Are you excited about the new translation of the Liturgy of the Hours?

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EphelDuath

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I don’t know who has been following the BCDW newsletter, but in a few years we will have a new English translation of the Liturgy of the Hours.

Based on what info has been released so far, it’s going to be better in almost every way possible:
  1. the Grail Psalms will be replaced with the Revised Grail Psalms (in accordance with Liturgiam authenticam), which are widely lauded as being a huge improvement;
  2. for Americans, the Biblical readings will be updated from the original New American Bible to the NAB Revised Edition (not a fan of either at all, really, but the latter is a slight improvement);
  3. the Antiphons will be re-translated, which will also include the three-year cycle of canticle Antiphons that are in the 1985 Latin edition of the LotH;
  4. the Intercessions will be re-translated;
  5. the Collects will be updated to conform to the new Roman Missal;
  6. the generic interchangeable hymns and religious poetry will be eliminated in favor of the hymns in the Latin being translated and becoming the mandatory song for the Hour;
  7. the Calendar will be updated to account for the beatifications and canonizations that have happened since the original edition was published, since currently you need to use a supplement to get the necessary propers.
The Responsories will stay the same. No word on the Ordinary (the Te Deum has to be updated because it still says “God of power and might” rather than “God of Hosts”, so I assume it will undergo some updates), Psalm-prayers (I imagine they will be relegated to an appendix as they are in the Latin), General Instruction or non-Biblical readings, yet.

No word on it yet, but I am also hopeful that Catholic Book Publishing Corporation will not hold a monopoly on publishing the English, since the artwork that appears in the current LotH is “modernist” (some may like that, but I would at least prefer the ability to pick from many publishers).

Are you excited? 😃
 
Not really. I prefer the Latin older version. And seeing that I’m just a member of the laity, I’m free to say which ever version I choose. The FSSP and other similar associations/societies can use the older versions too (1962).
 
I’ll be more excited when it actually appears on the horizon. 😃

I do hope to see:
  1. the Glory Be returned to the “real” one;
  2. the intercessions completely re-written – some of the current ones sound like we’re giving God orders, rather than making requests; and
  3. the complete and total disappearance of the psalm-prayers.
👍
 
I wasn’t a user of the LOTH in 1975 when the current edition came out. Is there a history of “grandfathering” the in-use edition? Just thinking of the cost of a new 4-volume set for each of the thousands of priests and deacons in the US.
 
Tarpeian_Rock said:
I wasn’t a user of the LOTH in 1975 when the current edition came out. Is there a history of “grandfathering” the in-use edition? Just thinking of the cost of a new 4-volume set for each of the thousands of priests and deacons in the US.
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When (more like “if” I suppose…) CBPC no longer has a monopoly on the LotH, then I can guarantee you the price will drop dramatically. Plus, there’s the option of digital versions; if you have a smartphone, you can use DivineOffice for a few bucks rather than $150+.
agnes_therese said:
I’ll be more excited when it actually appears on the horizon. 😃

I do hope to see:
  1. the Glory Be returned to the “real” one;
  2. the intercessions completely re-written – some of the current ones sound like we’re giving God orders, rather than making requests; and
  3. the complete and total disappearance of the psalm-prayers.
👍
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I think the Gloria Patri being returned to the traditional version has already been authorized; one can freely use either version in the LotH. As to which (if not both) version will be printed in the new translation, I couldn’t tell you…

The Intercessions are being completely re-translated.

I think the Psalm-prayers are going to be relegated to an appendix, like they are in the Latin, since that’s how every other country in the world does it. But to my knowledge this hasn’t been announced yet, so I don’t know.
 
Tarpeian_Rock said:
I wasn’t a user of the LOTH in 1975 when the current edition came out. Is there a history of “grandfathering” the in-use edition? Just thinking of the cost of a new 4-volume set for each of the thousands of priests and deacons in the US.
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Maybe we should all start saving up – both for our own copies, and to help our priests with theirs.
 
EphelDuath said:
Are you excited? 😃
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I might be when it’s arrival is much closer. I don’t think I’ll be too excited about it’s cost. In fact I suspect I shan’t buy it. If I do it’ll be like the current edition where I bought each volume over a long period of time.
 
corsair said:
Not really. I prefer the Latin older version. And seeing that I’m just a member of the laity, I’m free to say which ever version I choose. The FSSP and other similar associations/societies can use the older versions too (1962).
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Actually any secular cleric not bound is allowed to choose the EF or OF version. So Fr. ___ at St. ___ in Anytown, USA, is allowed to pray the 1962 if he likes.
 
EphelDuath said:
No word on it yet, but I am also hopeful that Catholic Book Publishing Corporation will not hold a monopoly on publishing the English, since the artwork that appears in the current LotH is “modernist” (some may like that, but I would at least prefer the ability to pick from many publishers).
Click to expand...
Is this the only problem? Someone will be holding the copyrights, I’m sure, and that also extends to the artwork, if any, which could be separate from the text.
 
I’m eagerly anticipating it; I think it will be a vast improvement over the current English. For the most part, I would like to see all the ICET elements go and have all those elements freshly retranslated (although I have no problem with the ICET Glory to the Father… but because the “world without end” version is so deeply ingrained, it should be retained as a licit option. I would prefer the Gospel Canticles lifted from an approved Bible edition such as the NAB, RSV or even ESV (and yes, for this purpose, I’m fine with the NAB-RE). I would also like to see the Te Deum reworked by ICEL rather than just adapt the ICET/ELLC text.

I hope it doesn’t take too long though. I will gladly spend for a new 4-volume set once its out.
 
corsair said:
Not really. I prefer the Latin older version. And seeing that I’m just a member of the laity, I’m free to say which ever version I choose.
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This is true. In fact, there is no obligation for the laity to recite the Divinum Officium or the Liturgia Horarum or any of its translations. At least that’s my understanding.
 
Don’t hold your breath! I was at a meeting many years ago when we were assured that a new translation with modern Saints etc would appear in 1999! Still waiting!
 
Not applicable, I pray the LoTH in French or Latin.😃

Beware of the word “soon” in Church lingo. “Soon” for the first volume of a Gregorian chant antiphonary for the LoTH turned out to be 40 years :eek:
 
I am excited about any and all liturgical reform from the Vatican nowadays. I am happy with the new translations of the mass as well. I hope that the Church will do more to produce and promulgate liturgical music in the vernacular that keeps with the tradition of the gregorian and polyphonic chants of the olden days. Having researched Eastern Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy I have come to believe that the Roman Catholic church today is badly in need of liturgical reform and enrichment.

I am wondering if there have been produced guides for singing the liturgy of the hours in English as the monks do in Latin.
 
maklavan said:
Don’t hold your breath! I was at a meeting many years ago when we were assured that a new translation with modern Saints etc would appear in 1999! Still waiting!
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It was probably interrupted by Liturgiam authenticam’s promulgation in 2001, which is actually the impetus for the revisions of many English translations of Latin liturgical texts. 🙂
 
Are there any websites that have the Latin? I’m not a fan of these bad translations and would rather struggle with the Latin. And I would buy the books, but they’re really expensive. 😛
 
Tarpeian_Rock said:
I wasn’t a user of the LOTH in 1975 when the current edition came out. Is there a history of “grandfathering” the in-use edition? Just thinking of the cost of a new 4-volume set for each of the thousands of priests and deacons in the US.
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Don’t forget all the religious orders both of men and women. They better start saving their pennies. By that time I may be going digital.
 
The African Breviary already has some of those changes ( including Revised Grail Psalms, antiphons from year A,B and C, and “Glory be…”).

So you you can enjoy them now, and save your pennies for when the American Breviary eventually comes out. If it takes a few years longer than expected, well, you’ll have that much more in the piggy bank saved up by then. No lose situation.
 
CompSciGuy said:
I am wondering if there have been produced guides for singing the liturgy of the hours in English as the monks do in Latin.
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Seems like if you do it for the Anglophones, you should do it in the hundreds of other vernaculars the Church allows. Just sayin.
 
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