Why has the Catholic Mass been changed over time?

Answer 1

The Catholic Church has not changed in any significant way since its foundation by Our Lord Jesus Christ nearly 2000 years ago. She has certainly not changed in any of her Faith and Morals, because these come from God and cannot be changed.

What has changed is the clarity of the Church's Faith and Morals. As heretical controversies have developed, the Church through Her dogmatic definitions has clarified points of doctrine in order to combat those heresies. This accounts for the numerous dogmatic definitions of the general councils and the pronouncements of the Popes down through the ages.

The Catholic Church has also grown in numbers.

Another Perspective

There have been significant changes in the Catholic Church but recognizing . . . discerning those changes depends on an objective viewpoint and what one means by "change".

The Church has lost some of its authority since the culture in developed countries has gradually changed over the last several decades. Practicing Catholics no longer follow all the rules of the Church as many choose their own style of living out their Catholicism. Many Catholics have become less religious and less observant.

Catholic churches and schools are closing their doors and being sold in many regions. There is a lack of priests, a lack of nuns and a lack of parishioners to fund the vast old network of neighborhood schools and churches. That development has a huge affect on its ability to dominate, influence or affect the local social and political culture. It is losing its relevancy and unquestioning obedience is quite rare these days.

The Church has had to become much less secretive and more transparent as decades of sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy has come to the attention of the public and the civil authorities. It has been forced to change its policies regarding members who break the civil law and can no longer continue to transfer child predators from diocese to diocese, treating the crime as a moral slip that can be addressed by prayer. It now has the attention of the world and the world is watching, and questioning, and the Pope often finds himself in the position of needing to answer his critics and explain both his words and actions.

Answer 2

Roman Catholic AnswerOver the course of the past twenty centuries there has actual been very little change in the Mass, itself. The confession, the Gloria, the readings, the homily or sermon, the offertory, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist have remained remarkably unchanged since the very beginning. There have been changes in externals, for instance the change to Latin a couple centuries after Christ was done as that was the common language of the people and Greek was no longer understood very well in the Western Church. Coming out of the Catacombs allowed for more elaborate liturgies in buildings built specifically for that purpose: Churches, etc. Many of those ways of saying Mass that were in existence for less than two centuries were discontinued after Trent leaving only the ancient liturgies, and now, of course, we have the entire Mass in the language of the people. Keep in mind that the Mass is something we receive from God, we do not produce it. The Church is only its servant not its creator. Many of the changes going on right now, in the year 2011 are getting back to what the Second Vatican Council called for and many abuses are ending.
There have been disagreements on translations of various words in every single language in existence, and the debates are particularly hot when it involves the supposed 'word of God'.

Like all things in the world, including religions, things must evolve. Current languages have evolved over the years, thus making the old translations from Latin more inaccurate. As an example, the English spoken by Americans in 2011 is far different than the language that was spoken by the first generation born of the first colonists on US soil.

I feel strange using the word evolve considering most Catholics don't believe in evolution, but I just think there has always been a misunderstanding in what these words even mean, much like the Latin words that are currently being changed in mass. I was raised Catholic, but no longer practice. I believe evolution and creation are one in the same. My belief is that evolution is creation constantly unfolding at every present moment, which is all we ever have.

[QUOTE]All we have is the present moment. We cannot change the past. We do not have a future. All we have is the present moment now. The present moment is where we encounter God and our truest selves. Namaste!- Joseph Wadas [/QUOTE]

In the Catholic Mass, some responses and other words have changed. This is the Roman Missal Third Edition (Second was original translations; first was Latin).

These are:

"And also with you" --> "And with your spirit"

"It is right to give Him thanks and praise" --> "It is right and just"

"We believe in one God,..." --> "I believe in one God,..."

"...for all the good of his church" --> "...for all the good of his holy church"

"Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed" --> "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed"

The priest also had some words changed. Listen and see if you can tell!

Roman Catholic AnswerActually, no words changed in the Mass, a lot of words changed in the English translation of the Mass, but not in the Mass, Itself.

Answer 3

yes they have