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Priests attend a training session on ‘Misal Romano’

Elizabeth A. Elliott | Catholic Herald Staff Writer

Ricardo Soto, director of Hispanic music at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove, Calif., leads priests and deacons in a training session on the Spanish Missal at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington Nov. 16. ELIZABETH A. ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC HERALD

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The Spanish-speaking priests in the United States have a missal
of their own.

Misal Romano, Third Typical
Edition, for Masses celebrated in Spanish, was confirmed in 2016 by the
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. This
edition came into use beginning last Pentecost and is mandatory as of Dec. 2.

Priests in the Diocese of Arlington received training at the
Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington Nov. 16. Ricardo Soto, director of
Hispanic music at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove, Calif., led the training.

Soto taught the priests and deacons the chants included in the
missal and answered questions.

At least some of the chants, such as Kyrie Eleison, were familiar
to the priests, and most Mass-goers.

“That’s a funny version of Spanish,” said Father Ignatius
Harding, parochial vicar of Hispanic ministry at St. Francis of Assisi Church
in Triangle.

“At our parishes that are multilingual, why not give them
something that is common among all people,” asked Soto. “They recognize the
Latin music as part of our Catholic heritage. They see it as ours.”

Previously U.S. Catholics who spoke Spanish did not have their
own Roman Missal.

“We were using Roman Missals from Mexico, Spanish, Colombia and
other Spanish-speaking countries,” said Soto in an interview prior to the
event. “This Roman Missal is our own for Spanish-speaking Catholics here in the
states.”

Soto said the largest addition to the missal concerns the music.
“The other Roman Missals had very little music for the presider or the
congregation,” he said. “Now all the prefaces are set to music, the dialogues and
the people’s parts. It is quite beautiful.”

Soto said one of the nice things about the new missal is for
those who work in the English communities, the English and Spanish missals are
set up exactly the same.

James Starke, director of divine worship in the Office of
Catechetics and Sacred Liturgy, said the new translation incorporates the U.S.
adaptions into Spanish. “Now, for those priests who can’t read the English as
well, they now know what to do by reading the Spanish text,” he said. “All the
U.S. adaptions are available to the Spanish in a readily accessible manner.”

Father Harding said it was nice to use something inclusive of all
in the United States. “The one I’ve been using is from Mexico,” he said.”

Father Michael J. Dobbins, pastor of St. John Bosco Church in
Woodstock, found the workshop helpful. 

“Dr. Soto gave us access to more resources that I didn’t have
before, which is exciting,” said Father Dobbins. “It’s nice to be able to
celebrate the Mass with good music and Dr. Soto is giving us help with the
music especially.”

 

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