christ’s dying, rising and return in glory.

All Scripture quotes from the Revised New Testament of the . © 1986 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and the Revised of the New American Bible, © 1991, Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. All rights reserved.