Q: Greetings in Christ, Father Turner.

We are studying the Eucharistic prayers at our church led by our Pastor and he asked me to see if anything is written as to why the pronoun ‘they’ is used in this instance rather than the usual inclusive ‘we’ (thus including the celebrant) as used elsewhere.  I could think of no one better to ask than yourself as I always read your blog and learn from it and have numerous books you have written. 

Is it possibly an error or can you explain the understanding for the need for the use of “they”?  (It might be 7 in the Roman Missal)

“Look kindly, most compassionate Father,
on those you unite to yourself
by the Sacrifice of your Son,
and grant that, by the power of the Holy Spirit,
as they partake of this one Bread and one Chalice,
they may be gathered into one Body in Christ,
who heals every division.”

Thank you for your time and blessings,

==

A: The missal uses the 3rd person plural in many places where the previous translation chose the 1st person plural. In this case, however, even the previous English kept the 3rd person.

The use of 3rd person more than 1st is a trait of Latin, which often implies the 1st in its use of the 3rd. More importantly, though, passages such as this are meant to be more universal than particular in scope. The Father unites everyone to himself by the Sacrifice of his Son—not just those who happen to be listening to the priest at Mass at this time. The concluding clause similarly does not just refer to those present, but to all who partake of his Body and Blood, that they (not just we) may be healed of every division.

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