Decree of Implementation on the Revised Translation of the Trinitarian Conclusion of the Collects and Presidential Prayers

1. On 13 May 2020 (Prot. N. 228/20), a communication from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments was sent to the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines concerning n. 54 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal and the current translation of the Trinitarian Conclusion of the Collect and Presidential Prayers which is expressed by the Latin words “Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum“, until now expressed into English as “one God, forever and ever“. The Congregation for Divine Worship indicated to the President of the Conference that the word “one” is deemed incorrect, could even cause doctrinal confusion, and because of this should be dropped and the current translation revised. It was also clarified by the Congregation for Divine Worship that it will be for the Episcopal Conferences with the International Commission on English in the Liturgy “to decide how best to translate these formulae in order to faithfully express the Trinitarian Conclusion of these prayers as well as their profession of faith in the Son’s divinity”.

2. On July 8, 2021, the Bishops of the Philippines in their Plenary Assembly by a canonical vote, approved the following revision to no. 54 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal concerning the Trinitarian Conclusion of the Collect and Presidential Prayers:

a) If the prayer is directed to the Father: Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever;
b) If the prayer is directed to the Father, but the Son is mentioned at the end: Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever;
c) If the prayer is directed to the Son: Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

3. In compliance with the decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Liturgiam Authenticam (March 28, 2001) and Magnum Principium (September 3, 2017), the revised English translation of n. 54 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal concerning the Trinitarian Conclusion of the Collect and Presidential Prayers hereby becomes the only English translation and version approved in the English liturgical celebrations in the dioceses of the Philippines effective this coming First Sunday of Advent, November 28, 2021.

Given this 10th day of November, Memorial of St. Leo the Great, at the CBCP Secretariat.

REV. MSGR. BERNARDO R. PANTIN
Secretary General, CBCP

+ ROMULO G. VALLES, D.D.
Archbishop of Davao
President, CBCP

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