Vatican official: no return to 1998 English translation of the liturgy

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Vatican official: no return to 1998 English translation of the liturgy

Catholic World News - March 19, 2015

The secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship has ruled out any return to use of the English-language tradition of the liturgy that was used between 1998 and 2011.

Archbishop Arthur Roche told The Tablet that the new translation “expresses the unity of the entire Church.” He rejected the calls by some liberal liturgists for the return of the older translation.

The 1998 translation, widely criticized by conservative Catholics for its failure to adhere to the original Latin language of the liturgy, was revised by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) after the release of a new Latin Missal, and new principles guiding accurate translations.

(Read the rest there)
 
I didn’t even realize it was under consideration.

Doesn’t make much difference to me. It’s banal either way.
 
Both translations are awful. I love the Church, but I was spoiled liturgically growing up Episcopalian. The English of the liturgy I grew up with was often heartbreakingly beautiful. The English of the new translation is abrupt and awkward. I didn’t love the 1998 one at all, but I was incredibly disappointed by what they replaced it with.
 
TheLastUnicorn said:
Both translations are awful. I love the Church, but I was spoiled liturgically growing up Episcopalian. The English of the liturgy I grew up with was often heartbreakingly beautiful. The English of the new translation is abrupt and awkward. I didn’t love the 1998 one at all, but I was incredibly disappointed by what they replaced it with.
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Yanno, I actually don’t mind the new translation overmuch. I’ve been reading Father Z’s translations of the prayers, and they seem to line up more or less well with the Latin. But after seeing how much richness we were missing out on with the old translation, I’d rather listen to a mass with all digiridoo music than go back to it 😃
 
I was in an Anglican Use parish for 3 years, and I still remember the beauty of the English used in that liturgy to address God. The new translations are an improvement, but it will never have the esthetic appeal of Elizabethan English or Latin.
 
TheLastUnicorn said:
Both translations are awful. I love the Church, but I was spoiled liturgically growing up Episcopalian. The English of the liturgy I grew up with was often heartbreakingly beautiful. The English of the new translation is abrupt and awkward. I didn’t love the 1998 one at all, but I was incredibly disappointed by what they replaced it with.
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It’s aesthetically poor, but at least it’s accurate. The old translations were aesthetically poor AND inaccurate. An improvement in that regard at least.

Ideally, it would be both theologically accurate AND poetic, and hopefully subsequent translations will get there.

“Introibo ad altare Dei, ad Deum qui lætificat iuventutem meam”
“I shall go in to the altar of God, the God who gives joy to my youth”

“Confíteor Deo omnipoténti, beátæ Maríæ semper Vírgini, beáto Michaéli Archángelo, beáto Ioanni Baptístæ, sanctis Apóstolis Petro et Paulo, ómnibus Sanctis, et vobis, fratres (tibi, Pater), quia peccávi nimis cogitatióne, verbo et ópere: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa. Ideo precor beátam Maríam semper Vírginem, beátum Michaélem Archángelum, beátum Ioánnem Baptístam, sanctos Apóstolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes Sanctos, et vos, fratres (te, Pater), oráre pro me ad Dóminum Deum nostrum.”

I confess to almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy apostles Peter and Paul, to all the saints, and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin … and you, brethren, to pray to the Lord our God for me.
 
Pat_Payne said:
Yanno, I actually don’t mind the new translation overmuch. I’ve been reading Father Z’s translations of the prayers, and they seem to line up more or less well with the Latin. But after seeing how much richness we were missing out on with the old translation, I’d rather listen to a mass with all digiridoo music than go back to it 😃
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I knew a woman from Nicaragua fluent in both Spanish and English. When she first went to an English Mass in the old translation she asked why we had different prayers.
 
SWolf said:
“Introibo ad altare Dei, ad Deum qui lætificat iuventutem meam”
“I shall go in to the altar of God, the God who gives joy to my youth”
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One nice thing about the Old Rite in Latin. You can use whatever translation fits you. I’ve seen “who gladdens my youth” but I like “who refreshes my youth.”
 
Many don’t seem to realize where the Mass came from; as if we’re going to go backwards to some incorrect translation containing responses like “And Also with you?” What does that even mean? “Et cum spiritu tuo” does not translate to “And also with you” at all. One priest involved with the original translations, Fr. Stephen Somerville, even came out apologizing for how poor of a job they did. 40+ years later and we’re still working with a version of those translations. I will just continue going to the Latin Mass knowing that nothing needs correction.
 
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