US Bishops to Vote on Liturgy Items at November Meeting

The U.S. bishops will vote on five liturgical items presented by the Committee on Divine Worship during the annual fall General Assembly of the episcopal conference, scheduled for November 11-14 in Baltimore.

Items include votes on

•  The use of the Spanish-language Misal Romano from Mexico to serve as the base text for the U.S. Spanish-language missal. Mexico’s Conference of Bishops received a recognitio, or permission, from Rome to use the text at the beginning of 2013. Plans call for a U.S. version of the Misal Romano to be available by the end of 2014 or spring 2015.

•  U.S adaptations and proper text for the Misal Romano. These are the adaptations to the Mexican Misal Romano required for use in the United States. They include, for example, translation of the prayer texts, a Spanish-language translation of the U.S. Norms for Holy Communion under both species, and Spanish-language translation of the prayer texts for saints, including Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos and others.

•  The Order of Celebrating Marriage. This is the final translation from the International Committee on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) of the 1991 Latin edition – second typical edition, which was never translated into English. It includes new prayers and rites not previously included in the first typical edition. Should the bishops vote affirmatively, the book will be sent to Rome for recognitio and then be published as the English-language ritual for marriage.

•  Adaptions to the Order of Celebrating Marriage. The Divine Worship Committee seeks approval for four adaptations. They include the option of alternatives forms of vows, the option to move the Nuptial Blessing from after the Our Father into the Rite itself, the option of using a litany of the saints, and the option of using the Spanish adaptations of giving coins and the Blessing and Placing of the Lazo/Veil over the couple during the nuptial blessing.

•  Order of Confirmation. This is a retranslation by ICEL of the order of Confirmation in accord with the norms of the document Liturgiam Authenticam.