The Vatican website contains English translations of the documents of Vatican II. However, there are a number of problems in those translations. The problems extend from serious doctrinal issues to theological infelicities, and from incomprehensible sentences to typographical issues and trivial issues of consistency.
In what follows, I will illustrate the kinds of problems to be found in the translations, by focusing mainly on the Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church, which is also known as Ad Gentes (AG).
1. Doctrinal Issues
Critics of Vatican II sometimes allege that:
The primary doctrinal error of this false council is religious indifferentism. (CMRI website)
That is a serious allegation, as Indifferentism is an ideology which has been condemned repeatedly by popes. (See: “Did Vatican II Endorse Indifferentism?”)
There is a sentence in Ad Gentes which could show that that criticism is an unfounded allegation. Unfortunately, the English translation obscures the matter.
Look at the following text with the words in English and Latin in bold:
| AG Paragraph 15
…ecumenical activity – should be furthered in such a way that, exclud(es) any appearance of indifference or confusion… |
actio oecumenica ita promoveatur seclusa omni tam indifferentismi et confusionismi… |
Arguably the Latin word indifferentismus (appearing as indifferentismi above) should be translated in English as “indifferentism” and not as “indifference,” thus making it clear that Vatican II rejected Indifferentism.
We know this because when paragraph 50 of the 1993 Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism quoted Ad Gentes, it cited the text above but translated the Latin with the more correct English word of “indifferentism.”
We can also see within Ad Gentes itself that the document elsewhere translates the Latin indifferentismus with the English word “indifferentism.” Look at this example:
| AG Paragraph 20
…taking careful note also of those changes which urbanization, migrations, and religious indifferentism have introduced. |
sedulo quoque habita ratione illarum mutationum, quas urbanizationes uti dicunt, migrationes et indifferentismus religiosus introduxerint. |
What this all means is that the English translation of Ad Gentes is creating a misleading impression about an important doctrinal point.
2. Theological Infelicity
In various places the English translation adds or removes theological nuances which are not present in the Latin.
Here is an example where nuance is removed:
| AG Paragraph 24
This response [of humans to God] however can only be given when the Holy Spirit gives His inspiration and His power. |
Hoc autem responsum dari nequit nisi Spiritu Sancto incitante et roborante. |
The Latin phrase incitante et roborante is making the point that God’s grace “incites” (or enkindles) the human WILL, and then it strengthens the WILL in its exercise of human choices. That is a clear expression of the Church’s traditional anti-Pelagian doctrine of grace.
The English translation has rendered incitante with the concept of “inspiration.” That is unfortunate as “inspiring” or “illuminating” the MIND was one of the classic expressions of semi-Pelagianism which, over the centuries, the Church has battled against.
In the paragraph below we can see the opposite theological infelicity occurring. The English translation adds a theological nuance referring to the concept of “the common good,” but the Latin is simply referring to a “benefit.”
| AG Paragraph 23
Therefore, by the Holy Spirit, who distributes the charismata as He wills for the common good… |
Quare per Spiritum Sanctum, qui charismata prout vult ad utilitatem dividit… |
3. Vocabulary Issues
Another set of issues in Ad Gentes concern problematic terminology.
Sometimes needlessly obscure English words are used. Look at the word “autochthonous” below. How many native English speakers know that that word means “native” or “indigenous”?
| AG Paragraph 23
[Missionaries]… be they autochthonous or be they foreigners: priests, Religious, or laymen. |
… sive autochtoni sive exteri: sacerdotes, religiosi, laici. |
Sometimes words are used which inadvertently add connotations lacking in the Latin. Look at the example below where the word “secret” is used to render intima (which elsewhere in the document is more appropriately translated as “inner” or “intimate”).
| AG Paragraph 26
…their moral order and their religious precepts, and into the secret notions which, according to their sacred tradition, they have formed concerning God, the world and man. |
…perspiciant ordinem moralem et praecepta religiosa necnon ideas intimas, quas ii secundum sacras sibi traditiones de Deo, de mundo et de homine efformaverint. |
Sometimes unclear and ambiguous expressions occur. What on earth are the “worrisome wiles” in the paragraph below? Fortunately, the Latin makes it clear that it is concerned about “inappropriate techniques.”
| AG Paragraph 13
The Church strictly forbids forcing anyone to embrace the Faith, or alluring or enticing people by worrisome wiles. |
Ecclesia severe prohibet ne quis ad fidem amplectendam cogatur vel artibus importunis inducatur aut alliciatur, … |
4. Spelling and Typographical Issues
Look at the word “supple” below. Is this a call for physically flexible priests? Fortunately, the Latin makes it clear that the word “supple” should read “supply.”
| AG Paragraph 19
… That is to say, it [the community] is already equipped with its own supple (perhaps still insufficient) of local priests, Religious, and lay men… |
propria nempe, etsi insufficienti, instructa copia localium sacerdotum, religiosorum et laicorum… |
Some spelling mistakes obscure the fact that the document is referring to sacraments. In the paragraph below the Latin makes it clear that the English word “conformation” should read “confirmation.”
| AG Paragraph 11
For all Christians … are bound to show forth, by the example of their lives and by the witness of the word, that new man put on at baptism and that power of the Holy Spirit by which they have been strengthened at Conformation. |
Omnes enim christifideles, ubicumque vivunt, exemplo vitae et testimonio verbi novum hominem, quem per baptismum induerunt, et virtutem Spiritus Sancti, a quo per confirmationem roborati sunt, ita manifestare tenentur, … |
Sometimes, the typographical errors are extremely basic formatting issues, as this example shows.
| AG Paragraph 20
Let..individual bishops call to their dioceses the missionaries whom the Holy See may have on hand for this purpose; or let them receive such missionaries glad]y, and support their undertakings effectively. |
Missionarios vero, si quos Apostolica Sedes ad hunc finem praesto habuerit, singuli Episcopi in suas dioeceses vocent vel libenter recipiant eorumque incepta efficaciter promoveant. |
Sometimes the errors produce incoherent and nonsensical sentences. Look at the example below where the Latin shows that the English word “call” should be “can,” and the English word “nor” should be “for.”
| AG Paragraph 15
The Christian community should from the very start be so formed that it call provide nor its necessities insofar as this is possible. |
Communitas christiana inde ab initio ita efformari debet ut suis necessitatibus, quantum fieri potest, ipsa providere queat. |
There are also random inexplicable capital letters. Look at the examples below which illustrate different aspects of that particular problem.
| AG Paragraph 18
…Religious institutes, working to plant the Church, and thoroughly Imbued with mystic treasures with which the Church’s religious tradition is adorned, … AG Paragraph 26 Therefore, all missionaries – priests, Brothers, Sisters, and lay folk… |
…Instituta religiosa, plantationi Ecclesiae adlaborantia, mysticis divitiis, quibus traditio religiosa Ecclesiae insignitur, penitus imbuta, …
Quare omnes missionarii –sacerdotes, fratres, sorores, laici… |
5. Footnote Issues
There are a range of editorial issues in the footnotes.
Look at the paragraph below, where different numbering systems make it needlessly hard to compare English and Latin footnotes.
| AG Paragraph 22
… the young churches, rooted in Christ and built up on the foundation of the Apostles… (cf Ps. 2:8). They borrow from the customs and traditions of their people, from their wisdom and their learning, from their arts and disciplines, all those things which can contribute to the glory of their Creator, or enhance the grace of their Savior, or dispose Christian life the way it should be.(5) |
…Ecclesiae novellae in Christo radicatae Apostolorumque fundamento superaedificatae…[109] Ipsae e suorum populorum consuetudinibus et traditionibus, sapientia et doctrina, artibus et disciplinis, ea omnia mutuantur quae ad gloriam Creatoris confitendam, ad gratiam Salvatoris illustrandam et ad vitam christianam rite ordinandam conferre possunt.[110] |
| 5. Cf. Dogmatic constitution, “Lumen Gentium,” 13. | [109] Cf. Ps. 2,8. [110] Cf. CONC. VAT. II, Const. dogm. De Ecclesia, Lumen Gentium, n. 13: AAS 57 (1965), pp. 17-18. |
Some of the English hyperlinks are also incorrect. If people click on Lumen Gentium in English footnote 5, above, then it will take them to Dei Verbum (i.e., not to Lumen Gentium).
More generally, whatever policy is being applied to hyperlinking the footnotes is inconsistent. Compare the following sequence of five footnotes from the Latin text and from the English translation. The fourth document is hyperlinked in Latin, but not in English. And the fifth document is not hyperlinked in either language, although Maximum Illud is on the Vatican website and could easily be linked to.
Latin Footnotes
English Footnotes
1. Cf. Dogmatic constitution, “Lumen Gentium,” 18.
2. Cf. Dogmatic constitution, “Lumen Gentium,” 23.
3. Cf. Motu proprio, “Apostolica Sollicitudo,” Sept. 15, 1965.
4. Cf. Paul VI, allocution Nov. 21, 1964, in council (AAS 1964).
5. Cf. Benedict XV, “Maximum Illud” (AAS 1019, 39-40).
6. Authorization Issue
At the end of the Latin document there is a final paragraph (numbered 42) which is not translated into English. (The Latin is also erroneously repeated twice.)
This is an important paragraph as it is the papal authorization of the conciliar document.
The Latin reads as follows with a (non-official) English translation immediately below it:
Haec omnia et singula quae in hoc Decreto edicta sunt, placuerunt Sacrosancti Concilii Patribus. et Nos, Apostolica a Christo Nobis tradita potestate, illa, una cum Venerabilibus Patribus, in Spiritu Sancto approbamus, decernimus ac statuimus et quae ita synodaliter statuta sunt ad Dei gloriam promulgari iubemus.
Each and all of these matters which are published in this Decree have pleased the Fathers of this Holy Council. By the Apostolic authority given Us by Christ, in union with the venerable Fathers, in the Holy Spirit, We approve, decree, set forth and command that what has been set forth by the synod, should be promulgated for the glory of God.
7. Some Good Features of Ad Gentes
Rather than simply listing problems in the translation of Ad Gentes, I think that it is worth also making the positive point that the translation of Ad Gentes avoids some problems which can be seen in the official translation of other documents of Vatican II.
Here are two examples.
In Gaudium et Spes (Latin version) there are paragraph headings (marked in bold below). But the official English translation inexplicably omits the chapter headings.
| GS Paragraph 2
2. Hence this Second Vatican Council, having probed more profoundly into the mystery of the Church,… |
2. Ad quosnam Concilium sermonem dirigat. Ideo Concilium Vaticanum Secundum, mysterio Ecclesiae penitius investigato, … |
In Presbyterorum Ordinis (Latin version) there are missing sentences in the English. Look at the Latin below (marked in bold). It says that a part of a priest’s role consists in teaching catechism and explaining Church doctrine. The English translation just skips those words. (I have added the gap in the English text to indicate where the missing words should be.)
| PO Paragraph 4
…And so, whether by entering into profitable dialogue they [i.e., Priests] bring people to the worship of God,(7) whether by openly preaching they proclaim the mystery of Christ ……………………………………………….. or whether in the light of Christ they treat contemporary problems…
|
…Sive igitur, conversationem inter gentes habentes bonam, ad Deum glorificandum eas adducunt,[30] sive, aperte praedicantes, mysterium Christi non credentibus annuntiant, sive catechesim christianam tradunt vel Ecclesiae doctrinam explanant, sive sui temporis quaestiones sub luce Christi tractare student… |
8. Does It Matter?
Arguably there are three reasons why the quality of the English translation matters.
Firstly, Vatican II itself taught that it was important to “esteem… the… language(s)” of peoples. (See Ad Gentes 26.) Is it really esteeming other languages to publish official translations which are full of basic errors.
Secondly, English is the second language of the world. The documents of Vatican II are only translated into about 13-16 languages on the Vatican website. If people wish to read the documents, but they cannot read one of those 13-16 languages, then they may well end up having to read the texts of Vatican II in English. Is it really fair and reasonable to expect people reading in their second or third language to face the completely avoidable comprehension difficulties which the current state of the English translations present?
Thirdly, does the Vatican think that Vatican II is important? Does it want people to engage with the teaching of the Council? If so, then surely an important way of enabling that to happen is to provide translations which are clear and accurate.
Conclusion
It is clear that there are problems in the official English translations of the documents of Vatican II. I have illustrated the point with a few limited examples from Ad Gentes (Sections 1–6). I have also added another couple of random examples which show that translation problems also extend across the official translations of the other documents of Vatican II (Section 7).
I think that there is an arguable case that the translations need improving (see Section 8).
Perhaps there is a resource issue which is preventing the Vatican from carrying out the necessary improvements? If so, then surely there must be an English-speaking Episcopal Conference somewhere in the world, or a Religious Order with an English-speaking province, which could offer assistance to the Vatican with that task?
In this year which marks the sixtieth anniversary of the Council, perhaps it would be a fitting way to commemorate Vatican II by reviewing the official translations of the conciliar documents?
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