Liturgiam authenticam

[1] Second Vatican Council, Const. about the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, nn. 1, 14, 21, 33; cf. Council of Trent, Sess. XXII, 17 September 1562, Doctr. De ss. Missae sacrif., c. 8 : Denz.-Schönm. n. 1749.

[2] The notion of the act of rendering a given text into another language is often expressed in Latin by the words versio, conversio, interpretatio, redditio, and even mutatio, transductio or similar words. Such is also the case in the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium and many other recent documents of the Holy See. Nevertheless, the sense often attributed to these terms in modern languages involves some variation or discrepancy from the original text and its meaning. For the purpose of excluding any ambiguity in this Instruction, which treats explicitly of the same theme, the word translatio, with its cognates, has been preferred. Even if their use presents some difficulty as regards Latin style or is redolent of a “neologism”, such terms nevertheless have a certain international character and are able to communicate the present intent of the Apostolic See, as they are able to be employed in many languages without the danger of error.

[3] Cf. S. Congr. for Divine Worship, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops De linguis vulgaribus in S. Liturgiam inducendis, 5 June 1976: Notitiae 12 (1976) 300-302.

[4] Cf. Second Vatican Council, Decr. On Eastern Catholic Churches,Office Professional Plus 2010 32 Bit, Orientalium Ecclesiarum, n. 1.

[5] Cf. 2nd Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 4; Decr. Orientalium Ecclesiarum,Windows 7 Home Premium Sale, nn. 2, 6.

[6] Cf. 2nd Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 38; Pope Paul VI, Apost. Const. Missale Romanum : AAS 61 (1969) 217-222. Cf. Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia: Institutio Generalis, n. 399.

[7] Congr. for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instr. IV “for the right implementation of the 2nd Vatican Council’s Constitution about the Sacred Liturgy”, Varietates legitimae, n. 17: AAS 87 (1995) 294-295; Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia: Institutio Generalis, n. 397.

[8] 2nd Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 38; Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia: Institutio Generalis, n. 397.

[9] Pope Paul VI, Address to the Consilium “for the implementation of the Constitution around the Sacred Liturgy”, 14 October 1968: AAS 60 (1968) 736.

[10] Cf. Congr. for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instr. Varietates legitimae, n. 36: AAS 87 (1995) 302; cf. also Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia: Institutio Generalis, n. 398.

[11] Cf. Pope John Paul II, Apost. Letter Vicesimus quintus annus, 4 December 1988, n. 20 : AAS 81 (1989) 916.

[12] Cf. Pope Paul VI, Address to translators of liturgical texts into vernacular languages, 10 November 1965: AAS 57 (1965) 968.

[13] Congr. for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instr. Varietates legitimae: AAS 87 (1995) 288-314.

[14] S. Congr. for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops, De linguis vulgaribus in S. Liturgiam inducendis, 5 June 1976: Notitiae 12 (1976) 300-301.

[15] Cf. Second Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 36 § 3; S. Congr. for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops De linguis vulgaribus in S. Liturgiam inducendis, 5 June 1976: Notitiae 12 (1976) 300-301.

[16] Cf. Second Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 36 § 3; Pope Paul VI, Apost. Letter Sacram Liturgiam, 25 January 1964 : AAS 56 (1964) 143 ; S. Congr. of Rites, Inst. Inter Oecumenici, 26 September 1964, nn. 27-29: AAS 56 (1964) 883; cf. S. Congr. for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops De linguis vulgaribus in S. Liturgiam inducendis, 5 June 1976: Notitiae 12 (1976) 300-302.

[17] Cf., for example, Congr. for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Normae de celebranda Missa in «esperanto», 20 March 1990: Notitiae 26 (1990) 693-694.

[18] Cf. S. Congr. of Rites, Instr. Inter Oecumenici, n. 41: AAS 56 (1964) 886.

[19] Cf. Second Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 33; Dogm. Const. on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum, n. eight; cf. Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia: Institutio Generalis, n. 2.

[20] Cf. the Consilium “for the implementation of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy”, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops, 21 June 1967: Notitiae 3 (1967) 296; Card. Secr. of State, Letter to the Pro-Prefect of the Congr. for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, one February 1997.

[21] Cf. Congr. for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instr., Varietates legitimae, 25 January 1994, n. 53: AAS 87 (1995) 308.

[22] ibid., n. 39: AAS 87 (1995) 303.

[24] Cf. S. Congr. of Rites, Instr. Inter Oecumenici, n. 40 a: AAS 56 (1964) 885.

[25] Cf. Pope Paul VI, Address to translators of liturgical texts into vernacular languages, 10 November 1965: AAS 57 (1965) 968; Congr. for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instr. Varietates legitimae, n. 53: AAS 87 (1995) 308.

[26] Cf. Pope John Paul II, Address to a group of Bishops from the United States of America on their Ad limina visit, 4 December 1993, n. 2: AAS 86 (1994) 755-756.

[27] Cf. 2nd Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 33.

[28] Cf., ibid., n. 116; S. Congr. of Rites, Instr. Musicam sacram, 5 March 1967, n. 50: AAS 59 (1967) 314; S. Congr. for Divine Worship, Letter sent to the Bishops with the volume Iubilate Deo, 14 April 1974: Notitiae 10 (1974) 123-124; Pope John Paul II, Letter Dominicae Cenae, 24 February 1980, n. 10: AAS 72 (1980) 135; Address to a group of Bishops from the United States of America on their Ad limina visit, 9 October 1998, n. 3: AAS 91 (1999) 353-354; cf. Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia, Institutio Generalis, n. 41.

[29] Cf. 2nd Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 35, 52; S. Congr. of Rites, Instr. Inter Oecumenici, n. 54: AAS 56 (1964) 890; cf. Pope John Paul II, Apost. Exhortation Catechesi tradendae, 16 October 1979, n. 48: AAS 71 (1979) 1316; Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia: Institutio Generalis, n. 65.

[30] Cf., 2nd Vatican Council, Decr. on Ecumenism, Unitatis redintegratio; Decl. around the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, Nostra aetate.

[31] Cf. Pope Paul VI, Apost. Const. Laudis canticum, one November 1970. n. 8: AAS 63 (1971) 532-533; Officium Divinum, Liturgia Horarum iuxta Ritum romanum, editio typica altera 1985: Institutio Generalis de Liturgia Horarum, n. 100; Pope John Paul II, Apost. Letter Vicesimus quintus annus, n. 8 : AAS 81 (1989)904-905.

[32] Cf. Council of Trent, Session IV, eight April 1546, De libris sacris et de traditionibus recipiendis, and De vulgata editione Bibliorum et de modo interpretandi s. Scripturarum : Denz.–Schönm., nn. 1501-1508 ; Pope John Paul II, Apost. Const. Scripturarum thesaurus, 25 April 1979: AAS 71 (1979) 558-559.

[33] Cf. Pope Paul VI, Address to the Cardinals and Prelates of the Roman Curia, 23 December 1966, n. 11: AAS 59 (1967) 53-54; cf. Address to the Cardinals and Prelates of the Roman Curia, 22 December 1977: AAS 70 (1978) 43; cf. Pope John Paul II, Apost. Const. Scripturarum thesaurus, 25 April 1979: AAS 71 (1979) 558; Nova Vulgata Bibliorum Sacrorum, editio typica altera 1986, Praefatio ad Lectorem.

[34] Cf. Officium Divinum, Liturgia Horarum iuxta Ritum romanum, editio typica altera 1985: Institutio Generalis de Liturgia Horarum, nn. 100-109.

[35] 2nd Vatican Council, Const. Dei Verbum, n. 22.

[36] Cf. Pope Paul VI, Apost. Exhortation Marialis cultus, 11 February 1974, n. 30: AAS 66 (1974) 141-142.

[37] Cf. Congr. for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instr. Varietates legitimae, n. 53: AAS 87 (1995) 308.

[38] Cf. ibid.; cf. Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia: Institutio Generalis, n. 392.

[39] Cf. Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia: Institutio Generalis,Mac Tips and Tricks I learned so far Terminally Incoherent, nn. 53, 57.

[40] Cf. Pope John Paul II, Apost. Letter Dies Domini, n. 50: AAS 90 (1998) 745.

[41] Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia: Institutio Generalis, n. 78.

[42] Cf. ibid., n. 67.

[43] St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, IIaIIae, I, 9.

[44] Cf. S. Congr. for the Doctrine of the Faith, Communicatio, 2 December 1983: Notitiae 20 (1984) 181.

[45] Cf. 2nd Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 63b; S. Congr. for Divine Worship, Decl. De interpretationibus popularibus novorum textuum liturgicorum, 15 September 1969: Notitiae 5 (1969) 333-334.

[46] Cf. Congr. for the Clergy et al., Instr. Ecclesiae de mysterio, 15 August 1997, art. 1-3, 6-12: AAS 89 (1997) 861-865, 869-874.

[47] Cf. Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia: Institutio Generalis, n. 389.

[48] Cf. Second Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 36; cf. Code of Canon Law, can 838 § 3.

[49] Cf. Second Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 44; S. Congr. of Rites, Instr. Inter Oecumenici, nn. 40 b, 44: AAS (1964) 885-886.

[50] Cf. S. Congr. of Rites, Instr. Inter Oecumenici, n. 40 d: AAS 56 (1964) 886.

[51] Cf., Code of Canon Law, can. 838.

[52] Cf. S. Congr. for Divine Worship, Decl., 15 May 1970: Notitiae 6 (1970) 153.

[53] Cf. Pope John Paul II, Apost. Letter Vicesimus quintus annus, n. 20 : AAS 81(1989) 916.

[54] Cf. 2nd Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 36; Pope Paul VI, Apost. Letter Sacram Liturgiam, IX: AAS 56 (1964) 143; S. Congr. of Rites, Instr. Inter Oecumenici,Buy Office Professional Plus 2007, nn. 27-29: AAS 56 (1964) 883; Centr. Comm. for Coordinating Post-Conciliar Works and Interpreting the Decrees of the Council, Response to Dubium: AAS 60 (1968) 361; cf. S. Congr. for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops De linguis vulgaribus in S. Liturgiam inducendis, 5 June 1976: Notitiae 12 (1976) 300-302.

[55] Cf. S. Congr. of Rites, Instr. Inter Oecumenici, n. 30: AAS 56 (1964) 883; S. Congr. For the Sacraments and Divine Worship, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops De linguis vulgaribus in S. Liturgiam inducendis, 5 June 1976: Notitiae 12 (1976) 302.

[56] Cf. Second Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 36; S. Congr. of Rites, Instr. Inter Oecumenici, nn. 20-21, 31: AAS (1964) 882,884; Code of Canon Law, can. 838.

[57] Cf. Pont. Comm. for the Revision of the Code of Canon Law, Acta: Communicationes 15 (1983) 173.

[58] Cf. Pope Paul VI, Address to the Members and Experts of the Consilium “for the implementation of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy”, 13 October 1966: AAS 58 (1966) 1146; Address to the Members and Experts of the Consilium “for the implementation of the Constitution around the Sacred Liturgy” 14 October 1968: AAS 60 (1968) 734.

[59] Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia, Institutio Generalis, n. 397.

[60] Cf. 2nd Vatican Council, Dogm. Const. On the Church, Lumen Gentium, n. 13; cf. Pope John Paul II, Apost. Letter (Motu proprio) Apostolos suos, 21 May 1998, n. 22: AAS 90 (1998) 655-656.

[61] Cf. Code of Canon Law, cann. 838 § 3.

[62] Cf. S. Congr. for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops De linguis vulgaribus in S. Liturgiam inducendis, 5 June 1976: Notitiae 12 (1976) 302.

[63] Cf. ibid., 300-302.

[64] Cf., S. Congr. For Divine Worship, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops De normis servandis quoad libros liturgicos in vulgus edendos, illorum translatione in linguas hodiernas peracta, 25 October 1973: AAS 66 (1974) 98-99; S. Congr. for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops De linguis vulgaribus in S. Liturgiam inducendis, 5 June 1976: Notitiae 12 (1976) 300-302.

[65] Cf. S. Congr. for Divine Worship, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops De normis servandis quoad libros liturgicos in vulgus edendos, illorum translatione in linguas hodiernas peracta, 25 October 1973: AAS 66 (1974) 98-99; S. Congr. for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops De linguis vulgaribus in S. Liturgiam inducendis 5 June 1976: Notitiae 12 (1976) 300-302.

[66] Cf. S. Congr. For Divine Worship, Norms De unica interpretatione textuum liturgicorum, 6 February 1970: Notitiae 6 (1976) 84-85; cf. S. Congr. of Rites,Cheap Microsoft Office 2007, Instr. Inter Oecumenici, n. 40 c: AAS 56 (1964) 886.

[67] Cf. S. Congr. for Divine Worship, Norms De unica interpretatione textuum liturgicorum, 6 February 1970: Notitiae 6 (1970) 84-85.

[68] Cf. ibid., 85.

[69] Cf. Second Vatican Council, Const. Dei Verbum, n. 22; Code of Canon Law, can. 825 § 2; Pont. Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Directorium Oecumenicum, 25 March 1993, nn. 183-185, 187: AAS 85 (1993) 1104-1106; cf. Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, can. 655 § one.

[70] Cf. Consilium “for the implementation of the Constitution around the Sacred Liturgy”, Letter of the President, 16 October 1964: Notitiae 1 (1965) 195; Pope Paul VI, Address to translators of liturgical texts into vernacular languages, 10 November 1965: AAS 57 (1965) 969; S. Congr. for Divine Worship, Norms De unica interpretatione textuum liturgicorum, 6 February 1970: Notitiae 6 (1970) 84-85.

[71] Cf. S. Congr. of Rites, Instr. Inter Oecumenici, n. 23 c: AAS 56 (1964) 882; Code of Canon Law, cann. 94, 117, 120; Cf. Pope John Paul II, Apost. Const. Pastor Bonus, 28 June 1988, art. 65: AAS 80 (1988) 877.

[72] Cf. Pope John Paul II, Apost. Letter Apostolos suos,Buy Windows 7 Home Premium, 21 May 1998, nn. 18-19: AAS 90 (1998) 653-654.

[73] Cf. Pope Pius XII, Encycl. Letter Mediator Dei, 20 November 1947 : AAS 39 (1947) 561-562 ; Second Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, nn. 44-46; Pope Paul VI, Apost. Letter Sacram Liturgiam: AAS 56 (1964) 141; S. Congr. of Rites, Instr. Inter Oecumenici, nn. 44-46: AAS 56 (1964) 886-887.

[74] Code of Canon Law, cann. 333, 360; Pope John Paul II, Apost. Const. Pastor Bonus, 28 June 1988, art. 62-65: AAS 80 (1988) 876-877; cf. S. Congr. for Divine Worship, Letter to the Presidents of the Conferences of Bishops De normis servandis quoad libros liturgicos in vulgus edendos, illorum translatione in linguas hodiernas peracta, 25 October 1973, n. 1: AAS 66 (1974) 98.

[75] Cf. Congr. for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instr. Varietates legitimae, 25 January 1994: AAS 87 (1995) 288-314.

[76] Cf. ibid., n. 36: AAS 87 (1995) 302.

[77] Cf. Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia: Institutio Generalis, n. 398.

[78] Pope John Paul II, Apost. Letter Dies Domini, 31 May 1998, nn. 40, 50: AAS 90 (1998) 738, 745.

[79] Cf. Code of Canon Law, can. 838 § 2.

[80] Cf. ibid., can. 838 § 3.

[81] S. Congr. for Divine Worship, Decl., 15 May 1970: Notitiae 6 (1970) 153.

[82] Cf. Code of Canon Law, can. 826 § 2; cf. also below, n. 111.

[83] Cf. 2nd Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 122; S. Congr. of Rites, Instr. Inter Oecumenici, n. 40 e: AAS 56 (1964) 886.

[84] Code of Canon Law, can. 826 § 3.

[85] Second Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 63 b; S. Congr. for Divine Worship, Decl. De interpretationibus popularibus novorum textuum liturgicorum, 15 September 1969: Notitiae 5 (1969) 333-334.

[86] Cf. Pope Pius XII, Encycl. Letter Mediator Dei, 20 November 1947: AAS 39 (1947) 561-562 ; 2nd Vatican Council, Const. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 45.