Vatican rejects latest translation. (News in Brief).

Vatican City-In a strongly worded letter of March 31 to the English-speaking Bishops' Conferences, the Vatican has rejected the earlier proposed English Sacramentary (or Roman Missal) based on the second edition of the Missale Romanum. The ICEL translation, it states, favours "constant variety" and abandons sacred language in favour of "compositions superficially attractive by virtue of their emotional impact."

The text, the letter states, sounds like commands to God rather than prayers, reflecting a have-it-now consumerist spirit; and it uses inclusive language avoiding gender- specific terms, in a "faddish" manner. The new prayers are inferior to ancient ones; they include many mistranslations which alter the meaning of phrases and expressions; and there are many, many other problems.

Cardinal Estevez could have let this American Sacramentary disappear without a word, based on the second revised Missale Romanum now that the third edition is out. However, he clearly wanted to let the bishops know once again that ICEL translators are not up to snuff and that the group needs a complete overhaul. The executive director of ICEL since its beginning in the early seventies, Father John Page, resigns as of August 15, 2002.

Note: Catholic Insight will comment on the above in its September issue.