Vernacular language In his 1962 apostolic constitution on the teaching of
Latin, Pope John XXIII spoke of that language as the one the church uses: "The Catholic Church has a dignity far surpassing that of every merely human society, for it was founded by Christ the Lord. It is altogether fitting, therefore, that the language it uses should be noble, majestic, and non-vernacular." However, the only mention of the liturgy in that document was in relation to the study of
Greek. The Second Vatican Council stated in , 36: In addition, the
Bishops' Conference of the Netherlands under
Johannes Bluyssen, around 1965–1966, did not wait for the Canon to be permitted in the vernacular and started experimenting with their own translations and adding new "Eucharistic Prayers", then asking for permission from Rome to do so after the fact, causing political pressure. In response to requests from various quarters, Pope Paul VI authorized the composition of new Eucharistic Prayers, which were examined by himself and by the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and which he authorized for use in 1968. The original Bugnini draft, drawing from the skeleton which is typically thought to be the lost
Apostolic Tradition of
Hyppolitus but is also considered to be of later, non-Roman origin, would have excluded even the and the intercessions. The
General Instruction of the Roman Missal of 1969 states that Eucharistic Prayer II is "useful on weekdays." The third Eucharistic Prayer's structure follows the
Roman Canon. The fourth is based on the 4th-century
Anaphora of St. Basil. Both the third and fourth Eucharistic Prayers were written by Cipriano Vagaggini of the
Pontifical Athenaeum of Saint Anselm at Rome in 1966. The
Council of Trent taught that only the priest who celebrated Mass was bound by divine law to receive
Communion under both species, and that Christ, whole and entire, and a true sacrament are received under either form alone, and therefore, as regards its fruits, those who receive one species only are not deprived of any grace necessary to
salvation; and it decreed: "If anyone says that the holy Catholic Church was not moved by just causes and reasons that laymen and clerics when not consecrating should communicate under the form of bread only, or has erred in this, let him be anathema." While the Council had declared that reception of Communion under one form alone deprived the communicant of no grace necessary to salvation, the 1908
Catholic Encyclopedia states theologians had surmised that receiving both forms may confer a greater
grace, either in itself (a minority view) or only accidentally (the majority view). In
The Spirit of the Liturgy, Cardinal
Joseph Ratzinger (later
Pope Benedict XVI) attributed to the influence of
Saint Peter's Basilica the fact that other churches in Rome are built with the apse to the west and also attributed to topographical circumstances that arrangement for Saint Peter's. However, the arrangement whereby the apse with the altar is at the west end of the church and the entrance on the east is found also in Roman churches contemporary with Saint Peter's (such as the original
Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls) that were under no such constraints of terrain, and the same arrangement remained the usual one until the 6th century. In this early layout, the people were situated in the side aisles of the church, not in the central nave. While the priest faced both the altar and east throughout the Mass, the people would face the altar (from the sides) until the high point of the Mass, where they would then turn to face east along with the priest. In its guidelines for the arrangement of churches, the current Roman Missal directs: "The altar should be built apart from the wall, in such a way that it is possible to walk around it easily and that Mass can be celebrated at it facing the people, which is desirable wherever possible." The English also states that both the construction of the altar away from the wall and the celebration are "desirable wherever possible." A 2000 statement by the
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments stated that "There is no preference expressed in the liturgical legislation for either position. As both positions enjoy the favor of law, the legislation may not be invoked to say that one position or the other accords more closely with the mind of the Church." The rubrics of the Roman Missal now prescribe that the priest should face the people at six points of the Mass. The priest celebrating the Tridentine Mass was required to face the people, turning his back to the altar if necessary, eight times.
Repositioning of the tabernacle The revised Roman Missal states that it is "more appropriate as a sign that on an altar on which Mass is celebrated there not be a tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved", in which case it is "preferable that the tabernacle be located": • Either in the sanctuary, apart from the altar of celebration, in an appropriate form and place, not excluding its being positioned on an old altar no longer used for celebration; • Or in some
chapel suitable for the private adoration and prayer of the faithful and organically connected to the church and readily noticeable to the Christian faithful. The Missal does direct that the tabernacle be situated "in a part of the church that is truly noble, prominent, conspicuous, worthily decorated, and suitable for prayer".
Changes to the role of the deacon In the ( Tridentine Form) the liturgical role of the deacon was largely limited to his role in the ( the Solemn High Mass) and some rites in the . Furthermore, in the the
deacon's role was rarely used apart from the
subdeacon. In the Mass of Paul VI, the deacon was now to be included (if he was present), at any level of solemnity, and not just the solemn form of the Mass. Furthermore, it was often the practice in the , that the role of the deacon and subdeacon were filled by clerics who were actually ordained as priests or bishops (additionally, sometimes the subdeacon's role was performed by minor clerics who were not yet subdeacons, a practice called a
straw subdeacon). However, the Missal of Paul VI required that the role of the deacon be filled by one who was, in fact, a deacon (and not a priest or bishop). This restriction of the role of the deacon to clerics who were, in fact, only deacons makes sense in light of the restoration of the Latin deaconate to a stable ministry – as opposed to the inherited practice of the deacon being almost entirely (except for a few, limited cases) a transitional phase to the priesthood. Nonetheless, the practice of bishops and priests assuming the vestments and roles of deacons does continue in some papal ceremonies. When the deacon proclaimed the Gospel at Mass, it was no longer proclaimed facing the side of the sanctuary, also known as liturgical North, (symbolizing the announcement of the Gospel to the unevangelized), but rather from the
ambo towards the people. Furthermore, the priest no longer had to read the Gospel before the deacon proclaimed it, the subdeacon (being soon eliminated) no longer held the Book of the Gospels (
Evangelium), and the Gospel no longer had to be sung by the deacon, but could (optionally) be read. Having been lost by the time of the Leonine
Sacramentary in 560 A.D., the (
Prayer of the Faithful) was restored to its former location after the Creed and before the Offertory (indicated in the by the priest turning immediately before the Offertory, and saying and the immediately proceeding to the Offertory), as a properly deacon's part. However, in practice the intentions in the are still commonly read by laypersons (sometimes even when deacons are present, contrary to directives). The deacon's duties at the Offertory also changed. Absent the subdeacon after 1972, the deacon was responsible for placing both the wine and the water into the chalice (instead of having the subdeacon place the water in the chalice). After presenting the chalice to the priest, the deacon formerly (in the ) would support either the priest's arm or the base of the chalice and saying with the priest, , but in the Missal of Paul VI, the deacon presents the chalice to the priest, who offers it alone, saying However, the role was soon eliminated due to the suppression of the subdiaconate by Pope Paul VI in 1972 in the .
Other matters A procession is now allowed at the Offertory or Presentation of the Gifts, when bread, wine, and water are brought to the altar. The
homily has been made an integral part of the Mass instead of being treated as an adjunct, and the ancient Prayer of the Faithful has been restored. The exchange of a sign of peace before Communion, previously limited to the clergy at
High Mass, is permitted (not made obligatory) at every Mass, even for the laity. "As for the actual sign of peace to be given, the manner is to be established by Conferences of Bishops in accordance with the culture and customs of the peoples. However, it is appropriate that each person, in a sober manner, offer the sign of peace only to those who are nearest." (
GIRM, 82.) "While the Sign of Peace is being given, it is permissible to say,
The peace of the Lord be with you always, to which the reply is
Amen" (
GIRM, 154). ==Criticism of the revision==