Brief update on LOTH retranslation progress

[drforjc]

Delivered by Bishop Alan Hopes at Sacra Liturgia UK 7/7/2016

The next paper was delivered by Bishop Alan Hopes, entitled Sing a New Song to the Lord: Towards a Revised Translation of the Liturgy of the Hours. Bishop Hopes started with the observation that the recent translation of the third edition of the Roman Missal brought into sharp focus the need for revised translations of those liturgical books that rely on the Missal to some extent - especially the Liturgy of the Hours. He outlined the progress made so far by ICEL and the various Bishops’ Conferences involved, saying that it would likely be at least another four years before this project is finished.
The Bishop gave his opinion that there is much to be excited about in the work accomplished so far, notably the recovery of the hymnody of the Latin typical edition, the Liturgia Horarum. He noted that the draft translations of the office hymns do not rhyme, and that this translation decision means that they can be sung to chant or metrical tunes. Much of his talk was an examination of the principles and considerations of the upcoming revised translation: fidelity to the Latin text, nobility of expression, adaptability for singing and recitation, as well as bringing out the many scriptural and patristic allusions in the intercessions at Lauds and Vespers.
Currently, the Advent/Christmas volume is at the Grey Book stage (ICEL’s final draft presented to the bishops), with the other volumes still at the Green Book stage (ICEL’s initial draft). However, Bishop Hopes did give the conference the news that the Supplement to the Liturgy of the Hours, containing saints added since the last typical edition, is at the Grey Book stage and will most likely be available for use fairly soon. He also noted that the CDWDS is currently preparing an official two year cycle of readings for the Office of Readings (long talked about!), which will comprise a fifth volume of the Liturgia Horarum, and that this is intended to be included in the upcoming revision of the English books.

 

[tee_eff_em]

:clapping:
Although the cynic in me says “add at least 5 years to any estimate at this stage.” Especially:

Does anyone know if they are going to try to repeat the one-English-translation-for-all-the-English-speaking-world thing that they did with the Roman Missal??

tee

 

[twf]

:clapping:
Although the cynic in me says “add at least 5 years to any estimate at this stage.” Especially:

Does anyone know if they are going to try to repeat the one-English-translation-for-all-the-English-speaking-world thing that they did with the Roman Missal??

tee

Good question as currently the UK and North America have different english editions.

 

[Usige]

Good question as currently the UK and North America have different english editions.

We’ll see. I thought that many conferences looked at the last ICEL translation, rejected it and hence the reason for different translations. Since that was before Liturgiam Authenticam we might actually see a single English translation. Perhaps we can get the 2010 Grail Psalms

Then again seems like we’ve been waiting for a new translation for 4+ years so I tend to be cynical that we will see anything before 2025 or even 2030. That is especially true if a new 2 year cycle of the Office of Readings will be out anytime before then.

Personally I would love to see the translation of the original hymondy. Some of the ones in the current US versions are… eh. I often just use the ones from the Mundelein Psalter instead of the ones in Christian Prayer.

 

[drforjc]

Then again seems like we’ve been waiting for a new translation for 4+ years so I tend to be cynical that we will see anything before 2025 or even 2030. That is especially true if a new 2 year cycle of the Office of Readings will be out anytime before then.

Perhaps, but looking at the Gray Book/Green Book stuff it does look like it is moving fairly steadily forward. Maybe the truth will be somewhere in between.

Once they got in full swing on the Mass translation it also moved more steadily than at the outset.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Is there a precedent such that those with, say, the existing 4-volume LOTH may continue to use it after a new edition is released, or do those with the obligation to say the LOTH need to save up to replace the whole set?

 

[porthos11]

Is there a precedent such that those with, say, the existing 4-volume LOTH may continue to use it after a new edition is released, or do those with the obligation to say the LOTH need to save up to replace the whole set?

Each Conference will probably issue a directive to this effect, e.g. “Starting Advent of 2162 (because the project will be done by 2161, together with Earth’s first warp drive), this will be the only approved edition.”

or it could also be,

“Starting Advent of 2162 through 2163, both editions may be licitly used.”

or it could even go like

“From Advent 2162, either edition may be used in perpetuity.”

Who knows, really? We’ll have to wait till the decree of promulgation comes out from your Episcopal Conference.

 

[porthos11]

Is there a precedent such that those with, say, the existing 4-volume LOTH may continue to use it after a new edition is released, or do those with the obligation to say the LOTH need to save up to replace the whole set?

Oh and just to be clear, too. The last time this happened was when the old Breviary was replaced by the Liturgy of the Hours (of course the previous edition was Latin-only), but the decree promulgating the LOTH explicitly abrogated the old Breviary, except for reason of advanced age or other special requirements, but only alone.

That is probably the closest precedent you were looking for.

 

[twf]

Each Conference will probably issue a directive to this effect, e.g. “Starting Advent of 2162 (because the project will be done by 2161, together with Earth’s first warp drive), this will be the only approved edition.”

or it could also be,

“Starting Advent of 2162 through 2163, both editions may be licitly used.”

or it could even go like

“From Advent 2162, either edition may be used in perpetuity.”

Who knows, really? We’ll have to wait till the decree of promulgation comes out from your Episcopal Conference.

Nice. I suppose they can begin the first authorized translation of the Divine Office in Vulcan shortly thereafter.

 

[DoGodsBidding]

Nice. I suppose they can begin the first authorized translation of the Divine Office in Vulcan shortly thereafter.

 

[ProVobis]

Then again seems like we’ve been waiting for a new translation for 4+ years so I tend to be cynical that we will see anything before 2025 or even 2030. That is especially true if a new 2 year cycle of the Office of Readings will be out anytime before then.

Seems like someone can learn an awful lot of Latin within that time, if he really sets his mind to it. And I’m sure a lot of the Latin has been translated before by someone in some meaningful way, so it’s not like we’re waiting for some novel theological concepts here to make the LOTH more valid than it is now.

 

[OraLabora]

He noted that the draft translations of the office hymns do not rhyme, and that this translation decision means that they can be sung to chant or metrical tunes.

This is a great decision. I wish the French LOTH (which I use) would do the same. While I do have a full Gregorian antiphonary that I use, it’s too big to travel with. Even though when away I usually only recite the LOTH, I would like to be able to sing the hymn at least to a simple Gregorian melody. Only a few French hymns (for the minor hours and Compline) allow that. The rest are un-singable without the musical notation, except for the one default hymn they allow for Lauds of any day, saint or season. I found it on-line and was able to memorize the tune.

Anything that facilitates singing/chanting the Office is a welcome change.

 

[Magdalen2013]

Seems like someone can learn an awful lot of Latin within that time, if he really sets his mind to it. And I’m sure a lot of the Latin has been translated before by someone in some meaningful way, so it’s not like we’re waiting for some novel theological concepts here to make the LOTH more valid than it is now.

A Short Breviary for the Religious and Laity, Third Edition, has English translations of some the Latin Hymns.

 

[drforjc]

This is a great decision. I wish the French LOTH (which I use) would do the same. While I do have a full Gregorian antiphonary that I use, it’s too big to travel with. Even though when away I usually only recite the LOTH, I would like to be able to sing the hymn at least to a simple Gregorian melody. Only a few French hymns (for the minor hours and Compline) allow that. The rest are un-singable without the musical notation, except for the one default hymn they allow for Lauds of any day, saint or season. I found it on-line and was able to memorize the tune.

Anything that facilitates singing/chanting the Office is a welcome change.

Yes, I agree. I was hauling my Liber Hymnarius around with me which, in just a few years, caused me to replace it with a new copy. It would be nice to have a decent resource within the Office books themselves.