Latin Mass Question

[Don_Ruggero]

Interestingly, I find that in certain scenarios the faithful are still quite attached to Latin. For example, I have yet to experience an exposition / benediction where the congregation elected to sing O Salutaris Hostia or Tantum Ergo in English, despite the fact that Latin and English are printed side by side in most hymnals I’ve seen. I don’t know if this is regional. I am personally quite fond of singing O Sanctissima, particularly on Marian feasts, but otherwise gravitate towards English hymns…preferring for example “Hail Holy Queen” to “Salve Regina”. I can’t tell you why.

It is regional. In that span of years when my travels took me to the United States, there were places that only sang those hymns in Latin and places that only sang those hymns in English. It has been a few years but English was much more prevalent. I seldom did Benediction when I was in Canada.

When I offer Mass privately, I will often choose Latin since I used to teach Latin. Of course, I would never do it in the vetus ordo.

 

[Qoeleth]

In our small parish, our priest celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) a couple times a week. He also provides a Latin/English booklet so we can follow along (one side in Latin and the other side in English). In this booklet there are notations in the side margins and it notes that the Readings and Gospel are traditionally done in English. However, our priest does all the Readings in Latin which make it impossible to know what he is reading (the readings for the day are NOT included in the booklet). Yes, I know one could bring along a daily missal and follow along using that but not everyone has a daily missal. So, my question is. If your parish has the Traditional Latin Mass, does your priest do the readings in Latin or English?

Semper miratus sum ad numerum populi attendentis Missam scilicet lingua in Latina, qui minime possunt dicere (saltim fluento in modo) linguam Latinam ipsam.

In re lectionis, in Latina facilior est et clarior est, quidem in opinione mea.
Aut, si non sis dicens Latinam, quare eligere ire ad Missan hac in lingua?

 

[Kielbasi]

Agreed about the not understanding anything the first time. But it was exactly the same when I went to my first Mass in the vernacular. However, I quickly found out that 99% of those attending Latin Masses have Missals that show the Latin and the vernacular side by side.

That is certainly a change from the traditional era in the 60’s and before.

Only a minority of Catholics used the hand missals with translations back in the day, the mass was followed more by the priests actions and movements, and ringing of bells by the altar servers, as opposed to translating the words that were being said.

I think there was a lot more emphasis on procedure or rubrics for priests saying mass in Latin back in the 1960’s and before- to help the people keep up.

 

[exnihilo]

Why are masses still said in Latin? What benefits does it bring as when i attended one once i didn’t understand anything but it made me realise why it was changed in the 60’s.

It hasn’t changed. I’ve attended bilingual masses where the readings were given in either English or Spanish. A written translation was provided. To be sure I’ve also attended masses where the readings were given in both languages. One would assume parts of the mass were not understood by either an English or Spanish speaker. And if there happened to be someone attending who spoke neither then none of the mass was understandable. One can always benefit by participating in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass whether he understands or not what is spoken.

 

[twf]

It hasn’t changed. I’ve attended bilingual masses where the readings were given in either English or Spanish. A written translation was provided. To be sure I’ve also attended masses where the readings were given in both languages. One would assume parts of the mass were not understood by either an English or Spanish speaker. And if there happened to be someone attending who spoke neither then none of the mass was understandable. One can always benefit by participating in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass whether he understands or not what is spoken.

Well, yes. When abroad I have been to many Spanish masses, though my Spanish is very poor…I follow along with a missal. I attended a Tagalog Mass not too long ago as it was literally the only Mass in the entire archdiocese that I could get to on that particular Sunday…I read the readings of the day in English and otherwise knew what was going on…even caught a number of words that were Spanish cognates.

 

[dnu]

Back in 2008ish before I went through RCIA I went to a FSSP parish a number of times. I didn’t have the slightest idea what was going on but it was very beautiful. Personally, I preferred the Latin Mass, the commute was just too far to attend regularly.

 

[corsair]

I have emigrated from the OF to the TLM (EF). It began as a fascination with the Latin language. Then I got to attend an EF Mass and I fell in love with it. Now that is all we attend. Our FSSP parish is 80 miles each way but we make the drive at least one a week, sometimes more. I don’t think I could ever go back to “On Eagles Wings” again.

Our Archbishop has been kind to us, although he is not an avid TLM’er . The Archdiocese to the south of us is very favorable to the TLM and we live smack dab between the two.