In the old Latin Masses, were the readings in Latin or English?

[gam197]

On Sundays and holy days, there were sermons. A homily is a sermon that is about sacred scripture, typically the readings of the day. After Vatican II, homilies became the norm, called for in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Pre-V2, many of the sermons were about the scriptural readings of the day, but often they were catechetical in nature, explaining the teachings of the Church, the saints, etc.

Thanks! Strangely I thought that the word sermon was a protestant word. I know I have been corrected by people when I say sermon to say homily. I am glad Joe Kelley mentioned this word as it reminded me of it.

 

[gam197]

My memory goes back to the early 40’s. [All in English speaking parishes in the Northeast.] The Epistle was read in Latin, standing to the congregation’s right and facing the altar. The server then moved the book to the left side where the Gospel was read, again facing the altar.

As a small altar boy, with a long cassock, it was an adventure to pick up that big book with its heavy stand, walk down the steps [with the book obscuring my view], genuflect to the altar, walk back up the steps and place the book on the left. Never did trip, but it was close a couple of times.

For Sundays and Holy days the priest usually then read the Gospel in English facing the people and sometimes added a sermon. On rare occasions he might also read the Epistle; I don’t recall tat happening more than a dozen times or so in some 20 years.

The epistle was done in Latin facing the altar. The Gospel was done in Latin facing the altar and then the priest turned and read it in English facing the people?

For those churches that only did the epistle and Gospel in Latin, were the missal or do we call them missalettes, were they written in Latin with an English translation beside them or word for word. In other words, how did people read along with the priest?

 

[ProVobis]

Thanks! Strangely I thought that the word sermon was a protestant word. I know I have been corrected by people when I say sermon to say homily. I am glad Joe Kelley mentioned this word as it reminded me of it.

Either way it was supposed to reflect the readings of the day, regardless of whether they are in Latin or English. I think the tendency these days is to skip explaining the Gospel for the day because it is felt to be self-explaining in English, which many times it isn’t.

 

[Brendan]

Also, why did Priests turn their backs on the congregation during Mass?

He was facing the same way as the people, leading them.

When you are at Mass, do you consider yourself to have ‘turned your back’ on the people in the pew behind you?

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Thanks! Strangely I thought that the word sermon was a protestant word. I know I have been corrected by people when I say sermon to say homily. I am glad Joe Kelley mentioned this word as it reminded me of it.

In the 40’s and 50’s the sermon was sometimes related to the readings, but often was on another topic. I think it was shortly after VII that the term homily was preferred to emphasize that it should be used to apply the readings of the day to ones life.

 

[kozlosap]

If they read them in English in my parish, very few people would understand them any better than if they were in Latin

LOL! Best answer I’ve read this morning! I thought I only felt that way about my first period class of ninth graders!!!

 

[Chatter163]

Either way it was supposed to reflect the readings of the day, regardless of whether they are in Latin or English. I think the tendency these days is to skip explaining the Gospel for the day because it is felt to be self-explaining in English, which many times it isn’t.

Now they are supposed to reflect the day’s readings, but that was not the case pre-V2. The first time that a homily was absolutely required by the rubrics was at the Maundy Thursday Mass, beginning in 1956. The revised Holy Week rites (still completely in Latin), promulgated in November, 1955 used the word homilia in its directive, thus requiring the sermon to be scripture-based.

Homilies are a specific type of sermon, based on holy scriptures, generally the readings of the day. This, all homilies are sermons, but not all sermons are homilies.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Now they are supposed to reflect the day’s readings, but that was not the case pre-V2. The first time that a homily was absolutely required by the rubrics was at the Maundy Thursday Mass, beginning in 1956. The revised Holy Week rites (still completely in Latin), promulgated in November, 1955 used the word homilia in its directive, thus requiring the sermon to be scripture-based.

Homilies are a specific type of sermon, based on holy scriptures, generally the readings of the day. This, all homilies are sermons, but not all sermons are homilies.

Thanks for the details. I recalled that something was ruled, but couldn’t remember the details. - Joe K

 

[Tom_Baum]

This is not a “was” and neither do we really need anyone to remember as it was “then”. That Mass is still celebrated and many of us on the forums still attend it.

The customary practice on Sundays is to say the readings in Latin at their proper places and then right before the sermon/homily, they are re-read in the vernacular.

I guess that there was a “was” because where I grew up the readings were in English, not Latin, as was the homily or sermon.

I remember, not because I was an altar boy but because I remember that I liked the Gospels more than the Epistles.

By the way, back then, there was two readings, the Epistle and the Gospel as opposed to the three readings now on a regular Sunday Mass.

I’ve never been to a modern day Latin Mass so I can not say how it is now.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

In the older form there were [are?] only two readings, Gospel and Epistle, and they were the same every year. There were no designated masses for the days of the week except in special seasons. In those seasons there was also a Gospel and Epistle. There was also couple of verses from a Psalm, the Gradual. I think that was a residual from a longer Psalm there in much earlier times

Now we have three readings on Sundays which rotate on a three year cycle. Also, we have masses for the days of the week. The first readings are on a two year cycle; the Gospels are the same every year. The Responsorial Psalm restored earlier practice.

The intent of this change was to expand the amount of Scripture used.

 

[SAVINGRACE]

He was facing the same way as the people, leading them.

When you are at Mass, do you consider yourself to have ‘turned your back’ on the people in the pew behind you?

What are you on about? I am asking why in the old Latin Masses the Priests turned their backs. No need to be a smart alec about it. People on here need to realise that not everyone is a professional at Catholicism and its history which is why we are hear to learn. So tired of some people on here with their superiority complexes.

 

[gam197]

Again thanks for all this information. It helps me to relate to the church and dispel my incorrect thoughts…