The 1973 translation of the Roman Missal is much-loved and familiar to most of us, but doubts have been raised as to its effectiveness. Does the paraphrasing of a number of key phrases hide its true meaning? The 2011 translation corrects a number of omissions and additions, but has been criticised by some as being difficult to read. Questions have also been asked about the circumstances under which it was implemented. Through exploring the reasons behind the new translation and the criteria and method used to draw it up, Pat Mullins analyses the differences between the two translations and invites the reader to draw their own conclusions as to the relative merits of each.
