Church leaders discuss importance of common prayer texts

Published: 2004-11-17

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As Pope John Paul II and some 200 bishops from around the world extolled the virtue of Christians praying together, a smaller group of bishops said a desire for common prayers is not as important as ensuring Catholics have Mass prayers faithfully translated from Latin. The "Vox Clara" Committee, a group of 12 bishops who advise the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, said Nov. 11 that "the pressing pastoral need" for new Catholic Mass texts must take priority over using texts developed ecumenically for English-speaking Christians. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, a member of "Vox Clara" who also is involved in ecumenical dialogue, said that in giving priority to the development of Catholic texts, the committee was not saying ecumenical texts were not important. "I think all English-speaking bishops are concerned about the issue of common texts, and there will be further discussion," the cardinal said.

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