Asking for a Latin NO

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PatienceAndLove

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I want to write my pastor (Fr. Larry Richards) and ask him if he is interested in offering a Latin NO mass.
How do you think I should go about writing this letter?

Danke!
 
I love the CDs by Fr. Larry Richards on Confession and the Mass! Judging by his personality, I would just be direct with your desire. Perhaps you can mention that you have heard of others (such as me) whose parishes are offering a Latin Mass who find the reverence of Gregorian Chant, Latin and polyphonic choir edifying.

You could also bring up the Pope’s exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis, where he wrote:
The Latin language
62. None of the above observations should cast doubt upon the importance of such large-scale liturgies. I am thinking here particularly of celebrations at international gatherings, which nowadays are held with greater frequency. The most should be made of these occasions. In order to express more clearly the unity and universality of the Church, I wish to endorse the proposal made by the Synod of Bishops, in harmony with the directives of the Second Vatican Council, (182) that, with the exception of the readings, the homily and the prayer of the faithful, it is fitting that such liturgies be celebrated in Latin.

Similarly, the better-known prayers (183) of the Church’s tradition should be recited in Latin and, if possible, selections of Gregorian chant should be sung. Speaking more generally, I ask that future priests, from their time in the seminary, receive the preparation needed to understand and to celebrate Mass in Latin, and also to use Latin texts and execute Gregorian chant; nor should we forget that the faithful can be taught to recite the more common prayers in Latin, and also to sing parts of the liturgy to Gregorian chant. (184)
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vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20070222_sacramentum-caritatis_en.html#Actuosa_participatio

Based on his love of the Mass, I think the best thing is to emphasize your desire is also from the love of the Mass.

God bless (und bitteschoen),
Robert
 
PatienceAndLove said:
I want to write my pastor (Fr. Larry Richards) and ask him if he is interested in offering a Latin NO mass.
How do you think I should go about writing this letter?

Danke!
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Well maybe you should ask for him to offer a TLM instead 👍

If its a Novus Ordo though - well I wouldn’t encourage that the entire Mass be in Latin. :o The people coming would probably just think it’d be a regular NO. Maybe you should just ask for the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, & Agnus Dei to be in Latin (and Greek for the Kyrie of course!).

Catholig
 
Catholig said:
Well maybe you should ask for him to offer a TLM instead 👍

If its a Novus Ordo though - well I wouldn’t encourage that the entire Mass be in Latin. :o The people coming would probably just think it’d be a regular NO. Maybe you should just ask for the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, & Agnus Dei to be in Latin (and Greek for the Kyrie of course!).

Catholig
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rlg94086 said:
Based on his love of the Mass, I think the best thing is to emphasize your desire is also from the love of the Mass.
Another Church is offering the TLM, and I get the impression from Fr. Larry doesn’t like to step on toes. And I doubt Bishop Troutman will allow another TLM. I will write him and tell him of my love of the Mass, and suggest that perhaps a monthly Latin NO would be nice? Or perhaps we could include more Latin in the regular Mass?
I was actually a little shocked to have us continue with the Jim Cowan mass during Lent…
Anyway-- we’ll see what he says!
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Maybe you should just ask for the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, & Agnus Dei to be in Latin (and Greek for the Kyrie of course!).
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Don’t forget the Consecration as well, the most solemn part of the Mass.
 
BobP123 said:
Don’t forget the Consecration as well, the most solemn part of the Mass.
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I’ve always thought that the Consecration should be in Latin, even for the NO. Actually, recently I’ve been thinking that it would be nice to have sort of a bilingual consecration. The set up words (On the night He was betrayed…, When supper was ended…etc) could be in Latin and the actual words spoken by Christ (This is My Body…, This is the cup of My Blood…etc) could be said in Aramaic since it was the language which Jesus spoke. I think it would be nice to have more Aramaic, in addition to Latin and Greek, in the Mass. Actually, it’s one of the things that I find most appealing about the Maronite liturgy.
 
I would not ask for the Novus Ordo to entirely be in Latin. Those that have it in Latin may have good intentions, however, at least to me, it gives off the impression that they want into to be a semi-Tridentine Mass. Therefore, some Latin in the Ordinary would be good, however, if it is not a TLM don’t make it look like (or in this case sound like) a TLM. However, definitely more Latin in the Novus Ordo. The Mass on EWTN would be a good Latin integrated Novus Ordo.
 
I’ve always thought that the Consecration should be in Latin, even for the NO. Actually, recently I’ve been thinking that it would be nice to have sort of a bilingual consecration. The set up words (On the night He was betrayed…, When supper was ended…etc) could be in Latin and the actual words spoken by Christ (This is My Body…, This is the cup of My Blood…etc) could be said in Aramaic since it was the language which Jesus spoke. I think it would be nice to have more Aramaic, in addition to Latin and Greek, in the Mass.
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As far as I’m concerned, that definitely would be better (and probably the Vatican would rest easier too 😃 ) than the ICEL version of the Consecration. EWTN can be the first to use this non-English version in its Consecrations. Don’t understand why they haven’t yet. Are they afraid it won’t show reverence enough? 😦
 
Back to a few posts back, someone mentioned not doing the Latin NO because people might get confused.

Would not using the Latin NO in an NO parish be a stepping stone to the TLM?

As I pointed out in another thread- some of us are new to traditionalism, and the full TLM can be such a sensory overload, you sometimes lose sight of the Mass, and sometimes we are just a little bit scared to let go of what we know.
Also, a Latin NO allows the congregation to learn the Latin within the context of something they already know. It’s a strange version of immersion.
 
PatienceAndLove said:
Would not using the Latin NO in an NO parish be a stepping stone to the TLM?
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I quite disagree with you. In several posts I mentioned that I love the NO in Latin but to me it will always be different from the TLM. To me they are quite different liturgies of the same Sacrifice. I honestly do not know which one I would prefer.

I just know that I need to focus much more on me being a good Catholic 24/7, rather than debating in my head which Mass is better assuming that both of them are celebrated in a reverent manner.
 
In several posts I mentioned that I love the NO in Latin but to me it will always be different from the TLM. To me they are quite different liturgies …
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You’re obviously a very astute student of Catholic liturgy, but I’m willing to bet 95% or higher of Catholics wouldn’t know the difference.
 
PKinsale said:
I believe there are specific rules governing how Latin and the Vernacular can be intermixed in the new Mass.
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Well, there are quite a few churches that offer Latin NO/1970 Missal or a Hybrid Massal. (Latin Liturgy)

To me, I think and hybrid and then a Latin NO would allow parishioners to get used to more and more Latin in the Mass into they are ready for a full TLM. I know I am still getting used to the Latin, and Latin NOs (that I have been to) allow me to focus on the Liturgy and learn the Latin, because I already know what happens when and what the English responses are, helping me understand the Latin Mass better.
 
PatienceAndLove said:
Well, there are quite a few churches that offer Latin NO/1970 Missal or a Hybrid Massal. (Latin Liturgy)
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Thanks for this link. I live in Missouri (St. Louis). I notice there are no Masses from my state on this list of Novus Ordo Latin Masses. (And, yes, I am aware of the TLMs here and have attended them.)
 
I think approaching a priest about a Latin Mass would be different depending on how open you think the priest would be to begin with. Fr. Larry seems like a solid priest but if you think he’s worried about stepping on toes or doing too much too soon then ask for a small bone for starters - I’d try either more Latin in every Mass, or a full Latin Mass every so often (like one poster suggested, perhaps one per month). It all depends on which one you feel would get more for your buck, so to speak.

While it would be a long time before you’d ever get a full Latin Mass using the first - a little more in all Masses - approach, it might be able to bring the whole parish along slowly rather than create a subset of parishioners attached to Latin liturgy but dependent upon the good will of the priest for their “special treatment.” When a new priest comes in, he would most likely be far more willing to adapt to the wishes of an entire parish than to those of a small group that has been getting a special Mass. That’s the unfortunate situation of indult attendees like myself. My pastor is getting transferred and our TLM will most likely vanish.
 
I remember seeing in one of the missals, or perhaps it was a hymnal, a mass with Latin chant?
What is the name of that Mass, so I can request it by name?
 
To my knowledge there is no issue in reciting the NO in Latin. Remember that Latin is its original language and its missal is a side by side just like the Tridentine Missals. I don’t have my missal open next to me but I believe the readings, certain prayers (such as specific prayers for Saints feasts) are the only things that are a “must” for the vernacular.

One might even argue that for English speaking Catholics who’s English translation is considered to be in need of correction saying the mass in Latin is our best shot at correctly performed mass. To be honest as an Pauline fan I prefer the Latin version. I think it would also cut down on abuses. That’s my opinion though.

I’m not sure if officially your priest would have to ask for an indult (as it is the “normative” rite regardless of language) but he would probably feel more comfortable if he asked his bishop. I’d maybe speak to others in your parish to see if they share your views and then together approach father. I’m sure both he and his ordinary would be much more receptive if they no there is a respectable number who wants it. Good luck to you on this 🙂
 
A Latin rite priest needs exactly zero permission to celebrate the Mass in Latin ad orientem. The only proviso is that a priest should not celebrate a Mass in Latin if it was publicly scheduled with expectations of the vernacular.
 
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