ISO: Official translations of quicumque vult
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 3,261
    Can someone point me to official / approved translations of Quicumque vult? I’m finding many variants that are similar but different, which makes me think it’s a bunch of errata. (Heck: EWTN’s “official” version is missing the whole first sentence!)

    I’m partial to older translations, but they use some opaque language in a few places, which makes me wonder whether or not it would be worth updating what we sing on Trinity Sunday to a more contemporary translation, but I’m coming up empty at the moment. TIYA

    (I’m happy to receive links to any official versions, including older language / Anglican sources; I want to compare to what we’ve been using.)
  • trentonjconn
    Posts: 804
    For what it's worth, the Ordinariate has a translation in the Saint Gregory Prayerbook, which would seem to at least imply official endorsement for said translation. I can't seem to find that particular translation set to music, so if you update your setting with that text, I'd be obliged if you'd let me know. We're planning to use yours again this Trinity Sunday in a hymn slot.
    Thanked by 2ServiamScores IanW
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,675
    Divine Worship: Daily Office (commonwealth edition MMXXI) p.339ff has an official version for Catholic worship.
    There is an older less official version here :- https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/A_Manual_of_Prayers_for_the_Use_of_the_Catholic_Laity/Morning_Prayers#The_Creed_of_St._Athanasius I have not checked whether it differs.
    Thanked by 1IanW
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 3,261
    I have a copy of the hardcover on pre-order, but sadly don’t own the book yet, and that wont get here until late June.

    I’ve ordered the St. Gregory Prayer Book since I can get that ASAP.

    I’ll check a few older sources too. One thing I don’t like about the translation currently used in my setting is that Christ is “of a reasonable soul” which is opaque language.
  • RoborgelmeisterRoborgelmeister
    Posts: 375
    I would be willing to wager that all of those "antique" language versions are derived from, if not direct quotes from the Book of Common Prayer , 1662 and earlier.There seem to be a multiplicity of opinion as to whether or not texts approved for the Ordinariate are approved for use in Latin Rite parishes. But that's apparently one of the versions quoted.
    A Latin Rite religious community near Portland, Oregon retained the Athanasian Creed in its (homegrown) version of the Divine office after V II. It was in sort-of modern language and had one of the antiphons from the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity. I think they sang it at Sunday Lauds as a psalm. This community no longer exists.
    The 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship had a modern language version that conjoined the repititions of the text, and so, it fell flat on the ears. I did a version of it where the threefold repitions were reinserted.
    I must agree:
    Christ is “of a reasonable soul”
    is
    opaque language
    .
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 3,261
    There seem to be a multiplicity of opinion as to whether or not texts approved for the Ordinariate are approved for use in Latin Rite parishes. But that's apparently one of the versions quoted.

    I had a friend caution me against using the Universalis translation for a vespers booklet (hi friend! you know who you are, lol) because it's the translation for England and Wales. My argument was: apart from ease of use, it's been approved by a competent ecclesiastical authority and is approved for liturgical use. Much like how we use the Mexican lectionary in the US right now, even though there is not an official American Spanish lectionary (yet). I wasn't the slightest bit disquieted to use this other "official" translation for those texts. Similarly, I'm not really bothered by using Ordinariate texts (in fact, they are often much more lovely than what we are erstwhile proffered).

    I mostly want to make sure that when we sing it again, it is fully comprehensible. I put the entire text in the worship aid along with the chant formula for people to sing along. I'm not sure that "of a reasonable soul" is actually comprehensible to most people. But I also don't want to start selectively editing and cobbling my own translation together. I would much rather use a complete one that was approved by someone other than myself.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
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