sacred music, 128.2, summer 2001; the journal of the church music association of america

8/14/2019 Sacred Music, 128.2, Summer 2001; The Journal of the Church Music Association of America

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SACRED MUSICSummer 2001

Volume 128 No.2


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Porch of South Transept, Chartres Cathedral (France)

SACRED MUSICVolume 128, Number 2, Summer 2001

FROM THE EDITOR 2

LITURGIAM AUTHENTICAM 4

Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments


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SACRED MUSIC Cont inua ti on of Caecilia, published by the Society of St. Caecilia since1874, an d The Catholic Choirmaster, published by the Society of St.Gregory of America since 1915. Published quarterly by the ChurchMusic As so cia tio n o f America . Office of Publica tion: 134Christendom Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630-5103.E-mail: [email protected]

Editorial Board: Kurt Poterack, Ph.D., Editor

News: Kurt Poterack

Music for Review: Calvert Shenk, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, 2701 West ChicagoBlvd., Detroit, MI 48206Susan Treacy, Dept. of Music, Franciscan University, Steubenville,OH 43952-6701

Father Robert SkerisFather Robert PasleyAm y GuettlerRalph StewartRev. Ralph S. March, S.O. Cist.Father Robert PasleyAm y GuettlerRev. Robert A. SkerisSusan TreacyMonsignor Richard Schuler

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Cover: The Holy Family under an Apple Tree, Rubens, 1577-1640

Copyright by Church Music Association of America. 2001.ISSN: 0036-2255

SACRED MUSIC (ISSN 0036-2255) is published quarterly for $20.00 pe r year by the ChurchMusic Associa tion of America , 134 Christendom Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630-5103.Periodicals postage paid at Saint Paul, Minnesota.Postmaster: Send address changes to SACRED MUSIC 5389 22nd Ave. SW, Naples, FL34116.


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FROM THE EDITOR

With the publica tion of Liturgiam Authenticam it seems tha t the Congregat ion forDivine Worship is taking an active interest in improving the liturgical situation in thelocal churches. This is good news. Unfortunately, it seems that the Congregation's in-terest is no t greatly appreciated by some. This is a key point. Rome is starting to rec-

ognize what a train wreck the liturgical reform of the past 40 years has been an d is tak-ing steps i n the r ight direction. Unfortunately too many in leadership positions in t helocal churches have a vested interest in insuring that the train of liturgical renewaldoes no t ge t pu t back on track. Liturgiam Authenticam is an excellent document bu twhat will its fate be on this side of the Atlantic? All we can do is study it an d pray. Tothis en d I have decided to devote this entire issue to Liturgiam Authenticam.

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FROM THE EDITOR


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4

LITURGIAM AUTHENTIC AM ON THEUSE OF VERNACULAR LANGUAGES INTHE PUBLICATION OF THE BOOKS OFTHE ROMAN LITURGYFIFTH INSTRUCTION "FOR THE RIGHT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONSTITUTIONON THE SACRED LITURGY OF THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL" (SacrosandumConcilium, art. 36)

1. The Second Vatican Council strongly desired to preserve with care the authenticLiturgy, which flows forth from the Church's living an d most ancient spiritualtradition, an d to adapt it with pastoral wisdom to the gen ius of the var ious peoples so that the faithful might find in their full, conscious, an d active participationin the sacred actions - especially the celebration of the Sacraments - an abundantsource of graces an d a means for the ir ow n continual formation in the Christianmystery. 1

2. Thereupon there began, under the care of the Supreme Pontiffs, the great work ofrenewal of the liturgical books of the Roman Rite, a work which included tl:.eirtranslation 2 into vernacular languages, with the purpose of bringing about in themost diligent wa y that renewal of the sacred Liturgy which wa s one of the foremost intentions of the Council.

3. The liturgical renewal thus far has seen positive results, achieved through thelabor an d the skill of many, bu t in par ticular of the Bishops, to whose care an dzeal this great an d diff icult charge is entrusted. Even so, the greatest prudencean d attention is required in the preparation of liturgical books marked by sounddoctrine, which are exact in wording, free from all ideological influence, an d otherwise endowed with those qualities by which the sacred mysteries of salvationan d the indefectible faith of the Church are efficaciously transmitted by means ofhuman language to prayer, an d worthy worship is offered to God the Most Hi E h. 3

4. The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council in its deliberations an d decrees assigneda singular importance to the liturgical rites, the ecclesiastical traditions, an d thediscipline of Christian life proper to those particular Churches, especially of theEast, which are distinguished by their venerable antiquity, manifesting in variousways the tradition received through the Fathers from the Apostles. 4 The Councilasked that the traditions of each of these particular Churches be preserved wholean d intact. For this reason, even while calling for the revision of the various Ritesin accordance with sound t radi tion, the Council set for th the principle that onlythose changes were to be introduced which would foster their specific organic de

velopment. s Clearly, the same vigilance is required for the safeguarding an d theauthentic development of the liturgical rites, the ecclesiastical traditions, an d thediscipline of the Latin Church, an d in particular, of the Roman Rite. The same caremust be brought also to the translation of the liturgical texts into vernacular languages. This is especially true as regards the Roman Missal, which will thus cont inue to be maintained as an outstanding sign an d instrument of the integrity an dunity of the Roman Rite. 6

5. Indeed, it ma y be aff irmed that the Roman Rite is itself a precious example an dan instrument of true inculturation. For the Roman Rite is marked by a signal capacity for assimilating into itself spoken a nd su ng texts, gestures an d rites derived from the customs an d the genius of diverse nations an d particular Churches

- both Eastern an d Western - into a harmonious unity that transcends the bound-aries of an y single region. 7 This characteristic is particularly evident in its ora-


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tions, which exhibit a capacity to t ranscend the l imits of their original situation soas to become the prayers of Christians in an y time or place. In preparing all translations of th e liturgical books, th e greatest care is to be taken to maintain the iden-tity an d unitary expression of t he R om an Rite/ no t as a sor t of h isto ri cal monu-ment, bu t rather as a manifes ta tion of the theological realities of ecclesial commu-nion an d unity.9 The work of inculturation, of which the translation into vernacu-la r languages is a part, is not therefore to be considered an avenue for the creationof ne w varieties or families of rites; on the contrary, it should be recognized thatany adaptat ions introduced ou t of cultural or pastoral necessity thereby becomepart of th e Roman Rite, an d are to be inserted into it in a harmonious way. III

6. Ever since the promulgation of the Constitution on th e Sacred Liturgy, th e workof th e translation of the liturgical texts into vernacular languages, as promoted byth e Apostolic See, has involved the publication of norms an d the communicationto th e Bishops of advice on th e matter. Nevertheless, it has been noted that translat ions of l iturgica l texts in various localities stand in need of improvementthrough correction or through a ne w draft. 1I The omissions or errors which affectcertain existing vernacular t ransla tions - especially in the case of certain languages - have impeded th e progress of the inculturation that actually should havetaken place. Consequently, the Church has been prevented from laying the foundation for a fuller, healthier an d more authent ic renewal.

7. For these reasons, it no w seems necessary to set forth anew, an d in l ight of th e maturing of experience, th e principles of translation to be followed in future translations - whether they be entirely ne w undertakings or emendations of texts alreadyin use - an d to specify more clearly certain n or ms t ha t h av e already been pub-l ished , t ak ing into account a number of questions an d circumstances t ha t h av earisen in o ur o wn day. In order t o tak e full advantage of th e experience gainedsince the Counc il, it seems usefu l to express these norms from time to time interms of tendencies tha t have been evident in past translations, but which are tobe avoided in future ones. In fact, i t seems necessary to consider anew th e true notion of liturgical translation in order tha t th e translations of the Sacred Liturgy intothe vernacular languages may s tand secure as the authentic voice of the Church ofGod. 12 This Instruction therefore envisions an d seeks to prepare for a ne w era ofliturgical renewal, which is consonant with the qualities an d th e traditions of theparticular Churches, but which safeguards also the faith an d the unity of thewhole Church of God.

8. The norms set for th in this Inst ru ctio n ar e to b e substituted for al l norms previously published on th e matter, with the exception of the Instruction Varietates le-gitimae, publi shed by the Congregation for Divine Worship an d the Discipline ofthe Sacraments on 25 January 1994, in conjunction with which th e norms in thispresent Instruction are to be understood.1.1 The norms contained in this Instructionare to be considered applicable to the translation of texts intended for liturgicaluse in the Roman Rite and, mutatis mutandis, in th e other duly recognized Rites ofthe Latin Church.

9. When it ma y be deemed appropriate by the Congregation for Divine Worship an dthe Discipline of th e Sacraments, a text wil l be prepared after consultation withBishops, called a "ratio translationis", to be set f or th by the authority of th e sameDicastery, in which th e principles of translation f ou nd i n this Instruction will beapplied in closer detai l to a g iven language. This document ma y be composed ofvarious elements as the si tuation ma y require, such as, for example , a list of vernacular words to be e qu at ed w ith their Lat in counterparts, the set ting for th ofprinciples applicable specifically to a given language, an d so forth.

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I. ON THE CHOICE OF VERNACULAR LANGUAGES TO BE INTRODUCED INTOLITURGICAL USE

10. To be considered first o f all is the choice of the languages that i t wil l be permissibl e to pu t into use in liturgical celebrations. I t is appropriate that there be elaborated in each terri tory a pastoral plan that takes account of the spoken languagesthere in use, with a distinction being made between languages which the peoplespontaneously speak an d those which, not being used for natural communicationin pastoral activity, merely remain the object of cultural interest. In consideringan d drafting such a p lan, du e caution should be exercised lest the faithful be fragmented into small groups by means of the selection of vernacular languages to beintroduced into liturgical use, with the consequent danger of fomenting civil discord, to the detriment of the unity of peoples as w el l as of the unity of the particular Churches an d the Church universal.

11. In this plan, a clear dis tinction is to be made also between those languages, on theo ne h an d, t ha t ar e used universally in th e territory for pastoral communication,an d those, on th e other hand, that are to be used in the Sacred Liturgy. In drawingup th e pl an , it will be necessary to take account also o f the quest ion of the resources necessary for supporting the us e ofa g iven language, s uc h a s t he numberof priests, deacons an d lay collaborators capable of using the language, i n a cd it ion to the number of experts an d those trained for an d capable of preparing translat ions of all of the liturgical books of the Roman Rite in accord with the principlesenunciated here. Also to be considered are the financial an d technical resourcesnecessary for preparing translations an d printing books t ru ly worthy of liturgicaluse.

12. Within the l iturgical sphere, moreover, a distinction necessarily arises betweenlanguages an d dialects. In particular, dialects that do not support common academic an d cultural formation cannot be taken into full l iturgical use, since they lackthat stability an d breadth tha t would be required for their being liturgical languages on a broader scale. In a ny event, the number of individual liturgical languages is no t to be increased too greatly.14 This lat ter is necessary so that a certainunity of language ma y be fostered within the boundaries of one an d the same nation.

13. Moreover, the fact that a language is not introduced into full l iturgical u se d oe sn ot m ea n t ha t it is thereby altogether excluded from the Liturgy. I t ma y be used,at least occasionally, in th e Prayer of the Faithful, in the sung texts, in the invitations or instructions given to th e people, or i n pa rt s of the homily, especially i f thelanguage is proper to some of Christ 's faithful wh o ar e in attendance.Nevertheless, it is always possible to use either the Latin language or another language tha t is widely used in that country, even i f perhaps it ma y no t b e th e lan

guage of a l l - or even of a majority - of the Christian faithful taking part , provided that discord among the faithful be avoided.

14. Since the introduction of languages into liturgical u se b y t he C hu rc h m ay actually affect the development of the language itself a nd m ay even be determinative ini ts regard, care is to be taken to promote those languages which - even while perhaps l acking a long literary tradition - seem capable of being employed by agreater number of persons. I t is necessary to avo id any fragmentation of dialects,especially at the moment when a given dialect ma y be passing from spoken towritten form. Instead, care s ho uld b e ta ke n to foster an d to develop for ms o fspeech that are common to human communities.

15. I t will b e t he responsibility of the Conference of Bishops to determine which of theprevailing languages are to be introduced into full or partial liturgical use in its


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territory. Their decisions require the recognitio of the Apostolic See before th e workof translation is undertaken in an y way.IS Before giving its decision on this matter,th e Conference of Bishops shou ld not omit to seek the writ ten opinion of expertsan d other collaborators in the work; these opinions, together with the other acts,are to be se nt in written form to the Congregation for Divine Worship an d theDiscipline of the Sacraments, in addition to th e relatio mentioned below, in art . n.16.

16. As regards the decision of the Conference of Bishops for the introduction of a ver-nacular language into liturgical use, th e following are to be observed (d . n. 79):16

a) For th e legitimate passage of decrees, a two-thirds vote by secret bal lot is re-qui red on th e part of those in th e Conference of Bishops wh o have the r ight tocast a deliberative vote;

b) All of th e acts to be examined by the Apostolic See, prepared in duplicate,signed by th e President an d Secretary of th e Conference an d duly affixed withits seal, are to be sent to the Congregation for Divi ne Wor ship an d theDiscipline of th e Sacraments. In these acts are to be contained the following:

i) the names of the Bishops, or of those equivalent to t he m i n law, wh o werepresent at the meeting,

ii) a report of the proceedings, which should contain the outcome of the votespertaining to the individual decrees, inc luding the number of t ho se infavor, th e number opposed, an d th e number abstaining;

iii) a clear exposit ion of th e individual parts of the Liturgy into which the de-cision ha s been made to introduce the vernacular language;

c) In the relatio is to be inc luded a clear explanat ion of the language invo lved, aswell as the reasons for which the proposal has been made to int roduce it intoliturgical use.

17. As for t he u se of "artificial" languages, proposed f rom t ime to t ime , the approvalof texts as well as th e granting of permission for their use in liturgical celebrationsis strictly reserved to the Holy See. This faculty will be granted only for particularcircumstances an d for the pastoral good of the faithful, after consultation with theBishops principally involved. 1?

18. In celebra tions for speakers of a foreign language, such as visitors, migrants, pil-grims, etc. , i t is permissible, with th e consent of the diocesan Bishop, to celebratethe Sacred Liturgy in a vernacular language known to these people, using a litur-gical book a lready a pp ro ve d b y th e competent authori ty with the subsequentrecognitio of the Apostolic See. 18 If such celebrations recur with some frequency,the d io cesan Bishop is t o send a brief report to the Congregation for Div ineWorship an d the Discipline of th e Sacraments, describing the circumstances, thenumber of participants, an d th e editions used.

II. ON THE TRANSLATION OF LITURGICAL TEXTS INTO VERNACULAR LAN-GUAGES

1. General principles applicable to all translation

19. The words of the Sacred Scriptures, as wel l as th e o th er w or ds s po ke n i n liturgi-cal celebrations, especially i n t he celebration of th e Sacraments, are not intended

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primarily to be a sort of mirror of the interior dispositions of the faithful; rather,they express t ruths that t ranscend the l imits of t ime an d space. Indeed, by meansof these words God speaks continually w it h t he Spouse of his beloved Son, theHoly Spirit leads the Christian faithful into all t ruth and causes the word of Christto dwell abundantly within them, an d the Church perpetuates an d transmits allthat she herself is an d all that she believes, even as she offers the prayers of all thefaithful to God, through Christ an d in the power of the Holy Spirit. 19

20. The Latin liturgical texts of the Roman Rite, while drawing on centuries of ecclesial experience in transmit ting the fai th of the Church received from the Fathers,are themselves the f ruit of the l iturgical renewal , jus t recently brought forth. Ino rd er t ha t s uc h a rich patrimony ma y be preserved an d passed on through thecen tur ies , i t is to be k ep t i n mind from the beginning that the t ransla tion of theliturgical texts of the Roman Liturgy is no t so much a work of creative innovationas it is of rendering the original texts faithfully an d accurately into the vernacularlanguage. While it is permissible to arrange the wording, the syntax an d the stylei n s uc h a wa y as to prepare a f lowing vernacular text sui table to the rhythm ofpopular prayer, the original text, insofar as possible, m us t b e translated integrally an d i n t he m os t exact manner, without omissions or addit ions in terms of theircontent, an d without paraphrases or glosses. Any adaptat ion to the characteristics or the nature of the various vernacular languages is to be sober an d discreet. 20

21. Especially in the translations intended for peoples recen tly brought to theChristian Faith, fidelity an d exactness with respect to the original texts ma y them-selves sometimes require that words al re ady in c ur re nt us age b e e mpl oye d inne w ways, that new words or expressions be coined, that terms in the original textbe transliterated or adapted to the pronunciation of the vernacular language/lorthat figures of speech be used which convey in an integral manner the content ofthe Latin expression even while being verbally or syntactically different from it.Such measures, especially those of greater moment, are to be submitted to the dis

cussion of all the Bishops involved before being inserted into the definitive draft .In particular, caution should be exercised in introducing words drawn from nonChristian religions. 22

22. Adaptations of the texts according to art ic les 37-40 of th e Constitu:ionSacrosanctum Concilium ar e to be considered on the basi s o f true cultural or pastoral necessity, an d should not be proposed ou t of a mere desi re for novel ty or variety, no r as a wa y of supplementing or changing the theological content of theeditiones typicae; rather, they are to be governed by the norms an d procedures contained in the above-mentioned Instruction Varietates legitimae.23 Accordingly,translations into vernacu la r languages tha t are sent to t he C on gr eg at io n forDivine Worship an d the Discipline of the Sacraments for the recognitio are to con

tain, in addition to the translation itself an d an y adaptations foreseen explicitly inthe editiones typicae, only adaptations or modifications for which prior writ tenconsent has been obtained f rom the same Dicastery.

23. In the translation of texts of ecclesiastical composition, while it is useful with theassistance of historical an d other scientific tools to consult a source that ma y havebeen discovered for the same text, never theless i t is a lways the tex t o f the Latineditio typica itself that is to be translated.

Whenever the biblical or liturgical text preserves words t aken f rom other anc ient languages (as, for example, the words Alleluia an d Amen, the Aramaic words contained in theNe w Testament , the Greek words drawn from the Trisagion which are recited in the

Improperia of Good Friday, an d the Kyrie eleison of the Order ofMass, as well as many p : ~ o p er names) consideration should be given to preserving the same words in the ne w vernacu-


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lar translation, at least as on e option among others. Indeed, a careful respect for the originaltext will sometimes require that this be done.

24. Furthermore, i t is not permissible that the translations be produced from othertranslations already made into other languages; rather, th e ne w translations mustb e m ad e directly from the original texts, namely the Latin, as regards th e texts of

ecclesiastical composition, or the Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek, as the case ma y be,as regards th e texts of Sacred Scripture. 24 Furthermore, in the preparation of theset rans la tions for l iturgica l use , the Nova Vulgata Editio, promulgated by th eApostolic See, is normally to be consulted as an aux il iary tool, in a manner de-scr ibed elsewhere in this Instruction, in order to maintain the tradition of inter-pretation that is proper to th e Latin Liturgy.

25. So tha t the con tent of th e original texts ma y be evident an d comprehensible evento the faithful wh o lack any special intellectual formation, th e translations shouldbe characterized by a kind of language which is easily understandable, yet whichat the same t ime preserves these texts ' dignity, beauty, an d doctrinal precision. 2 'iBy means of words of praise an d adoration that foster reverence an d gratitude inthe face of God's majesty, his power, his mercy an d his transcendent nature, thetranslations will respond to th e hunger an d thirst for th e living God tha t is expe-rienced by the people of o ur o wn time, while contributing also to the dignity an dbeauty of the liturgical celebration itself.2h

26. The l iturgical texts ' character as a very powerful instrument for instill ing in th el ives of th e Christian faithful th e elements of faith an d Christian morality,27 is tobe maintained i n t he translations with the utmost solicitude. The translation, fur-thermore, must always be in accord with sound doctrine.

27. Even if expressions should be avoided which hinder comprehension because oftheir excessively unusual or awkward nature, the liturgical texts should be con-sidered as the voice of th e Church at prayer, rather than of only particular con-gregations or individuals; thus, they should be free of an overly servile adherenceto prevailing modes of expression. I f indeed, in th e liturgical texts, words or ex-pressions are sometimes employed which differ somewhat from usual an d every-da y speech , it is o ft en e no ug h b y virtue of thi s very fact that th e texts becomet ruly memorable an d capable of expressing heavenly realities. Indeed, i t wil l beseen that the observance of th e principles set forth in this Instruction wil l con-tribute to the gradual development , in each vernacular, of a sacred style that willcome to be recognized as proper to liturgical language. Thus it ma y happen thata certain manner of speech which has come to be considered somewhat obsoletein daily usage ma y continue to be maintained in the l iturgical context. In trans-lating biblical passages where seemingly inelegant words or expressions are used,a hasty tendency to sanit ize this character is tic is l ikewise to be avoided. Theseprinciples, in fact, should free the Liturgy from the necessity of frequent revisionswhen modes of expression may have passed ou t of popular usage.

28. The Sacred Liturgy engages not only man's intellect, but the whole person, wh ois th e "subject" of full an d conscious participation in the liturgical celebration.Translators should therefore allow th e signs an d images of the texts, as wel l as theritual actions, to speak for themselves; they should not a tt empt to render too ex-plicit that which is implicit in the original texts. For the same reason, the additionof explanatory texts not contained in the editio typica is to be prudently avoided.Consideration should also be given to including in the vernacular editions at leastsome texts in the Latin language, especially those from th e priceless treasury ofGregorian chant, which the Church recognizes as proper to t he R om an Liturgy,and which, all other things being equal , is to be given pride of place in liturgical

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celebrations. 28 Suc h chant, in de ed, ha s a gre at power to lift the human spirit toheavenly realities.

29. I t is the ta sk of th e hom ily an d of catechesis to set for th the meaning of the l iturgical texts,29 illuminating with precision the Church's understanding regardingthe members of particular Churches or ecclesial communities separated from full

communion with the Catholic Church an d those of Jewish communities , as wel las adherents of other rel igions - an d likewise, her understanding of the digni tyan d equality of all men. 3D Similarly, it is the task of catechists or of the homil is t totransmit that right interpretation of the texts that excludes any prejudice or unjustdiscrimination on the basis of persons, gender, social condition, race or other criteria, which has no foundation at all in the texts of the Sacred Liturgy. Althoughconsiderations such as these ma y sometimes help one in choosing among varioustranslations of a certain expression, they are no t to be considered reasons for a.l-tering either a biblical text or a liturgical text that has been duly promulgated.

30. In many languages there exist nouns an d pronouns denoting both genders, masculine an d feminine, together in a single term. The insistence that s uc h a us ageshould be changed is no t necessarily to be regarded as the effect or the manifestat ion of an authentic development of the language as such. Even if it ma y be necessary by means of catechesis to ensure that such words continue to b e u nd er-stood in the "inclusive" sense just described, it m ay n ot b e possible to employ different words in the translations themselves without detriment to the precise intended meaning of the text, the correlation of its various words or expressions, orits aesthetic qualities. When the original text, for example, employs a single termin expressing the interplay between the individual an d the universality an d unityof the human family or community (such as the Hebrew word 'adam, the Greekanthropos, or the Latin homo), this property of the l ang ua ge of th e original textshould be maintained in the translation. Just as has occurred at other times in history, the Church herself must freely decide upon the system of language that wil lserve he r doctrinal mission most effectively, an d should not be subject to externally imposed linguistic norms that are detrimental to that mission.

31. In particular: to be avoided is the systematic resort to imprudent solutions such asa mechanical substitution of words, the transition from the singular to the plural,the splitting of a unitary collective term into masculine an d feminine parts, or theintroduction of impersonal or abstract words, all of which may impede the communication of the true an d integral sense of a w or d o r an expression in the original text. Such measures introduce theological an d anthropological problems intothe translation. Some particular norms are the following:

a) In referring to almighty God or the individual persons of the Most Holy Trinity,the truth of tradition as well as the established gender usage of each respective

language are to be maintained.

b) Par ti cu la r care is to be taken to ensure that the fixed expression "Son of Man"be rendered faithfully an d exactly. The great Christological an d typological significance of thi s expression requ ires that there should also be em ploye dthroughout the translation a rule of language that wil l ensure that the fixed expression remain comprehensible in the context of the whole translation.

c) The term "fathers", found in many biblical passages an d liturgical texts of ecclesiastical composition, is to be rendered by the corresponding masculineword into ve rna cula r la ngua ges insofar as it may be seen to refer to thePatriarchs o r th e kings of the chosen p eo ple in the Old Testament, or to the

Fathers of the Church.


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d) Insofar as possible in a given vernacular language, the us e o f t he feminine pronoun, rather than th e neuter, is to be maintained in referring to the Church.

e) Words which express consanguinity or other important types of relationship,such as "brother", "sister", etc., w hi ch a re clearly mascul ine or feminine byv ir tu e o f t he context, are to be maintained as s uc h i n t he translation.

f) The grammatical gender of angels, demons, an d pagan gods or goddesses, according to the original texts, is to be maintained in the vernacular language insofar as possible.

g) In all t he se matters i t wil l be necessary to remain attentive to th e principles setforth above, in nn . 27 an d 29.

32. The t rans la tion should no t restrict th e full sense of the original text with in nar-rower limits. To be avo ided on this account are expressions characteristic of commercial publicity, political or ideological programs, passing fashions, an d thosewhich are subject to regional variations or ambiguities in meaning. Academic stylemanua ls o r similar works, since they sometimes give wa y to such tendencies, areno t to be considered standards for liturgical translation. On the other hand, worksthat a re commonly conside red "classics" i n a given vernacu la r l anguage ma yprove useful in providing a suitable standard for its vocabulary an d usage.

33. The use of capitalization i n t he liturgical texts of the Latin editiolles typicae as wel las in t he liturgical translation of the Sacred Scriptures, for honorific or otherwisetheologically significant reasons, is to be retained in t he v er na cu la r l an gu ag e a tleast insofar as the structure of a given language permits.

2. Other norms pertaining to the translation of th e Sacred Scriptures an d the preparationof Lectionaries

34. I t is preferable that a version of the Sacred Scriptures be prepared in accordancew it h t he principles of sound exegesis an d of high literary quality, bu t also with av iew t o t he particular exigencies of liturgical us e as regards style, th e selection ofwords, an d th e selection from among different possible interpretations.

35. W her ev er n o s uc h ve rs io n of t he Sacred Scr iptures exists in a given language, itwill be necessary to us e a previously prepared version, while modifying the translation wherever appropriate so that it ma y be suitable for use in th e liturgical context according to the principles se t forth in this Instruction.

36. In order that the faithful ma y be able to commit to memory a t least t he m or e important texts of th e Sacred Scriptures an d be formed b y t he m even in their privateprayer, i t i s of th e greatest importance that the t rans la tion of the Sacred Scripturesintended for liturgical use be characterized by a cer ta in uniformity and stability,su ch t hat in every ter ri to ry the re should exist only one approved translation,which will be employed in all parts of the various liturgical books. This stabilityis especially to b e de si red i n t he translation of the Sacred Books of more frequentuse, such as th e Psalter, which is the fundamental prayer book of the Christ ianpeople.}1 The Conferences of Bishops are strongly encouraged to provide for th ecommissioning an d publication in their territories of an integral t ranslation of theSacred Scriptures intended for the private s tudy and reading of the faithful, whichcorresponds in every part to th e text that is used in th e Sacred Liturgy.

37. I f th e biblical translation from which the Lectionary is composed exhibits readingsthat differ from those se t forth in th e Lat in l iturgical text, i t should b e b or ne inm in d t ha t the Nova Vulgata Editio is the point of reference as r egards the delin-

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eat ion of the canonical text. 32 Thus, in the translation of the deuterocanonicalbooks an d wherever else there ma y exist varying manuscript traditions, the liturgical translation must be prepared in accordance with the same manuscript trac:li-tion tha t the Nova Vulgata has followed. I f a previously prepared translation reflects a choice that departs from that which is found in the Nova Vulgata Editio asregards the underlying textual tradition, the order of verses, or similar factors, the

discrepancy needs to be remediedin

thepreparation

ofan y

Lectionary so thatconformity with the Latin liturgical text ma y be maintained. In preparing ne wtranslations, it would be helpful, though not obligatory, that the numbering of theverses also follow that of the same text as closely as possible.

38. I t is often permissible that a variant reading of a verse be used, on the basis of critical editions a nd u po n the recommendation of experts. However, this is not permissible in the case of a liturgical text where such a choice would affect those elements of the passage that are pertinent to its liturgical context, or whenever theprinciples found elsewhere in this Instruction would otherwise be neglected. Forpassages where a critical consensus is lacking, particular attention sh ou ld b egiven to the choices reflected in the approved Latin text. 33

39. The delineation of the biblical pericopai is to conform entirely to the Ordo lectionumMissae or to the other approved an d confirmed liturgical texts, as the case ma y be.

40. With du e regard for the requirements of sound exegesis, all care is to be taken toensure that the words of the biblical passages commonly used in catechesis an d inpopular devotional prayers be maintained. On the other hand, great caution is tobe t aken to avoid a wording or style that the Catholic faithful would confuse withthe manner of speech of non-Catholic ecclesial communities or of other religions,so tha t such a factor will no t cause them confusion or discomfort.

41. The effort should be made to ensure that the translations be conformed to that un -

derstanding of biblical passages which has been handed d ow n b y liturgical usean d by the tradi tion of the Fathers of the Church, especial ly as regards very important texts such as the Psalms an d the readings used for the principal celebrations of the liturgical year; in these cases the greatest care is to be taken so that thetranslation express the traditional Christological, typological an d spiritual sense,an d manifest the unity an d the inter-relatedness of the two Testaments. 34 For thisreason:

a) it is advantageous to b e g ui de d b y the Nova Vulgata wherever there is a need tochoose, from among various possibilities [of translation], t ha t on e which ismost suited for expressing the m an ne r i n which a text has traditionally beenread an d received within the Latin liturgical tradition;

b) for the same purpose, other ancient versions of the Sacred Scriptures shouldalso be consulted, such as the Greek version of the Old Testament commonlyknown as the "Septuagint", which has been used by the Christian faithful fromthe earliest days of the Church;35

c) in accordance with immemorial tradition, which indeed is already evident inthe above-mentioned "Septuagint" version, the name of almighty God expressed by the Hebrew tetragrammaton (YHWH) an d rendered in Latin by theword Dominus, is to be rendered into an y given vernacular by a word equivalent in meaning.

Finally, translators are strongly encouraged to pa y close attention to the history of interpretation t ha t m ay b e drawn from citations of biblical texts in the writings of the Fathers of


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the Church, an d also from those biblical images more frequently f ou nd i n Christian ar t an dhymnody.

42. While caution is advisable lest the historical context of the biblical passages be obscured, th e translator should also bear in mind tha t the word of God proclaimedi n t he Liturgy is not simply an historical document. For the biblical text treats notonly of the great persons an d events of th e Old a nd N ew Testaments, bu t also ofthe mysteries of salvation, an d thus refers to the faithful of the present age an d totheir lives. While always maintaining du e regard for the norm of f idel ity to theoriginal text, on e should strive, whenever t her e is a choice to be made betweendifferent ways of tr ansl at in g a t erm, to make those choices that will enable thehearer to recognize himself an d the dimensions of his ow n life as v iv id ly as possible in the persons an d events found in th e text.

43. Modes of speech by which heavenly realities an d actions are depicted in humanform, or designated by means of limited, concrete terminology- as happens quitefrequently in biblical language (i.e., anthropomorphisms) - often maintain theirfull force only if translated somewhat literally, as in the case of words in the NovaVulgata Editio such as ambulare, brachium, digitus, manus, or vultus [Dei], as we ll ascaro, cornu, os, semen, an d visitare. Thus it is b est that such terms n ot b e explainedor interpreted by more abstract or general vernacular expressions. As regards certain terms, such as those t rans la ted in the Nova Vulgata as anima an d spiritus, theprinciples mentioned in above nn. 40-41 s hou ld b e observed. Therefore, on eshould avoid replacing these terms by a personal pronoun or a more abstractterm, except when this is strictly necessary in a given case. I t should be borne inm in d t ha t a l iteral t ransla tion of terms which ma y initially sound od d in a vernacular language may for this very reason provoke inquisitiveness in the heareran d provide an occasion for catechesis.

44. In order for a transla tion to be more easily proclaimed, it is necessary tha t any expression be avoided which is confusing or ambiguous when heard, such that thehearer would fail to grasp its meaning.

45. Apart from t ha t w hi ch is set forth in the Ordo lectionum Missae, the followingnorms are to be observed in the preparation of a Lectionary of biblical readings ina vernacular language:

a) Passages of Sacred Scripture contained in the Praenotanda of the Ordo lectionumMissae are to conform comple te ly to the translation of the same passages asthey occur within th e Lectionary.

b) Likewise the titles, expressing the theme of th e readings an d placed a t t he headof them, a re to retain the wording of the readings themselves, wherever such acorrespondence exists in th e Ordo lectionum Missae.

c) Finally, th e words prescribed by the Ordo lectionum Missae for th e beginning ofthe reading, called the incipits, are to fol low as closely as possible the wordingof the vernacular biblical version from which the readings are generally taken,refraining from following other translations. As regards those parts of the incipits that are not part of the biblical text itself, these are to be translated exactly from th e Latin when preparing Lectionaries, unless the Conference ofBishops shall have sought an d obtained the prior consent of the Congregationfor Divine Worship an d the Discipline of th e Sacraments authorizing a differen t procedure for introducing the readings.

3. Norms concerning th e translation of other liturgical texts

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46. The norms set forth above, an d those regarding Sacred Scripture, should be applied, mutatis mutandis, in like manner to the texts of ecclesiastical composition.

47. While the translation must transmit the perennial treasury of orations by meansof language understandable in the cul tural context for which it is int end ed. itshould also b e g uid ed b y the conviction that liturgical prayer not only is formedby the genius of a culture, but itself contributes to the development of that culture.Consequently it should cause no surprise that such language differs somewhatfrom ordinary speech. Liturgical translation that takes du e account of the author-ity an d integral content of the original texts will facilitate the development of asacral vernacular, characterized by a vocabulary, syntax an d grammar that areproper to divine worship, even though i t is not to be excluded that it ma y exercisean influence even on everyday speech, as ha s occurred in the languages of peoples evangelized long ago.

48. The texts for the principal celebrations occurring throughout the liturgical yearshould be offered to the fai thful in a translation that is easily committed to mem-ory, so as to render them usable in private prayers as well.

A. Vocabulary

49. Characte ristic of the ora tions of the Roman liturgical tradi tion as well as of theother Catholic Rites is a coherent system of words an d patterns of speech, consecrated by the books of Sacred Scripture and by ecclesial tradition, especially thewritings of the Fathers of the Church. For this reason the manner of translating theliturgical books should foster a correspondence between the biblical text itself an dthe liturgical texts of ecclesiastical composition which contain biblical words or allusions. 36 In the translation of such texts, the translator would best be guided bythe manner of expression that is characteristic of the version of the SacredScriptures approved for liturgical use in the territories for which the translation isbeing prepared. At the same time, care should be taken to avoid weighting downthe text by clumsily over-elaborating the more delicate biblical allusions.

50. Since the liturgical books of the Roman Rite contain many fundamental words ofthe theological an d spiritual tradition of the Roman Church, every effort must bemade to preserve this system of vocabulary rather than substituting other wordsthat are alien to the l iturgical an d catechetical usage of the people of Go d in agiven cultural an d ecclesial context. For this reason, the following principles inparticular are to be observed:

a) In translating words of greater theological significance, an appropriate degreeof coordination should be sought between the liturgical text an d the authoritative vernacular translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, providedtha t such a translation exists or is being prepared, whether in the language inquestion or in a very closely related language;

b) Whenever it w ou ld b e inappropriate to use the same vocabulary or t he s am eexpression in th e liturgical text as in the Catechism, the translator should be solicitous to render fully the doctrinal an d theological meaning of the terms an dof the text itself;

c) One should maintain the vocabulary that has gradually developed in a g ivenvernacular language to distinguish the individual liturgical ministers, vessels,furnishings, an d vesture from similar persons or things pertaining to everydaylife an d usage; words that lack such a sacral character are not to be used :.n-

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a) The connect ion between various expressions, manifested by subordinate an drelative clauses, the ordering of words, an d various forms of paral le lism, is tobe maintained as completely as possible in a manner appropriate to the vernacular language.

b) In the translation of terms contained i n t he original text, the same person, num-ber, an d gender is to be maintained insofar as possible.

c) The theological significance of words expressing causality, purpose or consequence (such as ut, ideo, enim, an d quia) is to be maintained, though differentlanguages ma y employ varying means for doing so.

d) The principles set for th above, in n. 51, regarding variety of vocabulary, are tobe observed also i n t he variety of syntax an d style (for example, in the locationwithin the Collect of the vocative addressed to God).

58. The l it era ry an d rhetorical genres of the various texts of the Roman Liturgy are tobe maintained. 38

59. Since liturgical texts by their very nature are intended to be proclaimed orally an dto be he ard in the liturgical celebration, they are characterized by a cer ta in man-ne r of expression that differs from that found in everyday speech or in texts intended be read silently. Examples of this include recurring an d recognizable patterns of syntax an d style, a solemn or exalted tone, alliteration an d assonance, concrete an d vivid images, repetition, parallelism an d contrast, a certain rhythm, an dat times, the lyric of poetic compositions. I f i t is sometimes no t possible to employin the translation the same stylistic elements as in th e original text (as often hap-pens, for example, in the case of alliteration or assonance), even so, the translatorshould seek to ascertain the intended effect of such elements i n the mind of thehearer as regards thematic content, the expression of contrast between elements,

emphasis, an d so forth. Then he should employ the full possibilities of the vernacular language skillfully in order to achieve as integrally as possible t he s am eeffect as regards no t o nl y t he conceptual content itself, bu t the o ther aspects aswell. In poetic texts, greater flexibility will be needed in translation in order to provide for the role played by the literary form itself in expressing the content o f t hetexts. Even so, expressions that have a particular doctrinal or spiritual importanceor those that are more widely known are, insofar as possible, to be translated literally.

60. A great part of the liturgical texts are composed with the intention of their beings un g b y the priest celebrant, the deacon, the cantor, the people, or the choir. Forthis reason, the texts should be translated in a manner that is suitable for being set

to music . Still, i n p re pa ri ng t he musical accompaniment, full account must betaken of the authori ty of the text itself. Whether it be a que st ion of the texts ofSacred Scripture or of those taken f rom the Liturgy an d already duly confirmed,paraphrases are not to be substituted with the intention of making them more easily set to mus ic, n or m ay h ym ns considered generically equivalent be employedin their place. 39

61. Texts that are intended to be sung are particularly important because they conveyto the fai thful a sense of the solemnity of the celebration, an d manifest u ni ty i nfaith an d charity by means of a union of voices. 40 The h ym ns a nd canticles cont ained in the modern editiones typicae constitute a minimal part of the historic treasury of the Latin Church, an d it is especially advantageous tha t they be prese rved

in the printed vernacular editions, even if placed there in addition to hymns composed originally in the vernacu la r language. The texts for s inging that are com-


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posed originally i n t he v er na cu la r l an gu ag e would best be drawn from SacredScripture or from the liturgical patrimony.

62. Certain liturgical texts of ecclesiastical composition are associated with ritual actions expressed by a particular posture, gesture, or the use of signs. Thus, inpreparing appropriate translations it will be advantageous to consider such fac

tors as th e time required for reciting the words, their suitability for being s un g o rcontinually repeated, etc.

4. Norms pertaining to special types of texts

A. The Eucharistic Prayers

63. The high point of all l iturgical act ion is the celebration of the Mass, in which theEucharistic Prayer or Anaphora in turn occupies a pre-eminent place. 41 For thisreason, th e approved translations of th e approved Eucharistic Prayers require theutmost care, especially as regards the sacramental formulae, for which a particula r procedure is prescribed below, in nn. 85-86.

64. Without real necessity, successive revisions of translations s ho ul d n ot notablychange the previously approved vernacular texts of th e Eucharistic Prayers whichth e faithful will have committed gradually to memory. Whenever a completelyne w translation is necessary, the princ ip les g iven below, in n. 74, are to be observed.

B. The Creed or Profession of Faith

65. By means of th e Creed (Symbolum) or profession of faith, the whole gathered peopl e of God respond to th e word of God proclaimed in th e Sacred Scriptures an dexpounded in the homily, recalling an d confessing th e great mysteries of th e faithby means of a formula approved for liturgical use. 42 The Creed is to be translatedaccording to th e precise wording t ha t t he t ra di ti on of th e Latin Church ha s bestowed upon it, inc luding the use of the first person singular, by which is clearlymade manifest that "the confession of fai th is h an de d d ow n in th e Creed, as itwere, as coming f rom the person of the whole Church, uni ted by means of th eFaith."43 In addi t ion, the expression carnis resurrectionem is to be translated literally wherever the Apostles' Creed is prescribed or may be used i n t he Liturgy.44

C. The "Praenotanda" and the texts of a rubrical or juridical nature66. All parts of the various liturgical books a re to be translated in the same order in

which they are set for th i n the Latin text of the editio typica, including the institu-tiones generales, the praenotanda, an d th e instructions supplied in the various rites,which funct ion as a support for the whole s truc tu re of the Liturgy.45 The distinction between th e various liturgical roles a nd t he designation of the liturgical ministers by their proper t it les is to be maintained in the translation precisely as it isin the rubrics of the editio typica, maintaining du e regard for the principles mentioned in n. 50c above. 4h

67. Wherever such praenotanda or other texts of th e editiones typicae explicitly call foradaptations or specific applications to be introduced by the Conferences, as for example t he p ar ts of th e Missal that are to be def ined more specifically by theConference of Bishops/7 it is permissible to insert these prescriptions into th e text,provided tha t they have received the recognitio of the Apostolic See. I t is not required in such cases, by their very nature, to translate these parts verbatim as theys tand in the editio typica. Nevertheless, a mention is to be made of the decree of approbation of th e Conference of Bishops an d of th e recognitio granted by th eCongregation for Divine Worship an d the Discipline of th e Sacraments.

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68. At the beginning of the vernacular edi tions are to be placed the decrees by whichthe editiones typicae have been promulgated by the competent Dicastery of theApostolic See, with du e regard for the prescriptions fou nd i n n. 78. Al so to beplaced there ar e the decrees by means of which the recognitio of the Holy See ha sbeen granted for the translations, or at least th e mention of the recognitio is to bemade together with the date, month, year, an d protocol number of the decree is-

sued b y th e Dicastery. Since these are also historical documents , the names of theDicasteries or o ther organ of the Apostolic See are to be translated exactly as theyappeared on the date of promulgation of the document, rather than being alteredto reflect the present name of the same or equivalent body.

69. The editions of the liturgical books prepared in the vernacular language are to CDrrespond in every part to the titles, the ordering of texts, the rubrics, an d the sys-te m of number ing tha t appears in the editio typica, unless otherwise directed in thepraenotanda of the same books. Furthermore, an y additions approved by th eCongregation for Divine Worship an d the Discipline of the Sacraments are to beinserted either in a supplement or appendix, or in their proper place in the book,a s the Apostolic See shall have directed.

III. ON THE PREPARATION OF TRANSLATIONS AND TH E ESTABLISHMENT OFCOMMISSIONS

1. The manner of preparing a translation

70. On account of the entrust ing to the Bishops of t he t as k of preparing liturgicaltranslations/ 8 this work is committed in a particular wa y to the liturgical commis-sion duly established by the Conference of Bishops. Wherever such a commissionis lacking, the task of prepar ing the translation is to b e e nt ru st ed t o t wo or threeBishops wh o ar e expert in liturgical, biblical, philological or musical studies. 49 Asregards the examination and approbation of the texts, each individual Bishopmust regard this duty as a direct, solemn an d personal fiduciary responsibility.

71. In nations where many languages ar e used, the translations into individual ver-nacular languages are to be prepared an d submitted to the special examination ofthose Bishops involved. 50 Nevertheless, it is the Conference of Bishops as such thatretains the right an d the power to posit all o f t ho se actions ment ioned in thisInstruction as pertaining to th e Conference; thus, it pertains to the full Conferenceto approve a text an d to submit i t for the recognitio of the Apostolic See.

72. The Bishops, in fulfilling their mission of preparing translations of liturgical texts,are carefully to ensure that the translations b e th e fruit of a truly common effortrathe r than of an y single person or of a small group of persons.

73. Whenever a Lat in editio typica of a given liturgical book is promulgated, i t is nec-essary that it be followed in a timely manner by th e preparation of a translation ofthe same book, which the Conference of Bishops is to send, after having duly approved it, to the Congregation for Div ine Worsh ip an d the Discipline of theSacraments, to whom it pertains to grant the recognitio according to the norms setforth in this Instruction, an d also in keeping with o thers established b y th e law. 51

However, when it is a question of a change affecting only a part of the Latin editiotypica o r t he insertion of ne w elements, these ne w elements ar e to be maintainedfully an d faithfully in all succeeding editions p ro du ce d i n the vernacular lan-guage.

74. A cer tain s tab il ity ought to be maintained whenever possible in successive edi-tions prepared in modern languages. The par ts tha t ar e to be committed to mem-


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or y by the people, especially if they are sung, a re to be changed only for a jus t an dconsiderable reason. Nevertheless, if more significant changes are necessary forth e purpose of bringing the text into conformity with the norms contained in thisIns truction, i t wil l be preferable to m ak e s uc h changes at on e time, rather thanprolonging them over the course of several editions. In such case, a suitable period of catechesis should accompany the publication of th e ne w text.

75. The translation of liturgical texts requires not only a rare degree of expertise, buta lso a spirit of prayer and of trust in the divine assistance gran ted no t only to thetranslators, bu t to the Church herself, throughout the whole process leading to thedefinitive approbation of the texts. The readiness to see one's ow n work examinedan d revised by others is an essential trait that should be evident in on e wh o un-der takes the translation of liturgical texts. Furthermore, all translations or textsp re pa re d i n v er na cu la r languages, including those of th e praenotanda an d therubrics, are to be anonymous with respect to persons as wel l as to ins ti tu tions consisting of several persons, as i n t he case of the editiones typicae.52

76. In implementing the decisions of the Second Vatican Council , i t has become evident from the mature experience of the nearly four decades of the liturgical renewal that have e lapsed since the Council t ha t t he n ee d for translations of liturgical texts - at least as regards the major languages - is experienced n ot o nl y bythe Bishops in governing the part icular Churches, but also by the Apostolic See,for the effective exercise of he r universal solicitude for the Christian faithful i n t heCity of Rome and throughout the world. Indeed, in the Diocese of Rome, especially in many of the Churches an d institutes of the City that depend in some wa yon the Diocese or the organs of t he H ol y See, as well as in th e activity of theDicasteries of the Roman Curia an d the Pontifical Representations, the major languages are widely and frequently e mp lo ye d e ve n i n liturgical celebrations. Forthis reason, it h as b ee n d et er mi ne d t ha t i n t he future, the Congregation for DivineWorship an d th e Discipline of the Sacraments will be involved more directly i n t hepreparation of the translations into these major languages.

77. Furthermore, as regards the major languages, an integral t ransla tion of all of th eliturgical books is to be prepared in a timely manner. Translations heretofore ap-proved ad interim a re to be per fected or thoroughly revised, as the case requires,and afterwards submitted to the Bishops for definitive approbat ion in accordancewith the norms set for th in this Instruction. Finally, they are to be sent to theCongregation for Divine Worship an d the Discipline of the Sacraments with a request for the recognitio. 53

78. In the case of the less diffused languages that are approved for liturgical use, thelarger or more impor tan t l iturgical books, in particular, ma y be translated, according to pastoral necessity and with the consent of the Congregation for DivineWorship an d th e Discipline of the Sacraments. The individual books thus selecteda re to be translated integrally, i n t he manner descr ibed in n. 66 above. As for th edecrees, th e institutio generalis, the praenotanda an d the instructions, it is permissib le to print t he m i n a language that is different from t he o ne used i n t he celebration, bu t nevertheless intelligible to the priest or deacon celebrants i n t he same territory. I t is permiss ible to print the Lat in text of the decrees, e ithe r in add i tion toth e translation or instead of it.

2. The approbation of th e translation an d th e petition for th e recognitio of th e Apostolic See

79. The approbation liturgical texts, whether definitive, on the one han d, or ad inter-im or ad experimentum on the other, must be m ad e b y decree. In order that this be

legitimately executed, the following are to be observed: 54

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a) For the legit imate passage of decrees, a two-thirds vote by secret ballot is required on the part of all wh o enjoy the right to a deliberative vote of theConference of Bishops.

b) All acts to be examined by the Apostolic See, prepared in duplicate, signed bythe President an d Secretary of the Conference, a nd d ul y affixed with its seal,

are to be sent to the Congregation for Divine Worship an d the Discipline of theSacraments. In these acts are to be contained:

i) the names of the Bishops or of those equivalent in la w wh o were present atthe meeting,

ii) a relatio of the proceedings, which should contain the resul ts of the vot ingfor each individual decree, including the number in favor, the number opposed, an d the number abstaining.

c) Two copies a re to be sent of the liturgical texts prepared in the vernacular language; insofar as possible, the same text should be sent on computer diskette;

d) In the particular relatio, the following should be explained clearly:55

i) the process an d criteria followed in the work of translation.

ii) a list of the persons par ti cipa ting at various stages in the work, togetherwith a brief note describing the qualifications an d expertise of each.

iii) an y changes that ma y have been int roduced in re la tion to the previoustranslation of the same edi tion of the liturgical book are to be ind icatedclearly, together with the reasons for making such changes;

iv) an indication of an y changes with respect to the content of the Lat in editiotypica together with the reasons which they were necessary, an d with a notation of the prior consent of the Apostolic See for the introduction of suchchanges.

80. The practice of seeking the recognitio from the Apostolic See for all translations ofliturgical books 56 accords the necessary assurance of the authenticity of the translation an d its correspondence with the original texts. This practice both expressesan d effects a bond of communion between the successor of blessed Peter an d hisbrothers in the Episcopate. Furthermore, this recognitio is not a mere formality, bu tis rather an exercise of the power of governance, which is absolutely necessary (inthe absence of which the act of the Conference of Bishops ent irely in no wa y at

tains legal force); an d modifications -even substantial ones-may be introducedby means of it.[5?] For this reason i t is no t permissible to publish, for the use of celebrants or for the general public, an y liturgical texts tha t have been translated orrecently composed, as long as the recognitio is lacking. Since the lex orandi must always be in harmony with the lex credendi a nd m us t manifest and support the faithof the Christian people, the liturgical translations will not be capable ofbeing worth y of Go d without faithfully transmitting the wealth of Catholic doctrine fromthe original text into the vernacular version, in such a wa y that the sacred language is adapted to the dogmatic reality that it contains. 58 Furthermore, it is necessary to uphold the principle according to which each particular Church must bein accord with the universal Church not only as regards the doctr ine of the Fai than d the sacramental signs, bu t also as regards those practices universally received

through Apostolic an d continuous tradition.59

For these reasons, the requi redrecognitio of the Apostolic See is intended to ensure tha t the translations them-


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selves , as well as an y variations introduced into them, wil l n ot h ar m the unity ofGod's people, bu t will serve it instead. 611

81. The recognitio granted by the Apostol ic See is to be ind icated in the printed edi-tions together with the concordat cum originali signed by the chairman of the l itur-gical commission of the Conference of Bishops, as wel l as the imprimatur under-

signed b y the President of the same Conference.61

Afterwards, two copies of eachprinted ed it ion are to be s ent to the Congregat ion for Div ine Worship an d theDiscipline of the Sacraments. 62

82. Any alter at ion of a liturgical book that has already been a pp rov ed by theConference of Bishops with the subsequent recognitio of the Apostol ic See, as re-gards either the selection of texts from liturgical books already published or thechanging of the arrangement of the texts, must be done according to the procedureestablished above, in n. 79, with du e regard also for the prescript ions set for th inn. 22. A ny o th er m an ne r of proceeding in particular circumstances may be em-ployed only if it is authorized by the S ta tu tes of the Conference of Bishops orequivalent legislation approved by the Apostolic See. 63

83. As regards the edi tions of l iturgical books prepared in vernacular languages, theapprobation of the Conference of Bishops as wel l as the recognitio of the ApostolicSee ar e to be regarded as val id onl y for t he ter ri tor y of th e same Conference, sothat these editions ma y not be used in another territory without the consent of theApostolic See, except in those particular circumstances mentioned above, in nn. 18an d 76, an d in keeping with the norms set forth there.

84. Wherever a cer ta in Conference of Bishops lacks suff ic ient resources or instru-m ent s for t he preparation an d printing of a l iturgical book, the President of thethat Conference is to explain the situation to the Congregation for Divine Worshipan d the Discipline of the Sacraments, to whom it pertains to establish or to ap-prove an y different arrangement , such as the publication of l iturgical books to-gether with other Conferences or th e u se of those al read y employed elsewhere.Such a concession shall only be granted by the Holy See ad actum.

3. On the translation an d approbation of sacramental formulae

85. As regards the t ranslat ion of the sacramental formulae, which the Congregationfor Divine Worship must submit to the judgment of the Supreme Pontiff, the fol-lowing principles are to be observed besides those required for the transla tion ofother liturgical texts: 64

a) In th e c ase of the English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish lan-guages, all o f the acts are to be presented in that language;

b) If the transla tion differs from a vernacular text already prepared and approvedin th e same language, it is necessary to explain the reason for the introductionof the change;

c) The President an d Secretary of the Conference of Bishops should testify that thetranslation has been approved by the Conference of Bishops.

86. In the case of the less widely diffused languages, everything shall be prepared asset forth above. The acts, however, are to be prepared with great care in one of thelanguages mentioned above as more widely known, rendering the meaning ofeach individual word of the vernacular language. The President an d Secretary ofthe Conference of Bishops, after an y necessary consultation with trustworthy ex-per ts , are to test ify to the authent ic ity of the translation. 65

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4. On a unified version of the liturgical texts

87. I t is recommended that there be a single translation of the liturgical books for Eachvernacular language, brought about by means of coordination among the Bishopsof those regions where the same language is spoken. 66 If this proves truly impossible because of the circumstances, the individual Conferences of Bishops, afterconsultation with the Holy See, ma y decide either to adapt a previously exis':ingtranslation or to prepare a ne w one. In either case, the recognitio of the ir acts is tob e s ou gh t f rom the Congregat ion for Divine Worship an d the Discipline of theSacraments.

88. In the case of the Order of Mass an d those parts of the Sacred Liturgy that can forthe direct participation of the people, a single translation should exist in a g ivenlanguage,67 unless a different provision is made in individual cases.

89. Texts which are common to several Conferences, as mentioned above in nn. 8'7-88,are ordinarily to b e a pp ro ve d b y each of the individual Conferences of Bisr.opswhich must use them, before the confirmation of the texts is g ra nt ed b y theApostolic See. 68

90. With du e regard for Catholic traditions an d for all of the principles an d normscontained in this Instruction, an appropriate relationship or coordination is greatly to be desired, whenever possible, between any translations intended for commo n use in the various Rites of the Catholic Church, especially as regards the textof Sacred Scripture. The Bishops of the Latin Church are to foster the same in aspirit of respectful an d fraternal cooperation.

91. A simila r agreement is des irab le also with the particular non-Catholic EasternChurches or with the authorities of the Protestant ecclesial communities,69 provided that i t is not a quest ion of a l iturgical text per ta ining to doctr inal matters stillin dispute, an d provided also that the Churches or ecclesial communities invo:.vedhave a sufficient number of adherents a nd t ha t those consulted are truly capableof functioning as representatives of the same ecclesial communities. In order completely to avoid the danger of scandal or of confusion among the Christian faithful, the Catholic Church must retain full liberty of action in such agreements, evenin civil law.

5. On "mixed" commissions

92. So that the re might be unity in the liturgical books even as regards vernacu la rtranslations, an d so that the resources an d the efforts of the Church might no t beconsumed needlessly, the Apostolic See ha s promoted, among other possible solutions, the establishment of "mixed" commissions, that is, those in whose workseveral Conferences of Bishops participate. 7o

93. The Congregation for Divine Worship an d the Discipline of the Sacraments erectssuch "mixed" commissions at the request of the Conferences of Bishops involved;afterwards the commission is governed by statutes approved by the ApostolicSee. 71 I t is ordinarily to b e h op ed that each an d everyone of the Conferences ofBishops will have deliberated the matter of the above-mentioned establishment ofthe commission as well as of the composi tion of its s ta tutes before the pet it ion issubmi tted to the Congregat ion for Divine Worship an d the Discipline of theSacraments. Even so, if it is judged opportune by that Dicastery du e to the greatnumber of Conferences, or the protracted period of time required for a vote, orparticular pastoral necessity, it is not excluded that the statutes be prepared an dapproved by the same Dicastery, after consultation, insofar as possible, wi th atleast some of the Bishops involved.


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94. A "mixed" commission, by its very nature, provides assistance to the Bishopsrather than substituting for them as regards their pastoral mission an d their rela-tions with the Apostolic See. 72 For a "mixed" commission does not constitute a ter-t ium quid place between the Conferences of Bishops an d the Holy See, no r is it tobe regarded as a means of communication between them. The Members of th eCommission are always Bishops, or at least those equivalent in la w to Bishops. It

pertains to th e Bishops, furthermore, to direct th e Commission as its Members.

95. It would be advantageous that among th e Bishops wh o participate in th e work ofeach "mixed" commission, there be at least some wh o are responsible for dealingwith liturgical mat te rs in their respective Conferences, as, for example, the chair-ma n of the liturgical commission of th e Conference.

96. Such a commission , in fact, insofar as possible, should exercise its office by meansof the resources of the liturgical commissions of the individual Conferences in-volved, using their experts, their technical resources, an d their secretarial staff. Forexample, th e work undertaken is coordinated in such a way tha t a first draft of thetranslation is prepared by th e liturgical commission of on e Conference an d thenimproved by t he o th er

Conferences,even

in light ofthe

diversity of expressionprevailing i n t he same language in the individual territories.

97. I t is preferable that at least some Bishops participate at the various stages of workon a g iven text, unt il the time when th e mature text is submitted to the P lenaryAssembly of th e Conference of Bishops for i ts examination an d approval an d isthen sent immediately by th e Conference President, with the s igna tu re also of theSecretary General, to the Apostolic See for th e recognitio.

98. In addition, the "mixed" commissions are to limit themselves to th e translation ofth e editiones typicae, leaving aside all theoretical questions not directly related tothis work, an d not involving themselves either in relations with o ther "mixed"commissions or in the composition of original texts.

99. In fact, the necessi ty remains for establishing commissions dealing with theSacred Liturgy as well as sacred ar t an d sacred music according to th e norm of la win each diocese an d territory of the Conference of Bishops.73 These commissionsshall work in their ow n right for the purposes proper to them, an d shall not cedethe matters entrusted to them to an y "mixed" commission.

100. All of the principal col laborators of an y "mixed" commission wh o are notBishops, an d to whom a stable mission is entrusted by such commissions, requireth e nihil obstat granted by the Congregation for Divine Worship an d th e Disciplineof th e Sacraments before beginning the ir work. The nihil obstat will be grantedafter consideration of their academic degrees an d testimonies regarding their ex-pertise, an d a let te r o f recommendation submitted by their ow n diocesan Bishop.In th e preparation of the statutes mentioned above, in n. 93, the manner in whichthe request for the nihil obstat is to b e m ad e shall be described with greater preci-sion.

101. All, including the experts, are to conduct their work anonymously, observing con-fidentiality to which all wh o are not Bishops are to be bound by contract.

102. It is also advantageous t ha t t he t er ms of office of the members , collaborators an dexperts be renewed periodically in a manner defined by the Statutes. On accountof a need on the part of the Commissions that ma y become evident in the courseof the work, the Congregation for Div ine Worship an d the Discipline of th eSacraments ma y grant, upon request, a prolongation by indul t of the term of of-fice established for a particular member, collaborator or expert.

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103. In the case of previously existing "mixed" Commissions, their statutes are to be revised within two years from the d at e t ha t this Instruction enters into force, according to the norms of n. 93 an d of the other norms prescribed by this Instruction.

104. For the g oo d of th e faithful, the Ho ly See reserves to itself th e right to preparet ra ns la ti on s i n an y language, and to a pprov e t he m for liturgical use. 74

Nevertheless, even i f the Apostolic See, by means of the Congregation for DivineWorship an d the Discipline of the Sacraments, ma y intervene from time to t imeou t of necessity in the preparation of translations, it still belongs to the competentConference of Bishops to approve their assumption into liturgical use within theboundaries of a given ecclesiastical territory, unless otherwise explicitly indicatedin the decree of approbation of the translation promulgated by the Apostolic See.Afterwards, for the purpose of obtaining the recognitio of the Holy See, theConference shall transmit the decree of approbation for its territory together withthe text itself, in accordance with the norms of this Instruction an d of the other requirements of the law.

105. For reasons such as those set for th in nn. 76 an d 84 above or for other urgent rea

sons of pastoral need, commissions, councils, committees, o r wor k groups depending directly on th e Apostolic See are established by decree of th eCongregation for Divine Worship an d the Discipline of the Sacraments for thepurpose of working on the translation either of individual liturgical books or ofseveral. In this case, insofar as possible, at least some of the Bishops involved inthe matter will be consulted.

6. The composition of ne w liturgical texts in a vernacular language

106. Regarding the composi tion of ne w liturgical texts prepared in vernacular languages, which ma y perhaps be added to those translated from the Latin editlOnestypicae, the norms currently in force are to be observed, in particular those con

tained in the Instruction Varietates legitimae.75 An individual Conference of Bishopsshall establish one or more Commissions for the preparation of texts or for thework involved in the suitable adaptation of texts. The texts are then to b e sent tothe Congregation for Divine Worship an d the Discipline of the Sacraments for therecognitio, prior to the publication of an y books intended for the celebrants or forthe general us e of the Christian faithfuF6

107. I t is to be borne i n m in d t ha t the composition of ne w texts of prayers or rubrics isnot a n e nd in itself, bu t must be undertaken for the purpose of meeting a par:icular cul tural or pastoral need. For this reason i t is s tr ic tly the task of the local an dnational liturgical Commissions, an d not of the Commissions treated in nn. 92-104above. Ne w texts composed in a vernacular language, jus t as the o ther adapta-t ions legitimately introduced, are to contain nothing that is inconsistent with thefunction, meaning, structure, style, theological content, traditional vocabulary orother important qualities of the texts found in the editiones typicae.77

108. Sung texts an d liturgical h ym ns ha ve a particular importance an d efficacy.Especially on Sunday, the "Day of the Lord", the singing of the faithful gatheredfor the celebrat ion of Holy Mass, no less than the prayers , the readings an d thehomily, express in an authentic wa y the message of the Liturgy while fostering asense of common faith an d communion in charity.78 If they are used widely by thefaithful, they should remain relatively fixed so that confusion among the peoplemay be avoided. Within five years from the publication of this Instruction, theConferences of Bishops, necessarily in collaboration with the national an d d:Loce-san Commissions an d with other experts, shall provide for the publication of a directory or repertory of texts intended for liturgical singing. This document shall


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be transmitted for the necessary recognitio to the Congregation for Divine Worshipan d the Discipline of the Sacraments.

IV. THE PUBLICATION OF LITURGICAL BOOKS

109. O f t he liturgical books of the Roman Rite containing only Latin texts, o nl y t he o nepublished by decree of the Congregat ion having competency at the t ime is desig-n at ed t he "editio typica". The editiones typical' published prior to this Instructionwere issued either Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis or by the Libreria Editrice Vaticana; inth e future, they are usually to be printed by the Tipografia Vaticana, whi le the r ightof publication is reserved to the Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

110. The norms of this Ins truc tion, as regards all r ight s, r efe r to the editiones typicaethat have been or wil l be published, whether of a w ho le b oo k o r of a part: name-ly, the edi tions of th e Missale Romanum, the Ordo Missal', the Lectionary of theMissale Romanum, the Evangeliary of the Missale Romanum, the Missale parvum ex-tracted from the Missale Romanum an d Lectionarium, the Passio Domini Nostri Iesu

Christi, the Liturgia Horarum, the Rituale Romanum, th e Pontificale Romanum, theMartyrologium Romanum, th e Collectio Missarum de Beata Maria Virgine an d itsLectionary, th e Graduale Romanum, the Antiphonale Romanum, as well as the o therbooks of Gregorian chant and the editions of th e books of the Roman Rite pro-mulgated by decree as editiones typical', such as th e Caeremoniale Episcoporum an dthe Calendarium Romanum.

111. As regards the l iturgical books of the Roman Rite promulgated in an editio typicaeither before or after the Second Vatican Council by decree of the Congregationscompetent a t the t ime, the Apostolic See, through the Administratio Patrimonii or,in its name and by its mandate, through the Libreria Editrice Vaticana, possessesan d reserves to itself the right of ownership commonly known as "copyright". The

granting of permission for a reprinting pertains to the Congregation for DivineWorship an d the Discipline of the Sacraments.

112. O f t he liturgical books of the Roman Rite, those prepared in the Latin language byan editor after the publication of the editio typica, with the permission of theCongregation for Divine Worship an d the Discipline of the Sacraments, are said tobe "hLXta typicam".

113. As regards the editions iuxta typicam intended for liturgical use: the r ight of print-in g liturgical books containing only the Latin text is reserved to the Libreria EditriceVaticana an d to those editors to whom the Congregation for Divine Worship an dth e Discipline of the Sacraments will have chosen to grant contracts, unless a dif-

ferent provision is made in the norms inserted into the editio typica itself.

114. The right of translating the liturgical books of the Roman Rite in a vernacular lan-guage, o r at least the right of approving them for liturgical use an d of printing an dpublishing them in their ow n territory, remains uniquely that of th e Conference ofBishops, with due regard, however, to th e rights of recognitio RO an d the proprietaryrights of th e Apostolic See, also set forth in this Instruction.

115. As regards the publication of liturgical books translated into the vernacular whichare the proper ty of a given Conference of Bishops, the r ight of publication is re-served to those edi to rs to whom the Conference of Bishops shall have given thisright by contract, with du e regard for the requirements both of civil la w an d of ju-

ridical custom prevailing in each country for the publication of books.

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116. In order for an e ditor to be able to proc eed to the printing of editions iuxta typi-cam intended for liturgical use, he m us t d o the following:

a) in the case of books conta ining only the Latin text, obta in, in each s ingle in-stance, the consent of the Congregation for Divine Worship an d the Disciplineof the Sacraments, a nd t hen enter into an agreement with the Administratio

Patrimonii Sedis Apostolicae or with the Libreria Editrice Vaticana,which

actsin the n am e a nd b y the mandate of the same body, regarding the conditions forthe publication of such books;

b) in the case of books containing texts in a vernacular language, obtain the con-sent, accord ing to the c ircumstances, of the President of the Conference ofBishops, the Institute or the Commission that manages the matter in the nameof several Conferences by license of the Holy See, an d enter at the same timeinto an agreement with this body regarding the conditions for publication ofsuch books, with du e regard for the norms an d laws in force in that country;

c) in the case of books containing principally a vernacular text bu t also containingextensive us e of the Lat in text, the norms of n. 116a are to be observed for theLatin part.

117. The rights of publication an d the copyright for all translations of liturgical books,or at least the rights in civil la w necessary for exercising complete liberty in pub-lishing or correcting texts, is to remain with the Conferences of Bishops or theirnational liturgical Commissions. 8l The same body shall possess the right of takingan y measures necessary to prevent or correct any improper use of the texts.

118. Wherever the copyr igh t for t rans la ted liturgical texts is common to severa lConferences , a l icensing agreement is to be prepared for th e individualConferences, such that, insofar as possible, the matter ma y be administrated bythe individual Conferences themselves, according to the norm of law. Otherwise,a body shall be established for such administration by the Apostolic See, after con-sultation with the Bishops.

119. The correspondence of the liturgical books with the editiones typicae approved forliturgical use, in the case of a text prepared only in the Latin language, must be es-tablished by the a tt es ta tion of the Congregat ion for Divine Worship an d theDiscipline of the Sacraments; however, in the case of a text prepared in a vernac-ular language or in the case descr ibed above, in n. 116 c, it must be established byattestation of the local Ordinary in whose diocese the books are publis

sacred music, 128.2, summer 2001; the journal of the church music association of america

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