Bishops' vote on liturgy document inconclusive; mail ballot required

So says the headline at Catholic News Service. What it really means is that "John and Mary Catholic" must suffer even longer for worthy translations while dissenting voices at the USCCB continue protesting against Liturgiam Authenticam and other documents from the Holy See:

ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- Following a lively debate, the U.S. bishops left a 700-page translation of one section of the Roman Missal in limbo June 13 when it failed to obtain the number of votes needed to approve the text or to reject it.

The translation of the proper prayers for Sundays and feast days during the liturgical year requires the approval of two-thirds of the 250 Latin-rite members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. But after more than a dozen bishops spoke against the translation, results of the voting were inconclusive....

"John and Mary Catholic have the right to have prayers that are clear and understandable," said Bishop Donald W. Trautman of Erie, Pa., in speaking against the translation that had been in the works for more than two years.

Spearheading the protest we see the name of a prominent leader of the dissenting faction - Bishop Trautman, whose opposition to faithful translations of the Latin texts is well known.

He and his like-minded brother bishops must think that most Catholics, being so ignorant, are incapable of understanding words in excess of one or two syllables. It's comforting to know how thoughtful they are for the illiterate and uneducated masses.

Perhaps, though, some bishops are fearful that someone might actually expand his vocabulary or have his spirit lifted by an authentic translation? Might some find that reverence and mystery associated with accurate and meaningful translations doesn't fit so well with guitars and bongos in the sanctuary?

It's high time for those bishops of the progressive and liberal persuasion to step aside - they've already done quite enough for us over the past 40+ years.