What Does The Prayer Really Say?
W D T P R S

For years I have urged you faithful readers of the column in The Wanderer (and now more recently here on the blog) to pray for those involved in preparing the liturgical translations.  Here is a brief prayer you could use.  It is appropriate to pray for liturgical translators especially during the paradigmatic “novena” from the Ascension to Pentecost.

When man in his pride attempted to build a tower to heaven, God the Father afflicted humanity with a division in languages (cf. Gen 11:1-9).  At Pentecost, God the Holy Spirit made men from every nation and language able to understand the preaching of the Apostles as if they were hearing their mother tongue (cf. Acts 2:1-12).  Babel v. anti-Babel.  This is the imagery I intended to weave into the following prayer, written in Latin and polished from feedback from you participants.  I think this is the final version.

Oratio pro interpretibus
Omnipotens et misericors Deus,
qui super Unigeniti Filii tui Ecclesiam
Sanctum Spiritum abundanter effudisti,
tribue, quaesumus, inspirationem et constantiam
laborantibus magno cum studio
in orationes eiusdem sanctae Ecclesiae convertendo
e Latino in omnium gentium sermones,
ut nos, vetusta dissociati superbia,
et preces offere tibi valeamus decore
et unanimiter a te accipere salutifera.
Per Christum Dominum nostrum.

A prayer for translators
Almighty and merciful God,
who hast poured forth the Holy Spirit abundantly
upon the Church of Thine Only-begotten Son,
vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, inspiration and constancy
to those now laboring with great zeal
in rendering the prayers of the same Holy Church
from Latin into the diverse languages of all nations,
so that we who were estranged by an ancient act of pride
may be able both to offer Thee prayers properly
and being one in heart and mind receive from Thee the means of salvation.