Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 2/5/2008

Question
Hi Fr. Tim, I am wondering if it's okay for our priest to change the wording of the Our Father during Mass to "Our Father You are in heaven, holy is your name (you get the idea)...Some of the people who are in the congregation say it with him this way and the others say it they way we've always said it and it really becomes a big distraction and fosters an atmosphere of incohesiveness.  Also any time during the Mass when Jesus is referred to as Jesus Christ or just Christ, he inserts "the" so it ends up as Jesus "the" Christ  or "the Christ and he will not use a conjuction explaining that his parents spent alot of money on his education and he feels he should sound intelligent which also all leads to feelings of people all going in their own way during mass, incohesiveness, and tension.  I don't want to be hard on our priest but I can't go to Mass in my own parish anymore (nor can my husband and 4 older children) because I leave feeling way more stressed than when I went in

Answer
Hi, Kelly:
Thanks for the question and comments...
No, it is not okay for your Priest to change the wording of the "Our Father" precisely for the reasons you gave that it causes "a big distraction and fosters an atmosphere of incohesiveness."  Even more than that, the Priest is expected to use the language as presented in the Altar Missal.
As he seems to feel as though he is quite educated, etc., I doubt he would much appreciate anybody suggesting he change his ways on this matter.  I suppose that one could not argue that technically his "translation" of the Lord's Prayer is flawed (it actually may be pretty good, and accurate); but we are looking here at an issue of the ability (or lack of ability) of the people present to follow along and pray the Lord's Prayer according to this Priest's personal translation.  Same goes for his use of "the" when using the term Christ, i.e. "the anointed One."  I once knew of a Priest who would always use the term "the Spirit" instead of "the HOLY Spirit."  Plain and simple, a Priest is supposed to use the wording as presented in the Altar Missal.
I am sorry to hear that this has led you to attend Mass elsewhere, and that you cannot bring yourself to attend at your home Parish any more.  But I suppose that I am just glad for you that you are able to attend Mass at all, though elsewhere.  I can fully understand your discomfort and unease with the situation - it is very unfortunate.  Just keep the Faith and practice of being Catholic, and maybe if enough people go somewhere else for Mass, maybe the Priest there will begin to catch on that he is driving people away.
It may be worthwhile to bring the matter to his attention personally by letter, two-times, if he doesn't respond to the first.  If he doesn't respond to the second, then you can write to the Bishop about your concerns.  Keep the letter in very positive tones, and be careful not to try to make it seem like you're telling the Pastor or the Bishop "how to do their jobs."  The Priest and Bishop know that the text of the Mass in the Altar Missal is what any Priest is supposed to follow.  If it does go to the level of the Bishop, then just present it simply and succinctly as "information", and that the practice has driven you from your own home Parish.  Then the Bishop will either act on it or not...at least you have expressed your concerns.

Fr. Timothy Johnson