When Pope Francis issued his motu proprio on liturgical translation (Magnum principium) in September, most of the commentary that followed was focused on the change in Canon Law this enacted, which strengthened the role of bishops’ conferences.
The 2001 Vatican instruction on translation, Liturgiam authenticam, had strongly centralized authority in Rome and diminished the role of the bishops’ conferences.
So it was big news that Pope Francis reaffirmed authoritatively the Vatican II vision expressed in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy 36.4, restoring to the bishops their proper role in both preparing and approving translations.
As important as the question of oversight is, however, the portions of the motu proprio that are directly concerned with translation itself are worthy of the most careful consideration.
Francis says a lot about the values underlying the production and reception of liturgical texts in vernacular languages.
He has provided us with an interesting commentary that touches on many of the neuralgic issues of the “translation wars” and reframes our understanding of them.
He did not merely move around the players. He has spoken helpfully about the task.
The first thing to notice is how frequently Francis draws on the first instruction on liturgical translation, approved by Paul VI in 1969 and generally known by its French name, Comme le prévoit (CLP).
(This instruction was replaced by Liturgiam authenticam in 2001.)
The 1973 missal translation produced according to Comme le prévoit was relentlessly criticized in the run-up to the most recently published English translation of the Roman Missal, issued in 2011.
Liturgiam authenticam, in fact, includes an unusual scolding: “The omissions or errors which affect certain existing vernacular translations – especially in the case of certain languages – have impeded the progress of the inculturation that actually should have taken place.
“Consequently, the Church has been prevented from laying the foundation for a fuller, healthier and more authentic renewal.”
For those in the know, this harsh assessment pointed the finger of blame directly at Comme le prévoit and those who were guided by it. Continue reading
Sources
- Le Croix International article by Rita Ferrone, the author of several books about liturgy, including Liturgy: Sacrosanctum Concilium (Paulist Press).
- Image: Pray Tell