California bill would bring end to shackling of pregnant prisoners
Catholic san Francisco Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper
(PHOTO BY JOSE LUIS AGUIRRE/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)
By Valerie Schmalz
At Nativity School in Menlo Park, Fourth Grade students begin their first day of school with the Pledge of Allegiance. See more photos on page 3.
California is poised to become the first state in the nation to halt the shackling of pregnant women prisoners, under legislation sent to the governor for his signature. However, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has not said if he will sign the legislation, which received final legislative approval August 24, said Sandra Trevino, aide to Assembly Member Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley. The governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment but supporters are optimistic he will sign it, since AB1900 passed unanimously in both the state Assembly and Senate. The California Catholic Conference is one of about 50 organizations which support the legislation. Other supporters include California Medical Association, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, California Nurses Association, California National Organization for Women, California Church IMPACT, California Commission on the Status of Women, and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. No group is known to oppose the legislation, said Trevino and no opponent is listed on the state analysis of the bill. California is already just one of six states in the country that have prohibited, by law, the shackling of women prisoners during labor and delivery, according to the The Rebecca Project for Human Rights based in Washington, D.C., which says the practice of shackling pregnant women “constitutes a cruel, inhumane and degrading and practice that rarely can be justified in terms of security concerns.” The five other states which have statutes regulating the use of restraints on women in labor and delivery are Illinois, PREGNANT PRISONERS, page 4
Changes in Mass will alter most prayers; bring words closer to original Latin While the new translation was set in motion by Pope John Paul II, who commisWe will have to keep our eyes on our sioned the Third Edition of the Missal in Missalettes ™ for the first few months once 1997, it also reflects very clearly the desire the new translation of the Roman Missal of Pope Benedict XVI to refine the manner takes effect nationwide on the first Sunday in which we celebrate the Church’s liturgy, of Advent 2011. However, we’ll have a year said Vallez-Kelly. The language of the to learn about the changes. Church is Latin and each Missal is originally Just about every prayer said during the written in Latin, based on the earlier official Mass has undergone some tweaking in the version, and then each national church transjust-approved English-language translation lates it with final approval or the recognitio of the Third Edition of the Roman Missal. by the Holy See. The Gloria, the Nicene Creed, the Dialogues “You might call it a more vertical or exchanges between celebrant and people, approach. Recall that the primary purpose the Eucharistic Prayers, even some of the of the liturgy is the worship of God and words of the consecration, change with a through that, the sanctification and unificanew philosophy of translation that requires tion of people,” Vallez-Kelly said. “In the closer adherence to the Latin. The new transliturgy we’ve had, it’s been a very familiar The introduction of the new Roman Missal will pose significant lation is both more poetic and more formal way of speaking but the new translation challenges for priests as well as musicians and members of the than liturgies of the past 40 years. reflects the original Latin’s more humble One example is the use of chant is congregation who will have to adapt to new wording for some prayers. stance before God.” emphasized in the new version of the Mass, The American translation process began which should mean more singing throughout by priest in 2002 when the Missal was published in Latin and conto learn to say the Mass in a different cadence, because and people. tinued with participation for numerous groups, including though the language will remain English it will often “We’re planning to do a yearlong catechesis on liturgy particularly the U.S. bishops, with the edited final text reflect the grammatical structure of the Latin prayers, and specifically in the Mass,” said Patrick Vallez-Kelly, approved in March and received by the American bishops said Msgr. Anthony F. Sherman, executive director of the director of the Office of Worship for the Archdiocese of San on August 20. In 2001, the Holy See issued guidelines for Secretariat of Divine Worship of the U.S. Conference of Francisco, saying the changes will be introduced initially translation requiring “formal equivalency” rather than the Catholic Bishops. during the year in the parishes with bulletin announcements “dynamic equivalency” used for translations in the years “It’s a challenge for any priest because they have–so and inserts, and then more intensively in the weeks leading after Vatican II. “Dynamic equivalency allows for translamany of us have–a grieving process to go through. The up to the changeover November 27, 2011. tions of ideas rather than word-for-word strict following of words we have been praying for the past 40 years have CHANGES IN MASS, page 5 The transition will be greatest for priests who will have gotten into our bones,” said Vallez-Kelly. (CNS PHOTO/MIKE CRUPI)
By Valerie Schmalz
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION New school administrators . 6-8 Gulf Coast rebuilds . . . . . . 11 Catholics and Labor . . . 12-13 Commentary & opinion. 16-17 Scripture & reflection. . 18-19
Special Section Bishop-elect McElroy ~ M1-M20 ~ September 3, 2010
New ‘social contract’ Labor Guide ~ Pages 10-15 ~
‘The Waiting City’ challenging film ~ Page 20 ~
ONE DOLLAR
Datebook of events . . . . . . . 21 Services & classified ads . 22-23
www.catholic-sf.org VOLUME 12
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