We recently received an interesting message from Fr. Fritz Schlueter from the United States regarding a new liturgical translation of the Stabat Mater in English. We are pleased to share this with our readers.

In 2023, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) published a new hymnal titled “The Divine Office Hymnal.” This book contains music and hymns adapted and translated from the Latin typical edition of the Liturgy of the Hours.

For the memorial of the Sorrowful Mother, the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) created a new translation of the Stabat Mater. What makes this translation unique is that it follows the trochaic tetrameter of the original Latin poem but deliberately makes no attempt to rhyme.

In the hymnal, the poem is divided into three distinct parts. An interesting detail is that both variants of the 19th verse have been included. Fr. Schlueter has compiled all verses into one document that can be found here.

This new translation constitutes a valuable addition to the rich tradition of the Stabat Mater and illustrates how this centuries-old poem continues to resonate in contemporary liturgical practices.

We thank Fr. Schlueter for sharing this information with our community.