WDTPRS 2 May – St Athanasius: Propugnator, Doctor of the Church

In both the traditional Roman calendar and the post-Conciliar calendar today is the feast of St. Athanasius, Doctor of the Church.

Let’s have a quick look at the Collect for the Mass for St. Athanasius in the Ordinary Form..

2002MR:
Omnipotens sempiterne Deus,
qui beatum Athanasium episcopum
divinitatis Filii tui propugnatorem eximium suscitasti,
concede propitius,
ut, eius doctrina et protectione gaudentes,
in tui cognitione et amore sine intermissione crescamus.

A propugnator is one who fights “in the place of” another, as indicated in that proposition pro in this compound.  “Champion” is a good way to convey that subtlety.

OBSOLETE ICEL (1973):
Father,
you raised up St. Athanasius
to be an outstanding defender
of the truth of Christ’s divinity.
By his teaching and protection
may we grow in your knowledge and love.

CURRENT ICEL (2011):
Almighty ever-living God,
who raised up the Bishop Saint Athanasius
as an outstanding champion of your Son’s divinity,
mercifully grant,
that, rejoicing in his teaching and his protection,
we may never cease to grow in knowledge and love of you.

You decide.