This is why I make fresh translations from the Russian…

The following translation from Russian is such a howler that I HAD to share it with you. First, I shall give the Russian original. Then, the Interfax translation shall follow. Lastly, shall be my translation from the original. Interfax is notorious for such howlers, but, I still look over VOR pieces, for they can fall into “Runglish”, that is, English written with Russian grammar and idiomatic rules. All of my Russian pieces are edited for grammar only. It is a point of pride that I stick to the content given by the author. My efforts are only so that the English-speaking have an untrammelled access to Russian material. God willing, I succeed. If not, I apologise.

Кардинал Каспер отслужил мессу в католическом соборе Москвы

Москва. 23 мая 2008. ИНТЕРФАКС:

Председатель Папского совета по содействию христианскому единству кардинал Вальтер Каспер в четверг вечером совершил мессу в соборе Непорочного Зачатия Девы Марии в Москве.

Перед началом богослужения В.Каспер, обращаясь к верующим, передал им приветствие и благословение от папы Римского Бенедикта XVI, напомнив, что несколько недель назад понтифик передал благословение всему российскому народу. 

Обращение Бенедикта XVI к россиянам было включено в документальный телевизионный русскоязычный фильм о его жизни, в апреле показанный на канале “Вести”.

Кардинал напомнил, что в своем обращении папа “выразил большую надежду на мирное и благополучное развитие этой великой страны (России – “ИФ”)”.

Также представитель Ватикана, ответственный за межхристианские отношения, в своем обращении отметил, что разделение между христианами и Церквами “не отвечает воле Христа”, и призвал всех не только “молиться непрестанно о мире и единстве в Церкви”, но также “быть активными, чтобы подготовить пути к восстановлению единства”.

В.Каспер совершил мессу на латыни и итальянском языке. Кардиналу сослужили представитель Святого Престола в России архиепископ Антонио Меннини и глава московской католической архиепархии Паоло Пецци.

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=24608

Cardinal Casper celebrated a mess in the Moscow Catholic Cathedral

Moscow, 23 May 2008 (Interfax):

Chairman of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity Cardinal Walter Casper celebrated a mess in the Moscow Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Thursday.

Before the mess, Casper addressed the believers, conveyed them greeting and blessing from Pope Benedict XVI of Rome, and reminded that several weeks ago the pontific conveyed his blessing to the whole Russian people. 

Benedict XVI’s address to Russians was included in a Russian-speaking TV documentary about his life broadcasted by the Vesti TV in April.

The cardinal reminded that in his address the pope “expressed big hope for peaceful and safe development of this great country (Russia - IF).

The Vatican’s representative responsible for inter-Christian relations noted that division between Christians and the Churches did not correspond with “the will of Christ” and urged everyone not only “to pray for peace and unity in the Church”, but “to be active and cut the way to restore the unity.”

Kasper conducted the mess in Latin and Italian. Among the cardinal’s concelebrants were representative of the Holy See in Russia Archbishop Antonio Menini and head of the Moscow Catholic Archdiocese Paolo Pezzi.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=4709  

Cardinal Kasper Celebrated Mass in the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Moscow

Walter Cardinal Kasper (1933- ), President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity

Moscow, 23 May 2008 (Interfax):

Walter Cardinal Kasper, the President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, celebrated mass on Thursday evening at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Moscow. Before the beginning of the service, Cardinal Kasper addressed the worshippers, and gave to them the greetings and blessing of Benedict XVI, the Pope of Rome. He recalled that several weeks ago the Pontiff communicated his blessings to the entire Russian people. The address of Benedict XVI to the Russian people was shown on the television channel Vesti (News) as part of a documentary covering his life.

Cardinal Kasper noted that the Pope “expressed much hope for the peaceful and constructive evolution of this great country (Russia: Interfax)” in his televised remarks. In his address, Cardinal Kasper noted that the divisions between Christians and the Churches does not “follow the Will of Christ”, and he urged all not only “to pray unceasingly for peace and unity in the church”, but, also, “to be active [in good works] in order to prepare the way for the restoration of unity”. The cardinal served the mass using a mixture of Italian and Latin texts. His concelebrants at the service were Archbishop Antonio Menini, the representative of the Holy See in Russia, and Bishop Paolo Pezzi, the ruling diocesan of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Moscow.

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There! Not as easy as it looks. I wish I were only cutting and pasting… much less time and effort!