Rumors that the “Our Father” is changing are true, but only for Italians. The English version will stay exactly the same, for now.
Archbishop Arthur Roche, the Secretary for the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, asserts it was not the pope who pushed for this change, but the Italian Episcopal conference.
He said each episcopal conference around the world has a responsibility to make all liturgical texts coincide with the Bible translation in their native tongue.
MSGR. ARTHUR ROCHE
Secretary, Congregation for Divine Worship, Sacraments
“No, the the pope isn't changing the Our Father? How could he change what is in Scripture? You see, the most fundamental text for liturgical translations is the Bible. Because the prayers of the Mass are mainly taken from the Scriptures. So the texts of the Mass have to correspond to the Bible.”
This change is taking place now because the Italian Episcopal conference is remaking their Roman Missal. The entire process has taken them a bit more than 10 years to complete.
Archbishop Roche says the phrase 'lead us not into temptation' is the one to be replaced.
ARCH. ARTHUR ROCHE
Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship, Sacraments
“Because it says in the Italian text, 'not to abandon us into temptation. ' That is why the Italian bishops have chosen to use that phrase.”
The expected publication date for the Italian Roman Missal is Advent 2019. Once published, this is when the change for the Our Father will officially take place in all Italian Masses.
