CNS report GIRM took effect March 2002
Catholic News Service have an article "Vatican approves U.S. English version of instructions for Mass" by Jerry Filteau.
Surprisingly it is not on their website, www.catholicnews.com. I only found the story from Google's cache of: http://www.cdop.org/catholic_post/current_issue/cns.cfm
The article includes:
"... Msgr. James P. Moroney, executive director of the USCCB Secretariat for Liturgy, said the norms in the instruction are in effect now because they took effect with the publication of the new Latin Roman Missal, even though that text has not yet been translated into English.
Included in the U.S. English version of the instruction are adaptations of the norms for the dioceses of the United States, previously adopted by the U.S. bishops and approved by the Holy See. Msgr. Moroney said those adaptations, too, are now in effect. ..."
I agree with him, they are in effect. For example, people should stand and say: "May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands...". Before these new instructions took effect they should have been sitting when saying this.
But in many places this has not been implemented. People have not been taught. I stand to say this, but I am the only one in the church who does.
Here is an approach that has been taken to the implementation in Seattle, according to stolafschurch.org/bulletin_files/Feb_09_03.htm:
When Will These Changes Happen?
Archbishop Brunett, as our bishop, is the chief "steward of the mysteries of God" in our local church and is the moderator and promoter of the liturgical life of the Archdiocese of Seattle, the Church in Western Washington. he has directed pastors and pastoral life directors to implement the changes in two stages.
The Archbishop has asked us to begin the process of implementing the new Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion. Parishes will be providing catechesis over the next few months in various forms such as homilies and bulletin inserts. The Liturgy Office is providing resources to parishes as well as holding workshops for those who train liturgical ministers. Archbishop Brunett has mandated that all parishes complete the implementation of the communion norms by the 1st Sunday of Lent, March 09, 2003. Archbishop has stressed that catechesis must be provided before implementing the changes.
The rest of the General Instruction will begin to be implemented when the final translation of the GIRM is published. The Archbishop has mandated that all parishes completely implement the GIRM by September 14, 2003, the Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross. ..."
Complete implementation by 14 September 2003 may been sooner than most. But it should have happened when it was published in Latin on 18 March 2002. The bishop does not have the authority to say "do not faithfully follow the liturgical book that is now in effect". That is the opposite of Canon 846. But saying "wait for catechesis before implementing changes" is doing this.
How many diocesian newspapers will print a CNS story that the changes took effect in March 2002? What will be the reaction?
By J.R. Lilburne, 15 April 2003. Updated 23 June 2003. I give what I have written on this page to the public domain.
Other sites:
"Vatican approves U.S. English version of instructions for Mass" by Jerry Filteau