How ICEL Works: Liturgeists Loose!

Here's the short story on ICEL's 'dynamic' translation techniques and results.

There's a Latin plaque in the Pontifical Lateran University, inscribed as follows:

SEMPER MEMORIA SERVETUR FAUSTI DIEI XII ANTE KAL NOVEMBRIS MMVI QUO BENEDICTUS XVI PONTIFEX MAXIMUS DECESSORUM SUORUM VESTIGIA SECUTUS ACADEMICA COMMUNITATE SUMMA LAETITIA RECEPTUS PONTIFICIAM UNIVERSITATEM LATERANENSEM INVISITNOVAM BIBLIOTHECAM UTI STUDIORUM ET INVESTIGATIONIS SEDEM AD SACRAM TRADITIONEM ALENDAM BENEDIXIT AULAM MAGNAM SIBI DICATAM INAUGURAVIT COMITANTIBUS CAMILLO S.R.E. CARDINALE RUINI MAGNO CANCELLARIO ET RINO FISICHELLA EPISCOPO TIT VICO HABENTINO MAGNIFICO RECTORE QUI OPUS SUSCIPIENDUM AC PERFICIENDUM CURAVIT

Here's the English translation, by Fr. George Rutler:

May the memory always be preserved of the auspicious day of 21 October 2006 on which Benedict XVI, Pontifex Maximus, following the footsteps of his predecessors, and having been received with greatest joy by the academic community, visited the Pontifical Lateran University, blessed the new library as a seat of studies and research to foster sacred tradition, and inaugurated the Great Hall dedicated to himself. Accompanying him were Camillo Ruini, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, the Grand Chancellor, and Rino Fisichella, titular bishop of Voghenza, the Magnificent Rector, who saw to it that the work was begun and completed.

Were ICEL the translator of the plaque, here's how it would read:

“One day last year, the Pope came to our school. He made us all very happy when he said a prayer for the new bookcases and a big room with his name on it. Cardinal Ruini (who is very important) was there and so was Bishop Rino who got it all done.”

HT: First Things and The Hermeneutic of Continuity (which provided the ICEL language.)