Attending Mass Abroad - Foreign Language issues!

[Sarabande]

Hello,
We are considering moving to another country for my husband’s work. The nearest Catholic church would be over two hours away - and mass would be in another language. Any opinions/advice/suggestions? Thank you!
Laura

It’s always good to try to learn the language before you go to another country - at least an elementary understanding of it. I’ve had to study in a few European countries and needed to learn at least an elementary understanding of the language before I went. The masses in the countries I’ve been to are pretty much the same and if you have some understanding of the language, it’s even more helpful. I’ve also found that if you attend a Latin NO or TLM in those countries that was even better for me as for the Latin NO I could recite and understand the responses along with the rest of the congregation. (Also, Latin is very close to Italian, so if you are going there, there isn’t much of a difference in understanding.) The homilies were still in the vernacular, but the rest of the mass was in Latin.

Hope this was helpful.

 

[japhy]

You’re more likely to learn the language of the people of the country, faster than you’ll learn Latin. Sure, you can memorize Latin words of the Mass, and just mimic the words. However, being you’re only going to use this form of memorized Latin at Mass, once a week, its unlikely you’ll become fluent, as you will in the vernacular of that country. I grew up with the Latin Mass. I never knew how to speak in Latin, just memorized the words of the Mass.

You already know what the words mean, no matter what language you’re speaking in. No one’s asking us to learn Latin. We’re asked to know how to say the responses in Latin.

Unless you do become fluent in the vernacular of a country, you’ll only be “mimic[king] the words”.

 

[brotherhrolf]

I am a broken record repeating the same thing over and over again. I was in the Navy in the early 70s and my transport squadron got sent to Spain for a month. Being the geek that I am, I did not run off to the bars as my fellow sailors did. I went off by myself equipped with three years of Spanish behind me.

I found a medieval church and entered. I knelt in prayer and the priest came out from the sacristy. (I was something of an anomaly in Spain being a young male in church). Father asked me in Spanish who I was and I stumbled and told him I was a sailor, from New Orleans, and had been an altar boy.

He turned to me and said “Introibo ad altare Dei”. To which I responded Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam". He beamed and took me all over the church and down into the crypts and showed me their vestments and chalices (many of which were ancient). He spoke slowly and distinctly in Spanish so that I could understand.

Forty years ago any Catholic from anyplace around the world could go to Mass and participate. Going to a foreign country wouldn’t have mattered one iota.