Eucharistic Prayer G

15 Eucharistic Prayer G

Eucharistic Prayer G has had a difficult history. It was first created within the Roman Catholic International Commission for English in the Liturgy and published in 1984. It received attention from Bishop Kenneth Stevenson, who worked on it to produce one of the four Eucharistic Prayers included in Patterns for Worship, a report by the Liturgical Commission in 1989. There were significant departures from the Roman original, not least in bringing the two invocations of the Spirit together and rephrasing the language of offering and sacrifice. ‘But,’ the Introduction to Patterns for Worship explained, ‘the vivid use of paradox which is one of the features of the original has been retained and is the explanation for such phrases as “silent music” and “these gifts which we bring before you from your own creation”.’ In addition the prayer included a series of ‘triplets’ – three two-line insertions for seasons and themes to draw out the particular emphasis of that day’s celebration…