Saturday, November 19, 2022

Faith and reason in the Missale Romanum, or Two rather different collects for the feast of St. Albert the Great

Pre-Vatican II missal, as translated in 1949 by J. O'Connell & H. P. R. Finberg (The missal in Latin and English:  being the text of the Missale Romanum with English rubrics and a new translation (New York:  Sheed & Ward, 1949), 1271):

God, who didst make thy blessed bishop and doctor Albert truly great in setting divine faith above his own human wisdom [(in humana sapientia divinae fidei subjicienda, in subjecting human wisdom to divine faith)], we pray thee grant that by closely following the path of his teaching we may come to enjoy perfect enlightenment in heaven.  Through.

Current Roman missal:

O God, who made the Bishop Saint Albert great by his joining of human wisdom to divine faith [(in humana sapientia cum divina fide componenda, in putting human wisdom together with divine faith)], grant, we pray, that we may so adhere to the truths he taught, that through progress in learning we may come to a deeper knowledge and love of you.  Through.

The latter in Universalis:

God our Father, you endowed Saint Albert with the talent of combining human wisdom with divine faith.  Keep us true to his teachings that the advance of human knowledge may deepen our knowledge and love of you.  Grant this through.