ASK FATHER: Use of the Advent Preface in the TLM, Extraordinary Form

From a reader…

QUAERITUR:

Hello Father, Happy Advent! Today, our priest didn’t use the Preface for Advent which my hand missal says was promulgated (along with one for the Holy Eucharist, All Saints, and the Dedication of a Church) in

1962 for use. Are these considered ad libitum? If not, what were the restrictions? God bless and thank you for your time!

And a penitentially happy Advent back at you.

It is permitted to use those so-called “Gallican Prefaces” with the 1962 Missale Romanum but it is not obligatory.

They are now a legitimate option for the Extraordinary Form, although many people object to their use.  Some think that nothing at all should be introduced to the 1962 book.  Period.  Others think that the prefaces are okay, but that, right now, it isn’t prudent to incorporate them into the practice of the Extraordinary Form yet.  They think that we need a measure of time for us to regain some lost time and territory, as it were.  Perhaps in the future they could be used but not now.

I don’t have any objection to their use.  Today I might have used the Advent Preface, but the book was already set up with the Preface for the Holy Trinity and it didn’t occur to me at the moment.

The Advent Preface is: [Not as it turns out…]

“It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to Thee, Holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God: for through the Mystery of the Word made flesh, new radiance from Thy glory hath so shone on the eye of the soul that the recognition of our God made visible draweth us to love what is invisible. And therefore with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominations, and with all the hosts of the heavenly army we sing a hymn to Thy glory, evermore saying: …”

Vere dignum et justum est, ?quum et salutáre, nos tibi semper, et ubíque grátias ágere: Dómine sancte, Pater omnípotens, ætérne Deus: per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Quem pérdito hóminum géneri Salvatórem miséricors et fidélis promisísti: cuius véritas instrúeret ínscios, sánctitas justificáret ímpios, virtus adiuváret infírmos. Dum ergo prope est ut véniat quem missúrus es, et dies afflúlget liberatiónis nostræ, in hac promissiónum tuárum fide, piis gáudiis exsultámus. Et ídeo cum Angelis et Archángelis, cum Thronis et Dominatiónibus, cumque omni militia cœléstis exércitus, hymnum glóriæ tuæ cánimus, sine fine dicéntes: — Sanctus.

It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times and places give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, almighty Father, eternal God, through Christ our Lord; for in Thy mercy and fidelity Thou hast promised Him as Savior to the lost race of men, to instruct the ignorant with His truth, justify the wicked with His holiness, and help the weak by His power. Now that the time draweth nigh that He Whom Thou art to send should come, and the day of our liberation should dawn, with faith in Thy promises, we rejoice with holy exultation. And therefore with the Angels and Archangels, with the Thrones and Dominions, and with all the hosts of the heavenly army, we sing a hymn to Thy glory, evermore saying: — Sanctus.

Click for larger…

15_11_29_AdventPreface1962

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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7 Comments

  1. Fr. A.M. says:

    Thank you for this post Father. I used the Advent preface this morning. But I was looking at your translation of the original Latin, and clearly the translation is of another, different text. I found this translation of the preface on the internet (no doubt it could be ‘polished’ further) :

    ‘It is truly fitting and proper, right and profitable to salvation, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, Lord, holy Father, Almighty and everlasting God, through Christ our Lord. For You have promised Him, O faithful and merciful One, as a Savior for the lost human race; so that His truth might instruct the ignorant, His holiness might sanctify sinners, and His power might strengthen the weak. Since, therefore, the time of His coming is near, and the day of our liberation is dawning, we trust in Your promises and exult with joyous love. And, therefore, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominations, and with the whole host of the heavenly army, we sing a hymn to Your glory, saying without ceasing’

  2. Fr. A.M. says:

    PS. I think that your translation is that of the preface for Christmas.

  3. John UK says:

    Father,

    I am a little perplexed (I know my Latin is very elementary) as to how
    . . .per Christum Dominum nostrum. Quem perdito hominum generi Salvatorem misericors et fideli promisisti, cuius veritas instrueret inscios, sanctitas iustificaret impios, virtus adiuvaret informos. Dum ergo prope est ut veniat quem missurus es, et dies affulget liberationis nostræ, in hac promissionum tuarum fide, piis guadis exultamus. Et ideo cum . . .
    becomes
    ” . . . for through the Mystery of the Word made flesh, new radiance from Thy glory hath so shone on the eye of the soul that the recognition of our God made visible draweth us to love what is invisible. . . .”?
    I am struggling, and come up with something like
    ” . . . thorough Christ our Lord. Who [is] the Saviour of fallen mankind that Thou, the tender-hearted and faithful, hast sent forth/promised, whose truth instructeth the ignorant, whose holiness justifieth the impious, whose strength helpeth up the sick. Since, therefore …[stuck here] and the day of our liberation shineth forth, with faith in thy promises, we rejoice with holy joy. And therefore with . . . ”

    The English of your text carries echoes of Saint John.

  4. Ed the Roman says:

    Wow. Not a tone I would care to sight read in public.

  5. The English translation of the Preface for Advent given in the Angelus Press Missal:

    It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to Thee, holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God, through Christ our Lord. Whom Thou, clement and faithful, promised as a Savior to the lost race of men; Whose truth instructed the ignorant, Whose sanctity justified the impious, Whose virtue strengthened the weak. Therefore while the advent approaches of Him Whom Thou shalt send, and the day of our deliverance shines forth, we exult in pious joys in this confidence of Thy promises. And therefore with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominations, and with all the hosts of the heavenly army we sing a hymn to Thy glory, evermore saying:

    Seems to me a worthy and beautiful addition to the traditional Missal (which before the ruthless almost-out-with-the-bathwater pruning of Pius V had a proper preface for almost every feast day of note). Perhaps someone else might be so rash as to say … If it’s good enough for the SSPX, who are the rest of us to judge?

  6. John UK says:

    Father,
    Now all has been resolved abou the quoted preface, would it be possible for you, in the tradition of WDTPRS, to drill into the Prefaces.?
    ————-
    @Ed the Roman who says: 30 November 2015 at 8:24 AM
    Wow. Not a tone I would care to sight read in public.

    The normal Solemn tone for the prefaces in Missale Romanum
    Sadly, the new missal has a new tone, set on the modern five-line musical staff, which makes sight-reading for those brought up on square-note notation difficult.
    Thankfully, brought up as an Anglican, I heard the solemn tone (with English words), Sunday by Sunday.. and as far as I know it retained (with modern notation) in the new Ordinariate Missal.

  7. Ed the Roman says:

    The normal Solemn tone for the prefaces in Missale Romanum

    For reasons changing yet enduring, I’ve never heard it.

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