Translation problems in the Motu Proprio

Now that the dust is settling, after the publication of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, two serious errors in the English translation provided by the Vatican have been revealed.

Careless and tendentious translation at the Vatican is been an extremely serious problem, chronicled in detail by the famous blogger Fr Z. In the case of the MP, no 'official' translation has been provided, but the Vatican's 'unofficial' translation, from the Vatican Information Service, has naturally been the basis of commentary, and of the 'guidance' being offered by various bishops around the world. This can lead to errors, and of course even when an official translation appears, the Latin is the normative text, not the English or any other translation.

The two problems are these.
Article 5 secton 1: In paraoeciis, ubi coetus fidelium traditioni liturgicae antecedenti adherentium continenter exsistit, parochus eorum petitiones as celebrandum santam Missam iuxta ritum Missalis Romani anno 1962 editi, libenter suscipiat.

The Vatican translation: In parishes, where there is a stable group of faithful who adhere to the earlier liturgical tradition, the pastor should willingly accept their requests to celebrate the Mass according to the rite of the Roman Missal published in 1962...

The problem here is the phrase 'stable group of faithful'. The 'coetus fidelium' is to be 'continenter exsistet' - continuously present, ie not just passing through. (A separate article deals with the right of people passing through to the Traditional Mass: for funerals, pilgrimages etc..) Fr Z makes this point here: the word 'continenter' does not imply that the group must be of any particular size; a 'coetus' can be three people, including the priest, and it is this which would justify a pastor celebrating the Traditional Mass publicly.

Article 5, section 4: Sacerdotes Missali B. Ioannis XXIII utentes, idonei esse debent ac iure non impediti.

The Vatican translation: Priests who use the Missal of Blessed John XXIII must be qualified to do so and not juridically impeded.

The problem here is the word 'idoneus' implies only legal, rather than academic or intellectual, qualification. Just as a newly elected religious superior must be 'idoneus' to take up his or her position, so must a priest who is to say the Traditional Mass. While it would certainly not be fitting for a priest to say the Mass without proper preparation, and without knowing what he was doing, the Holy Father is not imposing a requirement for any formal qualifications (passing Latin exams etc.) by using the word 'idoneus'. Fr Z makes that point here.

The difficulty of translating 'idoneus' neatly has led Rorate Caeli, who adapted the English translation for its readers, to render the phrase simply 'must be idoneus'. Unfortunately, even their translation misses the first problem discussed above. Nevertheless, it is recommended because it puts the Latin and English in parallel columns.

Oxford Priests Training Conference

I've done a couple of posts on this over at the New Liturgical Movement (here and here), where, no doubt, they will get a wider audience. Between and around those posts are other posts, and more pictures, of the conference by other people.

Of special local interest is the fact that no fewer than four priests from the immediate vicinity of Oxford were present at the conference to learn about the Mass. This makes me very happy, and I look forward to seeing the Traditional Mass established much more widely across the area.

In addition to the priests coming to the conference to train, Fr Anton Webb of the Oxford Oratory was the celebrant of the Solemn Vespers on the first evening, and his confrere Fr Jerome Bertram made a very amusing speech at the conference dinner. Also at that dinner were Fr Richard Duffield, the Oratory parish priest, and Fr John Saward, pictured talking to the famous blogging priest, Fr Timothy Finnigan.

The other picture, of Solemn High Mass celebrated by Fr Anthony Conlon, chaplain to the Oratory School near Reading, shows the distinctive profile, on the left, of Damian Thompson, the Editor in Chief of the Catholic Herald. There will be a big feature on the conference in the Herald this weekend.

Oxford Times

There have been a number of letters and some articles about the possibility of having a memorial to the Catholic Martyrs of Oxford, in the local paper, the Oxford Times, including one in the current edition (apparently not yet on-line). Here I gather some together:

For a 'joint' memorial for Catholics and Protestants:
From F.G. Davis, 7/4/06
From John Linton, 21/4/06

Attack on the Catholic martyrs
From Valerie Barnish, 28/4/06

Defence
From Ian Logan, 5/5/06

Articles:
By Colin Gardner, 20/7/06 (re Alice Hogge's God's Secret Agents)
By Chris Koenig, 30/11/06 (on 450th Anniversary of the execution of Cranmer etal)
By Chris Koenig, 6/7/07 (reporting on the 2007 Procession)

(Koenig on Abingdon Abbey)

St Catherine's Trust Summer School

I am still recovering from teaching at the Summer School; readers interested to know what it involved can see my post at the New Liturgical Movement blog, here. Thanks to the hospitality of the founder of this blog, Shawn Tribe, I am now an 'occasional contributor'.

Priests' Training Conference: events open to the public

The Conference takes place Tuesday 28 August to Thursday 30 August 2007, in Merton College, Merton Street, Oxford.

Liturgical events open to the public
Just turn up at the College lodge; they will direct you to the Chapel. All Traditional Rite.

Wednesday 29 August at 11.45 am Solemn Mass.
Celebrant: Dom Daniel Augustine Oppenheimer (Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem)

Thursday 30 August at 11.45 am Pontifical High Mass.
Celebrant: Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.

Wed & Thurs at 8.00 am: Lauds

Tues & Wed at 6.00 pm: Vespers

# Note: Bishop Fernando Rifan of Campos, Brazil will also attend the conference. We hope he will celebrate Pontifical Vespers (to be confirmed)

Lectures open to the public:

Tuesday 28th at 3.00pm: Dr. Alcuin Reid on Liturgical History and Tradition

Thursday 30th at 10.30am: Revd Dr Laurence Hemming on The Spirituality and Theology of the Traditional Rite

Upcoming Pro-Life Witnesses

Pro-Life Witness in Reparation for Abortion and Prayers for All Unborn Babies and Their Mothers and Fathers



29th September
27th October
24th November

We will be standing at the entrance of the John Radcliffe hospital for an hour of peaceful witness. Please join us and bring a friend.
Refreshments available in the hall afterwards.
We meet outside St Anthony of Padua RC Church.
Contact: Amanda Lewin 01869 600638

Summorum Pontificium

Yes, the MOTU PROPRIO is here at last! I won't add to the well-informed commentary to be found elsewhere, but anyone who hasn't watched Fr Tim Finnigan's celebratory video must do so.



Fr Finnigan has provided some useful links to the text and various comments, here.