Sex abuse, liturgy, stem cells on bishops' agenda at spring meeting [Catholic Caucus]

ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- Opening their spring general meeting in Orlando, members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops got an interim report on the causes and context of child sexual abuse by priests and made quick work of proposals to revisit the ethical guidelines on feeding tubes and to declare a National Catholic Charities Sunday in 2010.

In the first morning session of the June 12-14 assembly at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, the bishops also took a preliminary look at two documents they will vote on later in the meeting. The first was a 700-page draft translation of the proper prayers in the Roman Missal for each Sunday and feast day during the liturgical year.

The other was a seven-page policy statement from the Committee on Pro-Life Activities that calls embryonic stem-cell research "a gravely immoral act" that crosses a "fundamental moral line" by treating human beings as mere objects of research.

Both documents were scheduled for further debate and vote June 13.

Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli of Paterson, N.J., chairman of the USCCB Committee on Divine Worship, said the liturgical document under consideration was the second of 12 sections of the Roman Missal translation project that will come before the bishops through at least 2010.

Each draft section first goes through a consultative process in all English-speaking countries and a final draft is proposed by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, made up of representatives of bishops' conferences throughout the English-speaking world.

Because of that process, Bishop Serratelli said his committee had accepted only "a limited number of amendments considered absolutely necessary." Nearly 100 amendments proposed by a half-dozen bishops were rejected by the committee, although some might be brought before the full body of bishops before a vote.

The stem-cell document was introduced by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kan., in the absence of Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, chairman of the pro-life committee.

Saying that the church has been "one of the most effective voices in the national debate on the use of embryos in stem-cell research," Archbishop Naumann said the new document would be the first by the bishops "devoted exclusively to this issue."

He said the stem-cell document will serve as a complement to a "somewhat longer, more pastoral document," aimed primarily at Catholic couples, on the church's teachings on reproductive technologies. The bishops decided not to consider both topics in one document because they face "distinct educational challenges," he added.

** the liturgical document under consideration was the second of 12 sections of the Roman Missal translation project that will come before the bishops through at least 2010.**

I understood we would start to see changes in the Liturgy of the Mass in 2009. Perhaps this is something different.

But it certainly doesn’t sound like the ICEL biblical translation for the NAB,

Please, Holy Spirit, guide these bishops! In Jesus’ name, we pray.

ICEL was not involved with the Biblical translation known as the NAB (New American Bible).

ICEL is an International Commission charged with the translation of euchological texts: the Ordinary of the Mass (its unchanging texts: Gloria, Credo, Eucharistic Pryaers, etc) and the Propers of the Mass (the changeable parts: Collects, Prefaces, etc).

Each national conference of bishops chooses the scripture version it wants and proposes it to the Holy See for confirmation.

The reason we were stuck with the NAB of 1970 when the Vatican II Lectionary first came out in English in the USA and are now stuck with the revision of the NAB is that the United States bishops invested heavily in that project: to produce an “American” Catholic translation of the scriptures. They own the copyright. They get the royalties. Do you get the picture? They are not about to authorize an alternative to their baby, no matter how ugly that baby has grown up to be.

The far superior RSV, which Ignatius Press has printed up right here in the United States (you can buy it from their website) in two absolutely beautiful volumes, is approved by the bishops in the Antilles and Bahamas, I think. I don’t know what they use in Australia, the UK, etc.

But ICEL had nothing to do with the NAB.

Lay the blame for that turkey right at the feet of the US Bishops.

Would that the Vatican would simply say: RSV FOR ALL ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES. PERIOD.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.