A change "Pro Multis"...

So, you fogeys out there (old or young!) probably know that part of the Latin text for the words of consecration over the chalice says "pro multis". And you probably know that in the current English translation of the text, the priest says "for all" (...will be shed for you and for all, so that sins may be forgiven).

Drilling down the knowledge layers a little further, I betcha quite a few of you even know that "for all" isn't what "pro multis" has always been translated to mean - "for many" is. Theologically, while the Church acknowledges that Christ died willing that "all men might be saved" as it says in Scripture, the Church has also held (per the Latin phrase "pro multis") that the efficacy of His death is only realized for those who CHOOSE to accept Him in baptism - thus, His sacrifice was "for many", the multitudes who accept Him, and not for "all" as in every single person would be saved - that would deny our free will!

Zoom forward to the post-Vatican II translation efforts, and somehow or other "pro multis" got translated into English as "for all" - for what reasons, and whether or not there were any questionable ideologies, we can only speculate. In any case, the Popes did accept the translation as a valid one and approved it for use during Masses celebrated in English. However, some people refused to accept the Pope's assurances, and setting themselves up as linguistics experts, have proceeded for years to argue against the usage of "for all" instead of "for many". Others, while accepting the Pope's authority and assurance of validity, still have been concerned for years over this and have done considerable research and background study on it in an effort to help Rome understand their concerns.

Nitpicking, you say? Perhaps, perhaps not. We belive what we pray, after all. And this is the prayer at the very HEART of the Mass, the very words that we believe Jesus Himself said and is saying through the action of the priest. Heady stuff.

And it looks now like the Pope just might do it "for many" of us (as in, the English-speaking Catholics of the world).

Read more over at the What Does the Prayer Really Say? blog, keep in mind however that it is still in the "very strong rumor" category... Still, interesting to contemplate as yet another significant liturgical rumbling that has emerged from the Roman rumor mills of late - I do believe there's a lot of smoke pouring out from there, and you know what they say... I can't wait to see this big liturgical document that is supposed to be heading our way! I also can't wait to see how our bishops, and parishes, react to it...

Fr. Z discusses the “pro multis” rumor