Twitter Updates from US Bishops Meeting: Deliberation on the Liturgy

The annual gathering of the United States Bishops is always newsworthy, attracting a sizeable segment of the Catholic and secular media. But this is the age of Twitter. Never before have the bishops’ deliberations been followed in such detail.

At this week’s Baltimore gathering, the bishops have been discussing the sanctity of marriage, medical ethics, pro-life concerns, the Campaign for Human Development, and other issues. As a Catholic composer, I have been most interested in their discussion on the liturgy. This week the bishops voted on the final piece of legislation on a decade-long dialogue between the American church and Rome on the English translation of the Roman Missal. If the bishops approve the proposed adaptation, it goes back to Rome for final promulgation.

In a nutshell, the current American translation of the Mass does not conform completely to the original Latin. This is epitomized by our use of “And also with you” as a response to the priest’s greeting of “The Lord be with you.” The proposed new translation – “And with your spirit” – conforms better to the original Latin, “Et cum spiritu tuo.”

Bishop Donald Trautman of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been leading an eleventh-hour campaign to table the bishop’s approval because of concern for the “ungrammatical” elements of the new English translation.

Here are the “tweet” reports of today’s liturgy deliberations from Twitter, as posted on @usccbmedia. Despite the 140-character limitation of each tweet, one can easily envision how the drama unfolded. I will let these tweets speak for themselves and will comment on them in a future blog.*


usccbmedia: Deliberation on liturgy begins by addressing Trautman concern about antiphons.

usccbmedia: Trautman asserts that Rome is overstepping rights of the Conference to consider this part of the translation.

usccbmedia: Trautman moves to have graybook from ICEL on antiphons before recognitio be issued.

usccbmedia: Serratelli answers Trautman's charge. Paprocki is addressing the Code of Canon Law.

usccbmedia: Paprocki has taken the meeting into Latin.

usccbmedia: Paprocki says Trautman has raised a legitimate point. George says this question should be discussed later. Trautman says no.

usccbmedia: George urges that the bishops move on to the work before them. Trautman asks to speak again.

usccbmedia: Trautman notes that his motion is still alive. "Not to complicate matters further, but ..."

usccbmedia: Serratelli is introducing Proper of Saints, noting this is bishops' last chance for input.

usccbmedia: Passage of this, as other items, requires 2/3 vote of Latin-member bishops.

usccbmedia: Serratelli notes that a decade-long process is nearing an end.

usccbmedia: Bishop Sklba stands to note good work of Serratelli and committee, but flaws of translation.

usccbmedia: Sklba suggests that welcoming of traditional Anglicans will mean our translation is unfavorably compared to Book of Common Prayer.

usccbmedia: Niederauer notes that everyone can find something to dislike here. Blaire notes that other English-speaking countries have passed this.

usccbmedia: Bishops voting on Proper of Saints.

usccbmedia: 88% percent of bishops approve (195).

usccbmedia: Serratelli presents Roman Missal Supplement.

usccbmedia: There are no amendments to this document.

usccbmedia: Silva notes that saint whose feast is celebrated in Hawaii is eligible to be on national calendar.

usccbmedia: Serratelli and George say this can be considered under US Proper discussion.

usccbmedia: Serratelli presents translation of Commons.

usccbmedia: In arguing inclusion of Hawaiian saint, Silva notes several saints on calendar who lack the "national cultus" his saint presumably lacks.

usccbmedia: Bishop Rosazza notes that English-speaking bishops seem to be held to tighter translation than, say, the French.

usccbmedia: Bishop Trautman re-raises point about Rome stepping in on the antiphons. Serratelli asks that current text be addressed.

usccbmedia: Impromptu amendment on mentioning Native Americans accepted on the spot.

usccbmedia: US Propers goes up for vote. Bishops approve.

usccbmedia: US Adaptation of Roman Missal passed. Serratelli calls this historic moment. George quips, "Not yet."

usccbmedia: Serratelli: Perfection will come when liturgy on Earth gives way to worship of God in Heaven.

usccbmedia: Serratelli speaks on importance of catechesis on translation. Says time of implementation of translation will be determined by recognitio.

usccbmedia: George thanks head of ICEL for his work on the translation.

usccbmedia: George says Trautman issue will still be addressed, as Conference may have right to translate antiphons.

usccbmedia: Says USCCB could sue Congregation in Apostolic Signatura, or USCCB could say they approve Congregation's help with translation.

usccbmedia: Bishops take evening coffee break.


usccbmedia: Trautman makes motion on antiphons.

usccbmedia: Wuerl asks if body can simply approve antiphons based on what they've seen in order to get recognitio.

usccbmedia: Abp. Myers asks if another vote follows recognitio.

usccbmedia: Vigneron asks if Trautman's motion might be remanded to committee. Wants thoughtful review of appropriate people.

usccbmedia: Chaput wants opinion of canonist if bishops can vote to delegate to the Congregation on matter of antiphons.

usccbmedia: Conlon, Bruskewitz, Mahony, Listecki, Sample, others speak up.

usccbmedia: Pilarczyk offers to submit motion that work on antiphons be remanded to Rome.

usccbmedia: Trautman says bishops shouldn't get into habit of walking away from having their rights overstepped.

usccbmedia: Bishops voting on Trautman motion.

usccbmedia: Motion fails.

usccbmedia: Pilarczyk submits motion that antiphons be remanded to Rome. Bishops voting.

usccbmedia: Motion passes overwhelmingly.

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For more detailed coverage go to the official United States Conference of Catholic Bishops fan page on Facebook.

* As far as I know, Twitter tweets are not copyrighted. This is implied by Twitter's allowance of RT or "retweet" for the continuous sharing of posted tweets.