Latin Mass

[ProVobis]

Again, the priest is not praying for himself, but for all of us. His prayer is between US and God. If we have no need to hear or understand it, why did the first Christians both hear and understand it? Why isn’t the whole Divine Liturgy prayed silently?

Japhy, permit me to interject my thoughts on this. Per the doctrines of Session 22 of the Council of Trent:

CHAPTER V.

On the solemn ceremonies of the Sacrifice of the Mass.

And whereas such is the nature of man, that, without external helps, he cannot easily be raised to the meditation of divine things; therefore has holy Mother Church instituted certain rites, to wit that certain things be pronounced in the mass in a low, and others in a louder, tone. She has likewise employed ceremonies, such as mystic benedictions, lights, incense, vestments, and many other things of this kind, derived from an apostolical discipline and tradition, whereby both the majesty of so great a sacrifice might be recommended, and the minds of the faithful be excited, by those visible signs of religion and piety, to the contemplation of those most sublime things which are hidden in this sacrifice.

thecounciloftrent.com/ch22.htm

Latin upon request.

It seems to me that the Mass is designed to have certain silent parts in order to achieve the desired objectives here. Not to mention all the rubrics — genuflecting, signs of cross, bowing, kissing of altar, epistle side, gospel side, covering of chalice, etc. — which, if one follows them carefully, he or she should be able to participate with the priest whether he understands the quiet or audible Latin or not. Or any other verbal language for that matter.

 

[ProVobis]

On his blog, Fr. Z also addressed this “priest speaks to…” issue.

wdtprs.com/blog/2011/08/remember-father-isnt-talking-to-you

 

[japhy]

Just because the priest is not speaking to us (although there are parts of the Mass where he is, of course) does not mean we should not hear him. If that were the case, the Collect, Super Oblata, and Post-communion prayers – and much of the rest of the Mass – would be prayed quietly. And since the priest needn’t hear us, as someone else said, there’d be no need for us to pray the Confiteor or other such prayers aloud. And if God can hear us even when we’re quiet, there’s no need for singing the Gloria or other prayers loudly; they could be whispered.

 

[Brendan]

Just because the priest is not speaking to us (although there are parts of the Mass where he is, of course) does not mean we should not hear him. .

I don’t anyone said (least of all me) that we should not hear him. Rather, that we have no need to hear him nor to understand him.

The very fact that the Canon was once whispered indicated that we have no need to hear him. It is certainly possible that we might, in fact at an OF Mass, we probably will.

But it is not something that we need to do.