As mentioned in our earlier post, we just published the first English translation of The Life of Saint Agnes of Montepulciano by Blessed Raymond of Capua, OP. Below is an interview with our Sr. Mary Martin who translated the Life.
How long have you been in the monastery?
I’ve been in the monastery 45 years.
How did this translation project come about?
We were offered a one month free trial to the online version of Acta Sanctorum, a subscription to which would have cost us $25,000. So we began madly copying anything pertaining to Dominican Saints and Blesseds. I really wanted the canonization process of St. Margaret of Hungary, but they had only the introduction to that, but the whole Life of St. Agnes. So I started working on that. I pretty quickly realized that the copy I downloaded was defective, with paragraphs missing from the bottoms of some pages, but I didn’t realize how defective until I was able to obtain a copy of the new critical edition.
What language was the original life by Blessed Raymond written in?
Latin
How long have you studied Latin?
I took Latin for 4 years in school and honed my skills in the monastery on our liturgical and legislative texts.
How long has it taken you to complete the translation?
It took about 4 years, but after awhile I just stopped counting.
We have time for study built into our schedule although things have a way of eating into the time. That’s why it took so long!
Did you have any particular interest in St Agnes of Montepulciano before you began translating her life? If so, what?
No, I never found St. Agnes particularly appealing and hoped to make her acquaintance through the Life.
How do you feel about her after completing the translation?
You’ll have to read the Translator’s Preface to find out!
Why do you think this book is important, or DO you think it is important?
The reason why I am interested in early writings by and about the nuns is I have always been curious as to how the nuns really lived their day to day life in those early times. That’s why I felt the book was important enough to translate, and there are some interesting things in it about the way the nuns lived and about how they and others viewed their life in the monastery.
What do you hope that people who read your translation will gain from the book?
If ordinary people can be edified by what they read here, more power to them! For the nuns, I hope we can see that a life of genuine holiness is attractive to others, well beyond the enclosure walls. Also, real miracles can and do happen, or at least did in those days.
What does it feel like to finally be finished?
Relieved and exhilarated.
Is this your first translation or have you translated other books?
I translated the Rule of San Sisto and the Statutes of the Penitents of St. Mary Magdalen, which embody the earliest legislation of the nuns of the Order and were in large measure copied from the early legislation of the friars. Before that I was a member of the international commission that produced the official English translation of our revised Constitutions in 1987.
Are you planning on translating any more books?
I’ll think about it, especially if I ever get a copy of the canonization process of St. Margaret of Hungary.
Who gave you the most encouragement and support in this endeavor?
Sr. Mary Jeremiah of the Lufkin monastery; also Sr. Maria of the Cross who was always interested in my translation project and Sr. Mary Catharine.
If you were to write a Life of Saint Agnes of Montepulciano, how would yours be different from Blessed Raymond’s?
If I were to write a life, it would be, insofar as I am able, in conformity with modern standards of historical research, and I would try to understand the person’s feelings, motivations, etc. as well as trace their correspondence to the grace of God working in their life.
Read an excerpt from the book below!
You can purchase a paperback copy of
The Life of Saint Agnes of Montepulciano
by following this link to our Online Gift Shoppe.
or
You can purchase the Kindle Version
by following this link to Amazon.com.
As a librarian, I have often wondered about your library and your ability to obtain materials. Is it possible for you to get online access to databases such as Acta Sanctorum through a theological library consortium like SEPTLA or NYATLA?
I worked at a medium-sized Catholic university library for several years, and am still working for the university as an adjunct instructor. We have Acta Sanctorum and my guess is that it does not get a great deal of use.
Thanks, Julie, for the ideas about inter-library loans online. We tried something like that a long time ago and it didn’t work out, mostly because we are so small and not a university. But it might be worth trying again. –Sr. MM
I never cease to be amazed by the talents you all have.
Dear Sister Mary Martin:
Congratulations on the translation of the book! What patience and persistence! I read the first chapter of the book and it wet my appetite, quite interesting!
How did you ever work on this project and be prioress at the same time..??????Beats me. You nuns just amaze me.
Blessings,
Margaret
Good going, Sister Mary Martin !!! I am happy that you did this translation.
Sherry