With the new translation, many wonder what exactly is changing. The structure of the Mass (the order of the elements, the actions of the priest celebrant, and so forth) remains unchanged in the new edition of the Roman Missal. However, the translation of the prayer texts will change to more closely reflect the original Latin texts. Almost every prayer in the Mass - those spoken by the priest and those spoken by the people - has been re translated from the Latin to English. Some prayers now recited by memory will need to be relearned and the familiar language of many prayers recited by the priest will change. In preparing the new translation, the translators were asked to make the English texts conform more closely to the Latin originals and to retain traditional theological vocabulary that communicates important concepts of the faith. The language that the faithful will hear and pray is more formal and somewhat more complex than the language of ordinary conversation. It conveys rich theological concepts that retains biblical language and images.

Reprinted with permission from the USCCB