Rachel Evans
In 2017, Catholics around the English-speaking world used a new version of the standard Mass for the first time since the 1960s. This new version of the Roman Catholic Mass included changes to the liturgy, such as the removal of the phrase and also with you. This phrase was previously used as a response to the priest's greeting, The Lord be with you. The new translation, and with your spirit, is meant to be a more accurate rendering of the original Latin text, et cum spiritu tuo. While some critics of the old translation found the language too conversational, others argued that it helped people pray more naturally.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of change announcement | 4 August 2008 |
| Date of change implementation | 27 November 2017 |
| Old response | "And also with you" |
| New response | "And with your spirit" |
| Reason for change | More accurate translation of the official Latin text |
| Other reasons for change | More elevated language, greater depth and beauty |
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What You'll Learn
The response to Peace be with you
The response to "Peace be with you" is "and also with you", or, in Latin, "et cum spiritu tuo". This is a liturgical exchange between the priest and the congregation, where the priest expresses his desire for God's spirit to be with the people of God. The congregation's response does not refer to the priest's soul but to the grace of the Holy Spirit, by which he is called to the priesthood.
However, in 2008, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced a new English-language translation of the Roman Catholic Mass, which would change the response to "and with your spirit". This change aimed to provide a more accurate translation of the official Latin text, "et cum spiritu tuo", and to address criticisms that the old translation was too conversational to be reverent. The new translation would be the first change to the Mass since the 1960s, and it would take a few years for it to come into effect, with new prayer books being printed and distributed.
The change from "and also with you" to "and with your spirit" was met with some resistance, with around 20,000 Catholics signing a petition asking for the Vatican and bishops to test the new version before making it binding. However, others welcomed the new translation as adding "greater depth and beauty" and providing a more precise translation of the Latin text.
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The Lord be with you
"The Lord be with you" is a common greeting in the Liturgy of the Roman Rite. It is a priest's expression of goodwill, wishing God's spirit to be with the people of God, enabling them to transform the world. The response to this greeting has changed over time.
Since 1970, the response has been "And also with you", which was a translation from the Latin "et cum spiritu tuo". However, this translation was criticised for being too conversational and not accurately conveying the meaning of the original Latin text. In 2008, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced a new English translation of the Roman Catholic Mass, which included changing the response to "And with your spirit". This change aimed to provide a more precise translation of the Latin text and better reflect the sacred nature of the liturgy.
The new translation, "And with your spirit", is a recognition of the priest's role as a representative of Christ (in persona Christi). It signifies that the congregation is not simply returning a greeting but affirming the priest's calling and assuring him of divine assistance and guidance from the Holy Spirit. This understanding is further emphasised by the fact that this liturgical exchange is forbidden between laypersons.
The change in translation has sparked varying reactions. Some critics argue that the new translation is more elevated and adds greater depth and beauty to the liturgy. Traditionalists, on the other hand, may prefer the familiarity of the old translation. The new translation also presents a challenge, as congregations have to adjust to new responses and prayers, which may initially feel awkward and confusing.
Overall, the change from "And also with you" to "And with your spirit" in response to "The Lord be with you" is part of an effort to provide a more accurate translation of the original Latin text and to ensure that the liturgy is properly revered and understood by all who participate in it.
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The new English translation is more elevated
The new English translation of the Roman Catholic Mass is more elevated than the previous translation. This is the first time the Mass has changed since the 1960s, and the new translation is meant to be a more accurate and literal translation of the official Latin text. The Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship issued a new instruction on translation, Liturgiam authenticam, which called for a strict literal translation of the Latin text and a more elevated tone. The new translation is meant to address criticisms of the old translation, which some believed was too conversational to be reverent.
For example, the response to "The Lord be with you" used to be "And also with you." The new translation is "And with your spirit," which is a more accurate translation of the Latin "Et cum spiritu tuo." This change is meant to address a poor catechesis that caused people to think that the congregation was simply returning the favour to the priest, like responding "you too" to a wish of "good luck." However, the actual meaning is that the priest is in persona Christi, and the presence and Spirit of Christ is within him.
Another example of the new, more elevated translation is the prayer over the bread and wine. The old translation was: "Let your Spirit come upon these gifts, to make them holy." The new translation is: "Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall." This new translation is more complex and formal, and it will take some time for English-speaking Catholics to get used to praying in this new style.
The changes to the Mass were announced in August 2008, but they did not take effect for a few years. In the meantime, new prayer books were printed and distributed to dioceses, parishes, and priests. The new translation is meant to be used beginning with the First Sunday of Advent in 2011.
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Critics thought the old translation was too conversational
In 2008, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released a new English-language translation of the Roman Catholic Mass, marking the first change to the Mass since the 1960s. One notable alteration was the response to "The Lord be with you," which changed from "And also with you" to "And with your spirit."
Critics of the old translation ("And also with you") believed that the language was too conversational to convey the appropriate level of reverence. They argued that the phrasing could be misinterpreted as a casual exchange, similar to responding "you too!" to a statement like "good luck." This interpretation was considered incorrect and detracted from the intended meaning of the liturgical exchange.
In contrast, supporters of the old translation felt that the conversational tone made it easier for people to pray to God in a more natural and accessible manner. They may have viewed the new translation as overly formal or distant.
The new translation, "And with your spirit," aims to provide a more accurate rendering of the official Latin text, "et cum spiritu tuo." This new phrasing is consistent with translations in other languages, such as Polish ("i z duchem Twoim") and Japanese, where the response is similar to "And with you, O priest."
While the updated translation may appear more elevated or formal, it is designed to better capture the theological nuances of the Mass and ensure a consistent understanding across different languages.
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The Latin text required a more precise translation
The Catholic Church made changes to the Roman Catholic Mass in 2008, which came into effect a few years later. This was the first time the Mass had been changed since the 1960s. The changes included a revised translation of the Latin text, which aimed to be more precise and accurate.
The Latin text "et cum spiritu tuo" had previously been translated as "And also with you" in English. However, recent scholarship recognised that this translation did not fully capture the meaning of the Latin. The new translation, "And with your spirit", is considered to be a more accurate and precise rendering of the original Latin. This change was made to address concerns about the accuracy of translations from the 1960s, when the Latin mass was replaced by the New Order in the local vernacular.
The phrase "and also with you" was criticised for being too conversational and not reverent enough. The new translation, "and with your spirit", is meant to convey a deeper meaning. When the priest says "The Lord be with you", the response "and with your spirit" recognises that the priest is not just a man but is in persona Christi, and that the presence and Spirit of Christ are within him. This understanding is supported by the fact that the liturgical exchange is forbidden between laymen.
The change in translation also aligns the English version with translations in other languages. For example, in Polish, the phrase is accurately translated as "i z duchem Twoim", and similar translations are used in other languages. The new translation brings the English version closer to the original Latin text and addresses concerns about the accuracy of the previous translation.
The revised translation is part of an effort to recapture the "transcendence and majesty of God" in the Catholic liturgy. While some have welcomed the change, others have criticised it, with some priests grumbling about having to learn a new prayer. However, the new translation is seen by many as an improvement that adds depth and beauty to the Mass.
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Frequently asked questions
The response "and also with you" was changed to ""and with your spirit" to make it a more accurate translation of the official Latin text.
By greeting the people with "The Lord be with you", the priest expresses his desire that the dynamic activity of God's spirit be given to the people of God. In their response, "and with your spirit", the people assure the priest of the same divine assistance of God's spirit.
The Latin and Greek liturgical texts that first mention this exchange are more or less literally "and with your spirit". When Thomas Cranmer crafted the English of the 1549 Prayer Book, he used "And with thy spirite", a phrase that was kept until the 1979 American revision.
Some other changes to the Mass include the removal of the refrain, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again", and the change from "one in being with the Father" to "consubstantial with the Father" in the creed.
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