AD2000 Editorial
I subscribe to the AD2000 magazine. I am particularly disappointed by the editorial in the October 2002 edition by Michael Gilchrist. It begins:
"The Vox Clara Committee was set up by Pope John Paul II on 20 April 2002, with Archbishop George Pell as its chairman, in order that an approved English translation of the new Roman Missal, according to the guidelines of Liturgiam Authenticam, be completed "as soon as possible".
I agree with this. Its the second sentence which is nonsense:
"The two-year delay in achieving this goal has been due to the International Commission for English in the Liturgy (ICEL), which until now has been reluctant to accept the principles embodied in Liturgiam Authenticam, particularly on inclusive language, inculturation of the liturgy and free (non-literal) translations of biblical and liturgical texts."
Michael Gilchrist is blaming ICEL for a two year delay in the translation of the Roman Missal which was published in March 2002! Its true that in 2000 the Vatican published Institutio Generalis, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. But as I have discussed in detail, the 2000 General Instruction is very different to the 2002 General Instruction.
The editorial highlights the ignorance of people in this matter. It also adds credibility to the statement of the outgoing head of ICEL, Bishop Taylor:
"... The impression is given, and indeed is seemingly fostered by some, that ICEL is a recalcitrant group of people, uncooperative, even disobedient. This is mistaken and untrue. One is tempted to suspect that, no matter what ICEL does, its work will always be criticised by some because their minds are made up that the mixed commission is incorrigible and unworthy of continued existence.
Among those immediately affected by these developments, none has borne their brunt more than the retiring Executive Secretary, John R. Page. It is John (and, by implication, the other members of the ICEL staff) who has been pilloried, sometimes by name, often by title, occasionally by inference. This has occurred in correspondence, official and unofficial, in articles published in several countries, in internet and other media. ..."
By J.R. Lilburne, 3 October 2002, updated 21 October 2002. I give what I have written on this page to the public domain.
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