Missale Romanum 1962
Memento etiam, Domine, famulorum, famularumque tuarum N. et N. qui nos praecesserunt cum signo fidei et dormiunt in somno pacis. Ipsis, Domine, et omnibus in Christo quiescentibus, locum refrigerii, lucis et pacis, ut indulgeas, deprecamur. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Be mindful, O Lord, also of thy servants and handmaids, N. and N., who have gone before us with the sign of faith, and rest in the sleep of peace. To these, O lord, and to all who sleep in Christ, we beseech Thee to grant, of Thy goodness, a plce of comfort, light, and peace. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.1
Be mindful also, O Lord, of Thy servants N. and N., who have gone before us with the sign of faith and who sleep the sleep of peace. To these, O Lord, and to all who rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light, and peace. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.2
Remember also, O Lord, Thy servants and handmaids, N. and N., who have gone before us with the sign of faith, and sleep the sleep of peace. To these, O Lord, and to all who rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, of light, and of peace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.3
Missale Romanum 1970
Memento etiam, Domine, famulorum, famularumque tuarum N. et N. qui nos praecesserunt cum signo fidei et dormiunt in somno pacis. Ipsis, Domine, et omnibus in Christo quiescentibus, locum refrigerii, lucis et pacis, ut indulgeas, deprecamur. (Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.)
Remember, Lord, those who have died and gone before us marked with the sign of faith, especially those for whom we now pray, N. and N. May these, and all who sleep in Christ find in your presence light, happiness, and peace. (Through Christ our Lord. Amen.)4
“The Church neither offers nor prays for the reprobates in hell, nor for the blessed in heaven, but only for the suffering souls who, amid the pains of purgatory, await their final and complete redemption. Corresponding to this intention, the formula of the Church in the Memento for the Dead is so constituted that it suits only the inmates of the place of purification.”5 “A monumental commentary on these prayers and, at the same time, a proof of their great antiquity is established by the ancient Christian epitaphs, the various forms of which (acclamations, salutations, wishes, petitions) contain principally the words refrigerium—lux—pax, by which the bliss of heaven, under different aspects is expressed. In the ‘lapidary prayers’ of these tumular inscriptions the survivors wish to their departed, v. g., refreshement, light, peace, admission into paradise and the communion of saints, life in God, in Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. Entirely similar expressions are met with in the prayers of the Sacramentarium Gelasianum, for example, locus lucidus, locus refrigerii et quietis—refrigerii sedes, quietis beatitudo, luminis claritas—lucis et pacis regio.”6
“The distinction between the ecclesiastical Memento for the Living and the Memento for the Dead must be carefully observed. From the former are excluded merely the Excommunicati vitandi, because for them not even a direct application may be made; from the second, on the contrary, in general all that have died separated from the Church (unbelievers, heretics, schismatics, excommunicated persons): for these—in case they are suffering in purgatory—the Church prays not by name, but only in general, as is the case in the Memento (omnibus in Christo quiescentibus). As a private individual and in his private intention, the priest may in both Mementoes make intercession for all without distinction.”7
“By the sign of faith (signum fidei) is here to be understood, in the first place, the indelible character imprinted on the soul in the Sacrament of Baptism, and whereby the faithful are distinguished from unbelievers. Baptism is, indeed, called the Sacrament of Faith; by it men become united to Christ and incorporated with the Church. Furthermore, by the sign of faith the profession of faith is also to be understood, that is, the profession by word and deed, by a Christian life, by devotion to the Church, by the reception of the holy Sacraments. Faith received in holy baptism must necessarily be a living faith and be persevered in unto death, if it is to lead unto salvation. All who have passed into eternity with such faith and its profession, “sleep the sleep of peace” (dormiunt in somno pacis), that is, they died in peace with the Church, united interiorly and exteriorly to the Church, in communion with the Church.”8 “In pace—vixit in pace – vitam duxit in pace – in pace morienti – decessit in pace fidei catholicae – credidit fide, dormit in pace – requiescit in pace – requiescit in somno pacis – these and similar formulas on ancient Christian graves prove that the departed lived in the orthodox faith and in the communion of the Church, or at least departed therein. This applies especially to places in which a heresy or schism prevailed.”9
In the ICEL translation they have chosen ‘those’ for ‘famulorum famularumque tuarum’. I find this an interesting fact since the translations cannot be for reasons of inclusive language. Famulorum means male servants and famularum means female servants, hence the translation servant and handmaids (tuarum means Your). Further they translate dormiunt in somno pacis with the single word died. This not only lacks elegance but also separates this liturgical phrase from its scriptural allusions and to its antiquity in use among the Fathers. “In Holy Writ, the Fathers and the liturgy, death (of the just) is often called dormitio, somnus, and the dead are called dormientes. That death is but a passing sleep, is also signified by the name coemeterium (dormitorium, place of slumber), by which the Church from the most ancient times designates the (blessed) burial place…as the Lord Himself said of the departed daughter of Jairus: Non est mortua puella, sed dormit (Matth. 9, 24).”10
Indulgeas…deprecamur should be translated as grant…we beseech. ICEL uses a rather odd combination of words that have no basis in the original text: May…they find. Indulgeas is a command whose tone is softened by deprecamur (we beseech). Further, the English construction of this sentence really only hopes that in the presence of Christ the dead will find light, happiness and peace. Where else are these to be found but in the presence of the Lord? The real meaning of the prayer is obscured by this text. The Church does not pray for those in the presence of Christ but for those in purgatory, who have not the beatific vision. “The suffering souls enjoy, indeed, peace and rest, inasmuch as they are removed from the discord and turmoil of this sinful and deceitful world; but as long as they must remain at a distance from the vision of God in a place of silent suffering, their peace and rest are still imperfect; therefore, we implore for them full and eternal peace, full and eternal rest – in heaven. When the just soul has reached purgatory, she sees before her but two objects – the excess of her suffering and excess of her joy. The greatest bitterness is there mingled with the most serene peace. These souls are full of pure and strong love of God, full of patient contentment, full of touching resignation to God’s holy decrees. In a manner inexplicable to us, they are at one and the same time filled with holy suffering and holy joy. Suffering is not unhappiness. In contrast with the painful exile of purgatory, heaven is indeed a blissful place of refreshment, of light and of peace.”11
ICEL has improperly translated refrigerii as happiness, which as the preceding paragraph shows is absurd. “Refrigerium here denotes a twofold refreshment. In the first place it signifies (from refrigerare, to make something cold, to cool it) the ceasing of poena sensus; that is, the extinguishing of the heat of purgatory. Refrigerium also frequently denotes refreshment by food and drink, with a meal. Therfore, we may here understand the remission of poena damni, that is, the cessation of the temporal exclusion from the visio beatifica by the granting of beatitude. Heavenly bliss is often represented under the figure of a nuptial celebration and a joyful banquet.”12 Likewise, our prayer for light and peace is also a prayer that all who sleep in Christ be released from purgatory and admitted to the Beatific Vision.
Memento etiam, Domine, famulorum, famularumque tuarum N. et N. qui nos praecesserunt cum signo fidei et dormiunt in somno pacis. Ipsis, Domine, et omnibus in Christo quiescentibus, locum refrigerii, lucis et pacis, ut indulgeas, deprecamur. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Be mindful, O Lord, also of thy servants and handmaids, N. and N., who have gone before us with the sign of faith, and rest in the sleep of peace. To these, O lord, and to all who sleep in Christ, we beseech Thee to grant, of Thy goodness, a plce of comfort, light, and peace. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.1
Be mindful also, O Lord, of Thy servants N. and N., who have gone before us with the sign of faith and who sleep the sleep of peace. To these, O Lord, and to all who rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light, and peace. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.2
Remember also, O Lord, Thy servants and handmaids, N. and N., who have gone before us with the sign of faith, and sleep the sleep of peace. To these, O Lord, and to all who rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, of light, and of peace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.3
Missale Romanum 1970
Memento etiam, Domine, famulorum, famularumque tuarum N. et N. qui nos praecesserunt cum signo fidei et dormiunt in somno pacis. Ipsis, Domine, et omnibus in Christo quiescentibus, locum refrigerii, lucis et pacis, ut indulgeas, deprecamur. (Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.)
Remember, Lord, those who have died and gone before us marked with the sign of faith, especially those for whom we now pray, N. and N. May these, and all who sleep in Christ find in your presence light, happiness, and peace. (Through Christ our Lord. Amen.)4
“The Church neither offers nor prays for the reprobates in hell, nor for the blessed in heaven, but only for the suffering souls who, amid the pains of purgatory, await their final and complete redemption. Corresponding to this intention, the formula of the Church in the Memento for the Dead is so constituted that it suits only the inmates of the place of purification.”5 “A monumental commentary on these prayers and, at the same time, a proof of their great antiquity is established by the ancient Christian epitaphs, the various forms of which (acclamations, salutations, wishes, petitions) contain principally the words refrigerium—lux—pax, by which the bliss of heaven, under different aspects is expressed. In the ‘lapidary prayers’ of these tumular inscriptions the survivors wish to their departed, v. g., refreshement, light, peace, admission into paradise and the communion of saints, life in God, in Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. Entirely similar expressions are met with in the prayers of the Sacramentarium Gelasianum, for example, locus lucidus, locus refrigerii et quietis—refrigerii sedes, quietis beatitudo, luminis claritas—lucis et pacis regio.”6
“The distinction between the ecclesiastical Memento for the Living and the Memento for the Dead must be carefully observed. From the former are excluded merely the Excommunicati vitandi, because for them not even a direct application may be made; from the second, on the contrary, in general all that have died separated from the Church (unbelievers, heretics, schismatics, excommunicated persons): for these—in case they are suffering in purgatory—the Church prays not by name, but only in general, as is the case in the Memento (omnibus in Christo quiescentibus). As a private individual and in his private intention, the priest may in both Mementoes make intercession for all without distinction.”7
“By the sign of faith (signum fidei) is here to be understood, in the first place, the indelible character imprinted on the soul in the Sacrament of Baptism, and whereby the faithful are distinguished from unbelievers. Baptism is, indeed, called the Sacrament of Faith; by it men become united to Christ and incorporated with the Church. Furthermore, by the sign of faith the profession of faith is also to be understood, that is, the profession by word and deed, by a Christian life, by devotion to the Church, by the reception of the holy Sacraments. Faith received in holy baptism must necessarily be a living faith and be persevered in unto death, if it is to lead unto salvation. All who have passed into eternity with such faith and its profession, “sleep the sleep of peace” (dormiunt in somno pacis), that is, they died in peace with the Church, united interiorly and exteriorly to the Church, in communion with the Church.”8 “In pace—vixit in pace – vitam duxit in pace – in pace morienti – decessit in pace fidei catholicae – credidit fide, dormit in pace – requiescit in pace – requiescit in somno pacis – these and similar formulas on ancient Christian graves prove that the departed lived in the orthodox faith and in the communion of the Church, or at least departed therein. This applies especially to places in which a heresy or schism prevailed.”9
In the ICEL translation they have chosen ‘those’ for ‘famulorum famularumque tuarum’. I find this an interesting fact since the translations cannot be for reasons of inclusive language. Famulorum means male servants and famularum means female servants, hence the translation servant and handmaids (tuarum means Your). Further they translate dormiunt in somno pacis with the single word died. This not only lacks elegance but also separates this liturgical phrase from its scriptural allusions and to its antiquity in use among the Fathers. “In Holy Writ, the Fathers and the liturgy, death (of the just) is often called dormitio, somnus, and the dead are called dormientes. That death is but a passing sleep, is also signified by the name coemeterium (dormitorium, place of slumber), by which the Church from the most ancient times designates the (blessed) burial place…as the Lord Himself said of the departed daughter of Jairus: Non est mortua puella, sed dormit (Matth. 9, 24).”10
Indulgeas…deprecamur should be translated as grant…we beseech. ICEL uses a rather odd combination of words that have no basis in the original text: May…they find. Indulgeas is a command whose tone is softened by deprecamur (we beseech). Further, the English construction of this sentence really only hopes that in the presence of Christ the dead will find light, happiness and peace. Where else are these to be found but in the presence of the Lord? The real meaning of the prayer is obscured by this text. The Church does not pray for those in the presence of Christ but for those in purgatory, who have not the beatific vision. “The suffering souls enjoy, indeed, peace and rest, inasmuch as they are removed from the discord and turmoil of this sinful and deceitful world; but as long as they must remain at a distance from the vision of God in a place of silent suffering, their peace and rest are still imperfect; therefore, we implore for them full and eternal peace, full and eternal rest – in heaven. When the just soul has reached purgatory, she sees before her but two objects – the excess of her suffering and excess of her joy. The greatest bitterness is there mingled with the most serene peace. These souls are full of pure and strong love of God, full of patient contentment, full of touching resignation to God’s holy decrees. In a manner inexplicable to us, they are at one and the same time filled with holy suffering and holy joy. Suffering is not unhappiness. In contrast with the painful exile of purgatory, heaven is indeed a blissful place of refreshment, of light and of peace.”11
ICEL has improperly translated refrigerii as happiness, which as the preceding paragraph shows is absurd. “Refrigerium here denotes a twofold refreshment. In the first place it signifies (from refrigerare, to make something cold, to cool it) the ceasing of poena sensus; that is, the extinguishing of the heat of purgatory. Refrigerium also frequently denotes refreshment by food and drink, with a meal. Therfore, we may here understand the remission of poena damni, that is, the cessation of the temporal exclusion from the visio beatifica by the granting of beatitude. Heavenly bliss is often represented under the figure of a nuptial celebration and a joyful banquet.”12 Likewise, our prayer for light and peace is also a prayer that all who sleep in Christ be released from purgatory and admitted to the Beatific Vision.
1 My Sunday Missal, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph F. Stedman, Confraternity of the Precious Blood, 1961, pg 54.
2 The New Roman Missal, Fr. F. X. Lasance, Christian Book Club of America, 1993, pg. 785.
3 The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; Dogmatically, Liturgically and Ascetically Explained, Rev Dr. Nicholas Gihr, 6th edition, B. Herder Book Co, 1924, pg. 668.
4 Daily Roman Missal, Fr. James Socias, ed., Midwest Theological Forum, 2003, pg. 760-61.
5 The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Rev. Dr. Gihr, pg. 669.
6 Ibid., pg. 669, footnote 1.
7 Ibid., pg. 670, footnote 1.
8 Ibid., pg. 670-71.
9 Ibid., pg. 671, footnote 1.
10 Ibid., pg. 671, footnote 2.
11 Ibid., pg. 672.
12 Ibid., pg. 672-73, footnote 4.
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