Ordination Rite translation
In April 2002 the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments wrote about the translation of the Rites of Ordination which was submitted in Easter 2000.
The recognitio required for publication and use of the translation was denied.
Instead a modified translation was sent. According to Liturgy News (June 2002):
The letter indicates that the Congregation is ready to grant the recognitio to any conference of bishops that wishes to approve it as it stands, though it allows that a conference is free to propose any changes it considers necessary or advisable.
It reports that "it is believed that every page is sprinkled with changes". Two examples are given:
"baptise" is changed to "administer Baptism"
A proposed sentence is: "You are taken from among men and appointed on behalf of men for those things that pertain to God."
Liturgy News is published quarterly. The editor is Rev Dr Tom Elich. It also has the imprimatur of the Archbishop of Brisbane, Australia, Most Reverend John Bathersby.
In the editorial Father Elich quotes part of the letter from Cardinal Medina Estevez:
... the Congregation had hoped for a speedier conclusion of the matter, as expressed in its letter of 20 January 1999. However the text was not submitted by the various conferences within the timetable proposed by the Congregation ...
Father Elich writes that the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference was not late with its submission: "The Easter 2000 deadline for a complete revision of the Rites of Ordination was met...". It was approved at the Easter 2000 meeting and sent to Rome.
A misunderstanding of "Easter" seems likely. Easter Sunday was on 23 April 2000. However the "Season of Easter" goes for 50 days ending at Pentecost, on 11 June 2000. The bishops met after Easter Sunday, on 9 - 18 May 2000.
Posted by J.R. Lilburne, 27 July 2002.
Other sites:
Cathtelecom report 24 July 2002 "Rome refuses to bless English liturgy texts"