Mass changes begin for Catholic Diocese

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Austin area Catholics may notice some changes this weekend to the traditional service.

The Roman Catholic Diocese has been working on changes to the Roman Missal over the past 10 years, changes approved by the Vatican in June of 2010.

The new service will include more formal language and some Latin. The changes mean services will be more intricate for priests and worshipers.

“I think its really cool, its like they're making it cleaner is how I think about it. It was OK before but now they're making it clean cut, a nice clean shave," said Parishioner Jacob Mink.

The Revised Roman Missal changes some of the responses and prayers recited by the faithful during Mass. Many of the changes are in texts of what the priests read and pray. There were no changes to rituals or the actions of the Mass. The English translation of the Mass was revised to more closely match the Latin text.

Some say the new mass may be harder to learn but sounds more poetic. The change comes as Catholics celebrate the first Sunday of Advent, the Christmas season.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin includes 127 parishes, or faith communities, in 25 counties in Central Texas. The diocese stretches over 21,000 square miles from West, Texas, (just north of Waco) in the north to San Marcos in the south to the Bryan/College Station area in the east to Mason in the west.

More than 109,000 Catholic families live in the diocese, approximately 509,000 Catholics. There are 227 priests, 168 deacons, 46 brothers and 102 sisters serving in the diocese.