Sacred Music Library

The financial cost of changing the translations of the Mass, particularly following the Second Vatican Council, is a significant factor in understanding the economic challenges faced by local parishes. These changes were part of the broader liturgical reforms of Vatican II, which encouraged greater participation of the laity by allowing the Mass to be celebrated in the vernacular (the local language), instead of in Latin. Here’s an outline of the key costs involved in the translation changes:

1. Production of New Missals and Liturgical Texts

After Vatican II, the Latin Mass texts were translated into various vernacular languages. The new translations required the creation and printing of updated liturgical books, such as:

• The Roman Missal (for priests)

• The Lectionary (for readings)

• The Liturgy of the Hours (for the clergy’s daily prayers)

• Hymnals and congregational prayer books

Costs:

• Printing and Distribution: The expense of producing new books and distributing them to parishes was substantial. The cost included not just printing but also logistics to ensure every parish, chapel, and religious institution had access to the updated texts.

• Ongoing Revisions: After the initial translations, parishes had to replace or update their books regularly to account for new translations or revisions (e.g., the 2011 English translation of the Roman Missal).

Example Costs:

• The cost of producing one Roman Missal for a parish could range from $20 to $60 per copy, depending on the quality and format (e.g., hardcover or paperback).

• Hymnals often cost $10 to $30 per copy, and these would need to be updated as new hymns and translations were added.

2. Training Costs for Clergy and Laity

With new translations, priests had to learn to say the Mass in the vernacular, often requiring training in the new language or its specific liturgical nuances.

Costs:

• Clergy Workshops: Priests had to be trained on the new texts, especially with regard to the responses, prayers, and rituals. These workshops or seminars cost dioceses money to organize and run.

• Seminary Training: Seminarians (future priests) had to be taught the new liturgy as part of their regular formation, which increased the cost of their education.

Example:

• Dioceses in the U.S. spent hundreds of thousands of dollars over several years to train priests and seminarians in the new translation.

• Some dioceses organized specific weekend training sessions, which required paying for materials, venue, and the travel costs of instructors.

3. Changes to Church Infrastructure

In some cases, parishes also had to modify physical aspects of their churches to accommodate the new liturgical practices:

• Reorientation of Altars: Vatican II encouraged the use of the vernacular Mass while facing the congregation, leading to altar renovations.

• Visual Aids: New texts were sometimes projected onto screens or included in missalettes, necessitating investments in audiovisual technology for churches.

Costs:

• Altering the altar or the sanctuary layout could cost anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000 depending on the size and complexity of the parish’s facilities.

• Audiovisual equipment (e.g., projectors, screens, sound systems) could cost several thousand dollars per church, especially for larger or tech-equipped parishes.

4. Ongoing Translation and Liturgical Revisions

The translation of the Mass did not stop with the initial changes after Vatican II. There were several revisions, notably the major shift in English translations in the early 2000s and the significant 2011 revision. Each new version or update typically led to:

• Reprinting of Books: Each new translation required parishes to purchase updated copies of liturgical books, hymnals, and prayer aids.

• Software Updates: Some parishes used digital resources for Mass texts, requiring software upgrades or purchases of new systems.

Costs:

5. Impact on Parishioners

Changes in the liturgy and translations also affected parishioners, who had to adjust to the new wording and responses in the Mass. This led to:

• Disruptions in Participation: Some parishes found it difficult to engage the congregation during the transition, particularly older or traditional parishioners who were resistant to the changes.

• Missalettes for Congregation: In addition to providing books for the priest, many parishes also offered missalettes for the congregation to follow along with the new translations. This added a continuing cost for printing and updating.

Costs:

• Missalettes for congregants could cost $1–3 per individual per week, and parishes typically ordered these in bulk for the entire year. For a large parish, this could result in $10,000 to $20,000 annually just for congregational materials.

• Some parishes also had to provide free or subsidized missalettes to parishioners who couldn’t afford them.

6. Long-Term Financial Impact

While the direct financial impact of the translation changes was substantial in the short term (printing, distribution, training, etc.), over the longer term, the economic effects were more difficult to quantify. The shift to the vernacular led to changes in the cultural and social dynamics of the parish:

• New Demographics: The new translations may have helped attract younger, more diverse members to Mass, but also alienated some older, more traditional attendees.

• Ongoing Costs: As the liturgy continued to evolve, parishes had to adjust their financial priorities to accommodate new materials, training, and technological infrastructure.

Conclusion

The financial cost of changing translations was significant, especially for parishes with limited resources. The expense of new books, ongoing revisions, and training clergy and laity added substantial strain to church budgets, particularly during the post-Vatican II period of adjustment. These costs were especially challenging for smaller or rural parishes, which often had fewer financial resources to handle such transitions.