Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Dominican Grace Before Meals in Latin


The shorter form of the Dominican Grace Before Meals most commonly prayed is "May the Giver of all good things bless the food and drink of His servants. Amen."  The Latin version of this shorter form is: "Largitor omnium bonorum benedicat cibum et potum servorum suorum.  Amen."  It is noteworthy, however, that the more distinctly Dominican form of this prayer was traditionally said when blessing diluted wine to be used for the evening meal during periods of fasting, and does not include cibum, food, but just potum, drink - as follows: "Largitor omnium bonorum benedicat potum servorum suorum.  Amen."

In case you are looking for a Latin version of the grace before meals prayer of "Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts", etc., that can be found here.

I had difficulty finding the Dominican Grace Before Meals in Latin online previously, so when I found a placard with a traditional series of such prayers, I thought I might post them.  The placard is kept in the refectory at St. Albert's Priory, the Dominican House of Study in Oakland, California.

The prayers from the placard are as follows:

BENEDICTIO MENSAE

ANTE PRANDIUM

QUANDO NON JEJUNATUR:
Oculi omnium in te sperant Domine: et tu des escam illorum in tempore opportuno: aperis tu manum tuam, et imples omne animal benedictione.  Gloria Patri, etc.  Kyrie eleison, etc.  Pater noster, etc., secreto.

QUANDO JEJUNATUR:
Edent pauperes et saturabuntur: et laudabant Dominum qui requirunt eum: vivent corda eorum in saeculum saeculi.  Gloria Patri, etc.  Kyrie eleison, etc.  Pater noster etc., secreto.

HEB. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem.
     R. Sed libera nos a malo.

HEB. Oremus. Bene+dic Domine dona tua: quae de tua largitate sumus sumpturi.  Per Christum Dominum nostrum.    R. Amen.

          Jube domne benedicere.

HEB. Mensae caelestis participes faciat nos Rex aeternae gloriae.
    R. Amen.


ANTE CENAM

QUANDO NON JEJUNATUR:

Edent pauperes et saturabuntur: et laudabant Dominum qui requirunt eum: vivent corda eorum in saeculum saeculi.  Gloria Patri, etc.  Kyrie eleison, etc.  Pater noster, etc. secreto.

HEB. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem.
     R. Sed libera nos a malo.

HEB. Oremus.  Bene+dic Domine dona tua, quae de tua largitate sumus sumpturi.  Per Christum Dominum nostrum.    R. Amen.

Jube domne benedicere.

HEB. Ad cenam vitae aeternae perducat nos Rex gloriae.
     R. Amen.

QUANDO JEJUNATUR:

HEB. Largitor omnium bonorum bene+dicat potum servorum suorum.
     R. Amen.


Datum S.ti Francisci, die 18a maii 1946
vi facultatum specialium R.mi Mag. Gen.
Imprimatur: Fr. Benedictus M. Blank, O.P.
Prior Provincialis