What Will ICEL Do Next?

HE NAME of Msgr. Andrew Wadsworth is likely familiar to anyone who reads Views from the Choir Loft. He presently serves as Executive Director of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) and is one of the founding members of the new Oratory in Washington, D.C. Msgr. Wadsworth is originally a priest of the Diocese of Westminster (London, UK) and is a friend to anyone working for the authentic renewal of the sacred liturgy.

In his work with ICEL, Monsignor was instrumental in the production of the Third Edition of the Roman Missal that was implemented in 2011 (and which I have commented upon HERE). This past summer, he was invited to give the Hillenbrand Distinguished Lecture at the Liturgical Institute at Saint Mary of the Lake (Mundelein), during which he gave a sort of status update on the present focus of ICEL’s effort. This lecture was published in the September issue of Adoremus Bulletin, available HERE.

The article explains that ICEL is now working on new translations for the following liturgical texts:

The Rite of Confirmation

The Order of Celebrating Marriage

The Order of the Dedication of a Church and an Altar

Exorcism and Related Supplications

The Supplement to the Liturgy of the Hours

Some of these texts received attention during this month’s meeting of the US Bishops in Washington.

Additionally, Msgr. Wadsworth gives details on the request of the USCCB for assistance in producing a revised version of the Liturgy of the Hours. Among the LOH components to be retranslated by ICEL are the following:

The complete selection of hymns as found in the Liturgia Horarum

Magnificat and Benedictus antiphons for Sundays of the 3-year cycle

Intercessions

Orations from the 4-week psalter

The Te Deum

Marian antiphons for use at Compline

If you are interested in learning more about what will be coming our way in the next few years, I encourage you to read this informative article. The author is a good priest we are so fortunate to have directing the work of ICEL.