Thursday, January 12, 2012

Question re Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation

Does any one out there know when the Latin of the two Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation was changed?  Was it in the editio typica tertia, issued 2002?  I noticed that a change must have been made, since in the present 2010 English translation, the Prayers include whole phrases missing from both the old ICEL English paraphrase, and the Latin issued in 1983 (yes, bizarrely enough, while these two E.P.'s were approved for use by a decree dated All Saints, 1974, and issued in at least one modern language – Italian, I think – forthwith, their Latin texts were not published until 1983!).  Furthermore, their abandoned revised ICEL versions of 1998 were clearly based on the original text, not the revised Latin, so I suppose it must have been issued in 2002 (unless it wasn't brought forth until the editio typica tertia altera, the revised third "standard" edition of 2008).

I noticed that the Latin must have changed, and a quick internet search for the current Latin of these Prayers, then collation with a booklet containing the original Latin thereof, demonstrated quite substantial revisions had been made.  The two most important changes are as follows: the deficient preconsecratory epiclesis of the E.P. for R. II, which didn't even make explicit what the Holy Spirit was being called down upon the elements to effect (it simply prayed that His "dewfall" sanctify them), has been rectified, and similarly the same E.P. for R. II, which had no prayer at all for the dead – ! – has had one inserted at last.

I suspect, apart from tightening up the orthodox doctrine expressed in these prayers, the Latin was revised because the original, though the "official" text, was in fact a back-translation from Italian (as the Catechism was from French), and the small number remaining of good ecclesiastical Latinists found the text clunky, even ungrammatical – why else, after all, make so many changes?

My Latin is nowhere near good enough to determine if this is true, but it would seem plausible, given that the 2002 third typical edition of the Missal had to be revised and reissued in 2008, given the large number of embarrassing Latin mistakes it contained.  How the mighty have fallen!

But as to how much the Latin has changed, well, it is hard to quantify such matters, but, taking the simplest step of counting the number of words in each version, and how many are exactly the same, and how many are different (even in case or declension, let alone if they are synonyms or utterly new), my tally is as follows:

Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation I

Original Latin text: 458 words*
New Latin text: 471 words*
Number of words common to both: 383 words*
Percentage of words common to both: 81%*

(* exclusive of Preface Dialogue, Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation and Amen.)

Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation II

Original Latin text: 407 words*
New Latin text: 446 words*
Number of words common to both: 333 words*
Percentage of words common to both: 75%*

(* exclusive of Preface Dialogue, Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation and Amen.)

Therefore, the revisions of both E.P.'s were extensive - between a fifth and a quarter of the text was changed.

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For the benefit of those desirous of further details, I append the old and new Latin texts of both prayers - this blog doesn't really allow texts to be placed in parallel columns, unfortunately, since doing so would reveal the interesting differences between them:

Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation I

2002? Revised Latin Text:


Vere dignum et iustum est nos tibi semper gratias agere. Domine, sancte Pater, omnipotens aeterne Deus: Qui ad abundantiorem vitam habendam nos incitare non desinis, et, cum sis dives in misericordia, veniam offerre perseveras ac peccatores invitas ad tuae solum indulgentiae fidendum. A nobis autem, qui foedus tuum toties violavimus, numquam aversus, humanam familiam per Iesum Filium tuum, Redemptorem nostrum, novo caritatis vinculo tam arcte tibi iunxisti, ut nullo modo possit dissolvi. Nunc quidem tempus gratiae et reconciliationis populo tuo praebes, eique ad te animum convertenti in Christo Iesu sperare concedis cunctisque hominibus tribuis deservire, dum plenius Spiritui Sancto se concredit. Et ideo, admiratione perfusi, tui amoris virtutem extollimus nostrumque de salute gaudium profitentes, cum innumeris caelestium turbis hymnum concinimus, sine fine dicentes:

Sanctus...

Vere Sanctus es, Domine, qui ab origine mundi semper operaris ut, sicut Sanctus es ipse, sanctus fiat homo.

Respice, quaesumus, munera populi tui et super ea Spiritus tui virtutem effunde ut Corpus et Sanguis fiant dilecti Filii tui, Iesu Christi, in quo et nos filii tui sumus. 

Quamvis vero olim perditi tibi appropinquare nequiremus, summo nos amore dilexisti: Filius enim tuus, qui solus est Iustus, morti tradidit seipsum, ligno crucis pro nobis non dedignatus affigi. Sed antequam brachia eius inter caelum et terram extenta efficerentur tui foederis indelebile signum, ipse cum discipulis suis Pascha voluit celebrare.

Convescens autem, accepit panem et tibi gratias agens benedixit, fregit et dedit illis, dicens: ACCIPITE ET MANDUCATE EX HOC OMNES: HOC EST ENIM CORPUS MEUM, QUOD PRO VOBIS TRADETUR.

Similiter, postquam cenatum est, sciens se omnia in seipso reconciliaturum per sanguinem suum in cruce fundendum, accepit calicem, genimine vitis repletum, et iterum tibi gratias agens discipulis suis tradidit, dicens: ACCIPITE ET BIBITE EX EO OMNES: HIC EST ENIM CALIX SANGUINIS MEI NOVI ET AETERNI TESTAMENTI, QUI PRO VOBIS ET PRO MULTIS EFFUNDETUR IN REMISSIONEM PECCATORUM. HOC FACITE IN MEAM COMMEMORATIONEM.

Mysterium fidei...

Memores igitur Filii tui Iesu Christi, qui Pascha nostrum est et pax nostra certissima, mortem eius et resurrectionem ab inferis celebramus atque, beatum eius adventum praestolantes, offerimus tibi, qui fidelis et misericors es Deus, hostiam, quae homines tecum reconciliat. 

Respice, benignus, clementissime Pater, quos tibi coniungis Filii tui sacrificio, ac praesta ut, Spiritus Sancti virtute, ex hoc uno pane et calice participes, in unum corpus congregentur in Christo, a quo omnis auferatur divisio. 

In communione mentis et cordis nos semper servare digneris una cum Papa nostro N. et Episcopo nostro N.

Adiuva nos, ut simul adventum regni tui praestolemus usque ad horam qua tibi adstabimus, sancti inter sanctos in sede caelesti, cum beata Virgine Dei Genetrice Maria, beatis Apostolis et omnibus Sanctis atque fratribus nostris defunctis, quos tuae misericordiae suppliciter commendamus. Tum vero, a corruptionis vulnere tandem liberati et nova plene constituti creatura, gaudentes tibi canemus gratiarum actionem Christi tui, in aeternum viventis.

Per ipsum...

1975/1983 Original Latin Text:


Vere dignum et iustum est, Domine, sancte Pater, nos tibi gratias agere. Qui ad abundantiorem vitam habendam nos provocare non desinis, et, cum sis Deus bonitatis et misericordiæ, veniam offerre perseveras ac peccatores invitas, ut se tuae solum indulgentiae fidentes committant. Neque aversus a nobis, quod fœdera tua toties fregimus, humanam familiam per Iesum Filium tuum, Dominum nostrum, novo vinculo tibi iunxisti tam arcte, ut nullo modo possit dissolvi. Dum ergo hoc tempus gratiae et reconciliationis nunc populo tuo præbetur, ad te animum convertendo ipsi respirare concedis in Christo, cunctisque hominibus tribuis deservire, plenius se Spiritui Sancto concredendo. Et ideo admiratione perfusi, tibique gratias referentes, et cum innumeris turbis caelestium hymnum sociantes, tui amoris virtutem exaltamus nostrumque de salute gaudium profitemur: 

Sanctus…

Deus, qui a mundi origine id operaris, quod homini prodest, ut sanctus sit, sicut sanctus es ipse, respice, quæsumus, populum tuum hic adunatum et potentiam Spiritus tui effunde ut hæc dona fiant nobis Corpus et Sanguis Filii tui dilecti Iesu Christi, in quo tui filii sumus.

Cum vero perissemus nec tibi appropinquare valeremus, summo nos dilexisti amore: Filius enum tuus, qui solus est Iustus, in manus nostras tradidit se ipsum, non dedignatus ligno crucis affigi. Sed antequam bracchia eius inter cælum et terram extenta efficerentur tui signum indelebile fœderis, cum discipulis suis voluit Pascha celebrare.

Convescens, accepit panem et tibi gratias agens benedixit, fregit et dedit illis dicens: ACCIPITE ET MANDUCATE EX HOC OMNES: HOC EST ENIM CORPUS MEUM, QUOD PRO VOBIS TRADETUR.

Similiter, postquam cenatum est, sciens quia omnia reconciliaturus esset in se ipsum per sanguinem in cruce fundendum, accepit calicem, ex genimine vitis repletum, et iterum tibi gratias agens amicis suis tradidit dicens: ACCIPITE ET BIBITE EX EO OMNES: HIC EST ENIM CALIX SANGUINIS MEI NOVI ET AETERNI TESTAMENTI, QUI PRO VOBIS ET PRO MULTIS EFFUNDETUR IN REMISSIONEM PECCATORUM. HOC FACITE IN MEAM COMMEMORATIONEM.

Mysterium fidei...

Memores igitur Iesu Christi, qui Pascha est nostrum et pax nostra certissima, et celebrantes mortem eius et resurrectionem ab inferis beatumque diem eius adventum praestolantes, offerimus tibi, Deus, qui es fidelis et verus, hostiam, quae hominibus gratiam tuam conciliat.

Eos, clementissime Pater, benignus respice, quos tibi coniungis, tribuens ipsis de hoc uno sacrificio  Christi participare, ut virtute Spiritus Sancti congregentur in unum Corpus in quo omnis auferatur divisio.

Serva nos invicem in communione mentis et cordis cum Papa nostro N. et Episcopo nostro N.

Adjuva nos, ut simul adventum regni tui paremus usque ad horam, qua tibi adstabimus, sancti inter sanctos in sede cælesti, cum beata Maria Virgine atque Apostolis, cum fratribus nostris defunctis, quos tuæ misericordiæ commendamus. Tum vero, constituti in nova creatura, a corruptionis vulnere tandem liberata, gratiarum actionem Christi tui, in æternum viventis, supplici tibi confessione canemus.

Per ipsum…

Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation II

2002? Revised Latin Text:

Vere dignum et iustum est nos tibi gratias agere atque laudes persolvere, Deus Pater omnipotens, pro omnibus, quae in hoc mundo operaris, per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum. Cum enim genus humanum dissensione sit atque discordia divisum, experiendo tamen cognovimus te animos flectere, ut sint ad reconciliationem parati. Per Spiritum namque tuum permoves hominum corda, ut inimici iterum in colloquia veniant, adversarii manus coniungant, populi sibi obviam quaerant venire. Tua operante virtute fit etiam, Domine, ut odium vincatur amore, ultio cedat indulgentiae, discordia in mutuam dilectionem convertatur. Quapropter cum choris caelestibus gratias tibi indesinenter agentes maiestati tuae in terris sine fine clamamus: 

Sanctus…

Te igitur, Pater omnipotens, benedicimus per Iesum Christum Filium tuum, qui in tuo nomine venit. Ipse est pro hominibus Verbum salutis, manus, quam peccatoribus porrigis, via, qua pax tua nobis praebetur. Cum nosmetipsos a te, Domine, propter peccata nostra avertissemus, ad reconciliationem nos reduxisti, ut ad te tandem conversi nos invicem diligeremus per Filium tuum, quem in mortem pro nobis tradidisti. 

Et nunc reconciliationem a Christo nobis allatam celebrantes, te deprecamur: Spiritus tui effusione haec dona sanctifica, ut fiant Corpus et Sanguis Filii tui, cuius mandatum implemus haec celebrantes mysteria.

Ipse enim, vitam cum esset daturus, ut nos liberaret, discumbens accepit panem in manus suas et tibi gratias agens benedixit, fregit deditque discipulis suis, dicens: ACCIPITE ET MANDUCATE EX HOC OMNES: HOC EST ENIM CORPUS MEUM, QUOD PRO VOBIS TRADETUR.

Simili modo vespere illo accepit calicem benedictionis in manus suas, tuam confitens misericordiam deditque discipulis suis, dicens: ACCIPITE ET BIBITE EX EO OMNES: HIC EST ENIM CALIX SANGUINIS MEI NOVI ET AETERNI TESTAMENTI, QUI PRO VOBIS ET PRO MULTIS EFFUNDETUR IN REMISSIONEM PECCATORUM. HOC FACITE IN MEAM COMMEMORATIONEM.

Mysterium fidei...

Memoriam igitur agentes Filii tui mortis et resurrectionis, qui hoc pignus dilectionis suae nobis reliquit, tibi quod nobis tribuisti offerimus perfectae reconciliationis sacrificium. 

Pater sancte, supplices deprecamur, ut nos quoque acceptos habeas cum Filio tuo et in hoc salutari convivio eiusdem Spiritum nobis praestare digneris, qui omnia auferat quae nos invicem alienant. 

Ipse Ecclesiam tuam inter homines signum efficiat unitatis pacisque tuae instrumentum, * et nos in communione conservet cum Papa nostro N. et Antistite nostro N. et cunctis Episcopis et universo populo tuo.

Quemadmodum nunc ad mensam Filii tui nos congregasti, ita nos collige cum gloriosa Dei Genetrice Virgine Maria, beatis Apostolis tuis et omnibus Sanctis, cum fratribus nostris, atque hominibus cuiusvis stirpis et sermonis in tua amicitia defunctis, ad perpetuae unitatis convivium, in caelis novis et terra nova, ubi plenitudo pacis tuae refulget, in Christo Iesu Domino nostro.

Per ipsum...

1975/1983 Original Latin Text:

Tibi, Deus et Pater omnipotens, gratias agimus teque laudamus per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, pro operatione tua in mundo. Cum enim genus humanum discensione sit ac discordia divisum, experiendo tamen cognoscimus te animos flectere, ut sint ad reconciliationem parati. Corda quidem tuus permovet Spiritus, ut inimici iterum in colloquia veniant, adversarii manus coniungant, populi sibi quaerant obviare. Tua etiam fit operante virtute, ut voluntate pacis amanter rixae sedentur, vincatur odium venia, remissioni tandem ultio cedat. Quapropter gratias tibi indesinenter oportet agamus teque collaudemus cum choris caelestibus, qui sine fine tuae clamant maiestati:

Sanctus…

Te igitur, qui omnibus potestatibus dominaris, benedicimus per Iesum Christum Filium tuum, qui in tuo nomine venit. Ipse est sermo, qui homines salvat, manus, quam peccatoribus porrigis, via, qua pax tua nobis offertur. Deus, Pater omnium nostrum, cum nosmetipsos a te avertissemus, nos reduxisti per Filium, quem tradidisti in mortem, ut ad te converteremur ac diligeremus alterutrum.

Ideo reconciliationem a Christo nobis paratam celebrantes te deprecamur, ut haec dona Spiritus tui rore sanctifices, dum Filii tui mandatum implemus.

Ipse enim, cum vitam esset daturus, ut nos liberaret, accepit discumbens panem in manus suas et tibi gratias agens benedixit, fregit deditque discipulis suis dicens: ACCIPITE ET MANDUCATE EX HOC OMNES: HOC EST ENIM CORPUS MEUM, QUOD PRO VOBIS TRADETUR.

Simili modo vespere illo accepit calicem et tuam misericordiam confitens, dedit discipulis suis dicens: ACCIPITE ET BIBITE EX EO OMNES: HIC EST ENIM CALIX SANGUINIS MEI NOVI ET AETERNI TESTAMENTI, QUI PRO VOBIS ET PRO MULTIS EFFUNDETUR IN REMISSIONEM PECCATORUM. HOC FACITE IN MEAM COMMEMORATIONEM.

Mysterium fidei...

Domine Deus noster, Filius tuus hoc pignus dilectionis suae nobis reliquit; memoriam igitur mortis eius et resurrectionis agentes, tibi offerimus, quod nobis tribuisti: perfectae reconciliationis sacrificium.

Pater sancte, te deprecamur, ut nos etiam habeas, cum Filio tuo, acceptos et in hoc nobis convivio eiusdem Spiritum praestare digneris, qui auferat ea, quae dividunt.

Ipse nos in communione conservet cum Papa nostro N. et Antistite nostro N. et cunctis Episcopis et universo populo tuo. Ecclesiam tuam inter homines, quaesumus, effice signum unitatis pacisque tuae instrumentum. 

Quemadmodum hic ad mensam Filii tui nos congregasti, beatissimae Deiparae Virgini Mariae et omnibus Sanctis sociatos, ita collige homines cuiusvis ordinis coetusque, cuiusvis stirpis atque sermonis ad perpetuae unitatis convivium in mundo novo, ubi plenitudo pacis refulget. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.

Per ipsum...

4 comments:

  1. Thank you for providing the older Latin text of EPR I. I had found the older Latin text of EPR II on a Brazilian or Portuguese web site, but had been unsuccessful in finding EPR I. (I'm writing a book on the EPs of the modern Roman Rite, and knowing the changes in the Latin is helpful to my research, and might give me something to write about!)

    The Latin text of EPR I and II was revised before MR2002 was promulgated. From "A Commentary on the Order of Mass of the Roman Missal" [2011], pp. 460f:

    EP RI and EP RII were placed in the Appendix ad Ordinem Missae of MR2002. The official Latin text was heavily revised from the text published in 1974 and slightly amended in 1983. These changes include harmonization of wording with the four major EPs, rewording of sections, changes in grammar for literary style, and the addition of new phrases or specifications of existing words either to draw out more theological or biblical significance or to employ more sacral terminology.

    In EP RI, for example, the beginning and ending of the preface have been reworded to harmonize with the dominant literary style of the corpus of prefaces in MR2002. In a stronger biblical allusion, God is dives in misericordia (Eph 2:4) rather than the previous Deus bonitatis et misericoridae. Humankind is joined more specifically by a bond of love through Christ, who is named our redeemer (per Iesum Filium tuum, Redemptorem nostrum, novo caritatis vinculo . . . iunxisti ). The post-Sanctus now begins with the incipit, Vere Sanctus es, Domine, harmonizing with EP II and EP III. In the first epiclesis, God is asked now to look specifically on the munera populi rather than on the populum hic adunatum as in the previous versions. The institution narrative has a new introduction: Christ gives the chalice to his disciples rather than his friends as in the previous versions. The second epiclesis has the phrase ex hoc uno pane et calice particeps to specify how the assembly is gathered into the Body of Christ. Mary is identified as the Mother of God, and the apostles are now invoked as blessed. The transition to the doxology has been reworded.

    In EP RII there is a similar harmonizing of the beginning and ending of the preface. The order of the signs by which we see God’s power at work has been changed. The first epiclesis now asks for the effusione of the Spirit rather than the rore (cf. EP II) and asks specifically for the gifts to become Corpus et Sanguis Filii tui. Jesus takes the calix benedictionis. There is a harmonizing of the anamnesis-offering with the other major EPs. The banquet is specified as in hoc salutari convivio. The intercessory section Quemadmodum has been reworked, with the addition of the phrases in tua amicitia defunctis and in caelis novis, making an explicit commemoration of the dead.

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  2. I should also let you know that I have a multi-column display of the Eucharistic Prayers online here; differences are highlighted by color. I'll be adding the older Latin of EPR I in the next few minutes.

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  3. Many. many thanks for this information!

    Was anything published in Notitiæ about this revision?

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  4. There is nothing to that effect the book I quoted, nor in its footnotes. I would imagine there'd be something about it in Notitiae (not likely in the AAS, though), but I don't know what issue in particular.

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