Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Preface of St Augustine


Vere dignum et justum est, æquum et salutare, nos tibi semper et ubique gratias agere, Domine, sancte Pater, omnipotens æterne Deus.
Quia vas electionis tuæ, et lux doctorum, mellifluus Augustinus, toto terrarum orbe radio miræ claritatis infulsit; et Ecclesiam sanctam Fidei orthodoxæ, vere Augustinus illustravit: destruxit hæreses, errores repulit: hæreticosque prostravit: ac status fidelium universæ christianæ vitæ Augustinus moribus decoravit: clericos docuit: laicos monuit, devios in viam veritatis reduxit: cunctorumque conditionibus salubriter providendo, tuam in hoc mari naviculam Augustinus provide gubernavit.
Et ideo cum angelis et archangelis, cum thronis et dominationibus, cumque omni militia cœlestis exercitus, hymnum gloriæ tuæ canimus, sine fine dicentes:

Sanctus...

******

It is truly meet and just, right and wholesome, for us at all times and in all places to give thanks unto thee, Lord, holy Father, almighty everlasting God.
For the vessel of thy election, and the light of doctors, the honey-tongued Augustine, shone upon the whole world by reason of the ray of his wonderful glory: and truly did Augustine enlighten the holy Church of the orthodox Faith: destroy heresies, drive away errors: put heretics to flight: and the manner of the whole Christian life of the faithful did Augustine adorn by his example: he taught clerks: he admonished laymen: he brought back wanderers to the way of truth: and by providing in wholesome wise for the necessities of all men, did Augustine carefully pilot thy ship in this [life's] sea.
And therefore with angels and archangels, with thrones and dominations, and with every company of the heavenly host, we sing the hymn of thy glory, saying without ceasing:

Holy...

(Appointed for use in Augustinian churches.)

4 comments:

  1. Dear Josh,
    You might like to compare this with the modern preface in the OP Missal. (Perhaps the Augustineans use this too ...? I don't know. - Martin)

    Vere dignum est tibi grátias ágere, vere iustum est te glorificáre, Pater sancte:
    Qui beátum Augustinum ad te mirabíliter convérsum grátiæ tuæ testem atque cultórem effecisti, ut Ecclésiam tuam præclára doctrínæ luce perfúnderet. Ipsíus enim cor amóre tui suavíssimo vulnerásti ac tanto stúdio replésti tuæ glóriæ comparándæ ut fratres commúniter vivéndi forma coniúngeret.
    Ille autem núntium salútis ætérnæ verbo et scripto indefésse proclámans,
    pacis unitátem et Ecclésiæ fraternitátem auxit.
    Unde et nos glóriam tuam cum Angelis prædicámus, una voce dicéntes:

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  2. Here is the English of the OP Preface of St Augustine:

    It is truly right to give you thanks;
    it is truly just to glorify your name, holy Father.
    For, you made Saint Augustine,
    who had been wondrously converted to you,
    a witness and a devotee of your grace
    that he might flood your Church with the clear light of his teaching.
    For you wounded his heart with your most sweet love
    and filled it with such a great desire for the glory prepared for him
    that he united his brothers by a common form of life;
    and, tirelessly proclaiming the message of eternal salvation by word and writing,
    he strengthened the bond of peace and the brotherhood of the Church.
    And so, with the Angels we proclaim your glory,
    as with one voice we acclaim:

    ReplyDelete
  3. Many thanks, Father! I trust all is well up north.

    I think it is fair to say that the modern OP Preface of St Augustine is a good deal more inspiring than the old Preface I quoted, which I find rather pedestrian.

    Tell me, has the modern translation of the Missal been put into use in PNG yet?

    Best wishes from Tasmania!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Josh,

    I wouldn't say, "All is well" in PNG, but yes, we have been using the new Missal for more than a year now... and a new translation in Tok Pisin as well! - Martin OP

    ReplyDelete