A group representing more than 400 of Ireland's 4,500 priests has made an urgent plea to the country's bishops to postpone the introduction of the new English translation of the missal for at least another five years.

The call from the Association of Catholic Priests came as the National Centre for Liturgy in Maynooth launched a new publication aimed at explaining and preparing priests and laypeople for the changes in the missal.

The new texts will be introduced in Ireland Nov. 27, the first Sunday of Advent and the start of the liturgical year.

At a news conference in Dublin Feb. 3, representatives from the priests' group said the proposed literal translations from Latin had produced texts that were "archaic, elitist and obscure and not in keeping with the natural rhythm, cadence and syntax of the English language."