On Thursday, June 17, 2021, Friar Zlatko VLAHEK, of the Province of St. Jerome in Croatia, defended his doctoral dissertation. The defense was conducted at the Sant’Anselmo Pontifical Athenaeum in Rome.

The dissertation was entitled: “Linguae vernaculae usurpatio valde utilis” [The Use of the Mother Tongue May Be of Great Advantage] (Sacrosanctum concilium 36, 2). In order to make a translation with “fideliter” [fidelity] according to the “Magnum principium” [great principle], the dissertation was written in four chapters under the guidance of Professor José Antonio GOÑI BEASOAIN DE PAULORENA. The doctoral candidate examined problems connected with the translation of liturgical texts from the original language into other national or local languages. Friar Zlatko based his analysis on an in-depth study of the Church’s documents concerning this subject. Among other things, he presented “tres fideliter” [three points of fidelity] contained in Pope Francis’ Motu Proprio, Magnum Principium that are key to the translation of liturgical texts, namely: fidelity to the message within the context of its literary genre, fidelity to the language of the of the people being addressed; and finally translating while being mindful of the people themselves and all that is specific to them. Having considered these tres fideliter, the candidate concluded his work by making some helpful proposals to the Bishops’ Conferences regarding the work translating liturgical texts.
The members of the Examining Committee were: the Rector of the Anselmianum, Father Bernhard A. ECKERSTORFER, OSB; the President of the Pontifical Liturgical Institute, Professor Jordi-Agustí PIQUÉ-COLLADO, OSB; the Moderator, Professor José Antonio GOÑI BEASOAIN DE PAULORENA; the First Examiner, the Very Reverend Aurelio GARCÍA MACÍAS (the newly-appointed Undersecretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments); and the Second Examiner, Professor Damasio MEDEIROS. The professors spoke about the importance of the analyses concerning this topic, because in many countries there is still no systematic translation of liturgical texts. Thus, this doctorate makes a significant contribution to liturgical science. After defending his dissertation, the candidate was proclaimed a doctor.
Others attending the event included: the Vicar Provincial of the Province of Croatia, Friar Tomislav GLAVNIK; the Exactor General, Friar Leszek ŁUCZKANIN, the Guardian of the Friary of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe in Rome, Friar Germano TOGNETTI; the Rector of the Pontifical Croatian College of St. Jerome in Rome, Father Marko ĐURIN; and other friars and students from Rome. Some attended online.
We congratulate our brother on this next step in his formative journey.

Friar Zvonimir PERVAN