Adoration/Benediction Hymns - English Translation Versions?
  • JKWJKW
    Posts: 56
    Can anyone offer guidance about what English translation is appropriate for Tantum Ergo and O Salutaris (for Adoration and Benediction)? The "old classic" translations have been replaced in the past couple of years....but the new translations I'm encountering are somewhat lacking in my opinion in terms of flow, rhythm and rhyme. Can I still use the old translations or are they now considered inappropriate for liturgical use? I want to use what is proper, but hope the old translations are still allowed. Help please!

    OLD Tantum
    Down in adoration falling,
    This great sacrament we hail;
    Over ancient forms of worship
    Newer rites of grace prevail;
    Faith will tell us Christ is present,
    When our human senses fail.

    To the everlasting Father,
    And the Son who made us free,
    And the Spirit, God proceeding
    From them each eternally,
    Be salvation, honor, blessing,
    Might and endless majesty. Amen

    NEW Tantum
    Let us, therefore, bow and worship
    such a wondrous Sacrament;
    let the ancient law and custom
    to a newer rite now yield;
    let our faith supply conviction
    where the senses tire and fail.

    To the Father, unbegotten,
    and the Sole-begotten Son,
    be salvation, blessing, honor,
    jubilation, power, and praise;
    to the One from both proceeding
    equal glory and renown. Amen

    OLD O SALUTARIS
    O Saving Victim, opening wide
    The gate of heav'n to us below!
    Our foes press on from ev'ry side:
    Your aid supply, your strength bestow.

    To your great name be endless praise,
    Immortal Godhead, One in Three;
    O grant us endless length of days
    When our true native land we see. Amen

    NEW O SALUTARIS
    O Victim bringing saving grace,
    who open wide the gate of heav'n:
    our foes assail and press us hard;
    give us your strength, bring us your aid.

    To you be everlasting praise
    and glory, One and Triune Lord,
    who grant us life that knows no end,
    for ever in our heav'nly home. Amen
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen LauraKaz
  • SponsaChristi
    Posts: 642
    Just use Latin.

    In my experience with congregational singing during exposition and benediction everyone knows these in Latin and sings them enthusiastically, more so than all the English stuff that they struggle with because English isn’t their first language, so they have difficulty pronouncing the English vowels.

    Where the “Latin is too hard and inaccessible to the laity” people get this wrong is they forget that Latin was the basis for all the other romantic languages, thus more accessible for singing than using English, which is a bastardization of languages and very difficult to learn and pronounce. IOW: if you teach Latin pronunciation using vowel sounds that are related to Spanish and French, as well as English, the culturally diverse congregations will pick up on it faster, and will be able to “actively participate” in the singing at Mass and liturgical functions.
    Thanked by 5probe CHGiffen tomjaw Abbysmum LauraKaz
  • davido
    Posts: 1,167
    You can use the traditional ones. The new ones are stupid.
    The ICEL pay-to-pray royalties program funds in-artistic projects like this.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen tomjaw
  • AbbysmumAbbysmum
    Posts: 145
    I agree. Just do the Latin. I've never heard them sung anything but.
    Thanked by 3tomjaw SponsaChristi CHGiffen
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,927
    The unrhymed version is fine for a program translation accompanying sung Latin, but I would hope not intended for actual use.
    Thanked by 2SponsaChristi CHGiffen
  • JKWJKW
    Posts: 56
    Our congregation knows almost no Latin, so not a viable option for this upcoming Lent. My question is more about finding the "approved" options in the vernacular. Is there a resource I can look into about this? I don't even know where to look!
  • SponsaChristi
    Posts: 642
    Our congregation knows almost no Latin, so not a viable option for this upcoming Lent. My question is more about finding the "approved" options in the vernacular. Is there a resource I can look into about this? I don't even know where to look!

    Then just teach them the Latin versions by rote. Lent is still a month away. It’s not like you’re asking them to learn something like Verdi’s Requiem in a month.

    I only know them in Latin. That’s how I learned them. I learned them by rote with no music, no text, just by listening to other people singing them during benediction. The laity aren’t dumb. They can learn how to sing in Latin by listening to other people sing. The Latin is always approved and never changes.
    Thanked by 4Abbysmum tomjaw CHGiffen a_f_hawkins
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 3,302
    Lent is in a month. It’s the same melody (for example we use DUGUET and SAINT THOMAS) during the weeks after Christmas until Lent and from the week after Trinity until Advent.

    Put a translation in there. Or there’s one there because they often publish bilingual editions. It’s not that big of a deal. Use Flocknote or whatever you use to communicate electronically to share YouTube videos or something.

    These are fine things to introduce in Latin on relatively short notice.
    Thanked by 3SponsaChristi Abbysmum CHGiffen
  • davido
    Posts: 1,167
    The liturgical book with the official texts is “Holy Communion and the Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery outside Mass” recently published. ICEL translated it.
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