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St Michael's Catholic Church

 

How did the Roman Missal originate?

In the early Christian Church, many of the prayers that were said at Eucharist were memorized and handed down by word of mouth. Eventually the prayers were collected and written down in books known as sacramentaries (book of sacraments). Scripture readings were recorded in other books and the Psalms were written in a book called the Psalter. Throughout the ages, as these manuscripts were passed down, modifications and additions were made. Eventually, all the chants, prayers, instructions and scriptures were organized into one book. It was written in Latin and as the texts contained in it continued to evolve over the next five centuries it became quite large. After the Second Vatican Council, the Mass was translated into many different languages (the vernacular).

Penitential Act
A Walk through the New Mass
Former: New:
My brothers and sisters, Brothers and sisters
to prepare ourselves to celebrate the let us acknowledge our sins,
sacred mysteries, and so prepare ourselves
let us call to mind our sins to celebrate the sacred mysteries.

The change here is more than just the order of the words; it is also the addition of the word ‘acknowledge’. This word was chosen to replace ‘call to mind’ because its Latin root agnoscamus implies both interior and exterior acts – inviting us not only to call to mind our sins but also to confess them openly.

 

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