Diocesan priests practice new Roman Missal

Intermountain Catholic/Jenn Sparks

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Father Javier Virgen, vicar for Hispanic Affairs/vocations director for the Diocese of Salt Lake City, practices reading the prayers of the third edition of the Roman Missal. Father Richard Fragomeni (right) lead the workshop. Father Eleazar Silva (left), parochial vicar of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, was among the other workshop participants.

SALT LAKE CITY —The new Roman Missal, which will be implemented the first Sunday of Advent, was the focus of a workshop for a small group of diocesan priests at the bishop’s residence on Aug. 11.

The workshop had several purposes, said the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City: To acquaint the priests with the third edition of the Roman Missal, to hone their presiding skills and "to form a cadre of priests who might help me in giving similar workshops in the diocese in the year ahead for other priests."

The workshop presenter was Father Richard Fragomeni, a priest with the Diocese of Albany N.Y., who also is an author and associate professor of liturgy and preaching at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

In the third edition of the Roman Missal, the wording has changed in many of the prayers for the Mass, particularly the Eucharistic prayers, Fr. Fragomeni said. "Since 1974 we’ve been saying one set of words; now the new set has come up and there are nuances that have changed."

These changes will be a challenge to priests, Bishop Wester said, "particularly those who have been saying this Mass, like me, for over 35 years."

For this reason, the workshop was helpful, the bishop said. "I learned a lot about the new Roman Missal. I was able to practice the new Roman Missal. I feel I’m starting to get more comfortable with the third edition. I feel more confidence in helping others learn it as well."

In addition to introducing the prayers’ word changes, Fr. Fragomeni also asked the priests at the workshop to consider how their gestures communicate to the congregation, and how to vocally interpret the prayers. Portions of the workshop were videotaped so the participants could see how they appear to the community while they are leading the prayer.

"What sometimes priests miss is that it’s a very large stage and … a gesture around the altar that would look OK with a group of 20 people close to the altar is invisible to the people halfway back," said Father Martin Diaz, pastor of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish one of the workshop participants. "By amplifying the gestures, by amplifying the voice, it might appear close up that it’s overdone, but when you see it from a distance it seems normal."

The changes to the Roman Missal give priests a chance to renew their understanding of their praying of the liturgy, Fr. Martin added. "As something becomes so familiar, it can become automatic, so the new texts give us the opportunity to renew ourselves, to jump in again and make it more prayerful – a deeper experience of God."

Another of the workshop participants, Father Sam Dinsdale, pastor of Saint Marguerite Parish, said he already is trying to incorporate the suggested changes to his gestures, but he estimates it will be six months before he’s comfortable with them.

"It’s extremely difficult to change your presiding style," Fr. Dinsdale said. "In many ways (Fr. Fragomeni) wanted us to exaggerate our expressions because what feels to us as exaggeration is merely a basic communication to the people who are looking at us. It’s like shouting down the hall to someone: If you whisper, they don’t hear you. You have to shout."

Fr. Fragomeni said he hopes the enthusiasm of the new words and the renewed gestures will kindle a deeper enthusiasm for God, and "ultimately for what the liturgy is for; namely, to re-school us so that our Catholicism is more than just words but are truly gestures of compassion and justice for others."