Novus Ordo in Latin

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This question popped in my head. Since the Ordinary Form of the Mass can be said in any language, has it ever been said in Latin?
 
Yes, although it is not common it has been and currently is said in Latin in some places.
 
Yes. In fact the Second Vatican Council, while calling for the vernacular, also stated that the Latin language should be preserved in our divine worship. When I was in Rome in 2009, most of the masses I attended were Novus Ordo Latin masses (well the readings and homily were in Italian but the ordinary of the mass was definitely Latin). I believe most of the solemn papal masses are also done this way. At my local cathedral and at various parishes throughout the archdiocese it is not uncommon to have certain key parts of the ordinary in Latin (Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei for example) but the majority in English. Back in June I attended a Novus Ordo mass at a local parish that was completely chanted in Latin except the readings which were chanted in English.
 
Mdxxx said:
This question popped in my head. Since the Ordinary Form of the Mass can be said in any language, has it ever been said in Latin?
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Yes. Latin is the language of the Ordinary Form. Vatican II permitted the vernacular language for some parts, but the intent was not to have Mass entirely in the vernacular. It used to be offered in Latin at the papal Masses in Rome. I know Pope Benedict XVI said it in Latin.
 
Mdxxx said:
This question popped in my head. Since the Ordinary Form of the Mass can be said in any language, has it ever been said in Latin?
Click to expand...
Well, it’s definitely celebrated that way at my current parish. We celebrate the OF in Latin once a month. 🙂
 
I’ve been to numerous OF Masses in Latin and know of several Benedictine monasteries in Canada and Europe where the OF Mass is said in Latin daily.
 
We have one at our parish. every Wed 9:00am Mass

Our Saturday evening Mass used to be the N.O. in Latin, but it was switched over to the E.F. not long after the Summorium Pontificum came out.
 
Any priest can celebrate the OF Mass in Latin at any time with almost no restrictions. The two provisos are: The priest must be capable of doing so, i.e. he should not be doing so if he’s making a mess of the Mass by bumbling along trying to pronounce the Latin texts. Second, if a parish, for example, lists the 9:00 AM Mass as being in Latin and the 10:00 as being in the vernacular, the parishioners should be able to rely on this and not have it switched at the last minute without a good reason. These are really the same for the Extraordinary Form as well.
 
G_S said:
Any priest can celebrate the OF Mass in Latin at any time with almost no restrictions. The two provisos are: The priest must be capable of doing so, i.e. he should not be doing so if he’s making a mess of the Mass by bumbling along trying to pronounce the Latin texts. Second, if a parish, for example, lists the 9:00 AM Mass as being in Latin and the 10:00 as being in the vernacular, the parishioners should be able to rely on this and not have it switched at the last minute without a good reason. These are really the same for the Extraordinary Form as well.
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Since priests are required to be very well educated in Latin and know the language quite well, it should not be an issue for a priest to offer Mass in Latin.

I once attended an ordination that was in three different languages- English, French, and Vietnamese. Latin would have been a better option.
 
Deo_Gratias42 said:
Since priests are required to be very well educated in Latin and know the language quite well, it should not be an issue for a priest to offer Mass in Latin.

I once attended an ordination that was in three different languages- English, French, and Vietnamese. Latin would have been a better option.
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This came up in a conversation recently. From what I can tell, few priests out of the seminary 10-15 years would claim to have retained any significant Latin, apart from phrases used in official paperwork, and the most common prayers. However, they would likely have retained their pronouncing knowledge.
 
twf said:
Yes. In fact the Second Vatican Council, while calling for the vernacular, also stated that the Latin language should be preserved in our divine worship.
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VAT II did not “call for” the vernacular, it permitted it to be used. See this article of The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy: vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html
54. In Masses which are celebrated with the people, a suitable place may be allotted to their mother tongue. This is to apply in the first place to the readings and “the common prayer,” but also, as local conditions may warrant, to those parts which pertain to the people, according to the norm laid down in Art. 36 of this Constitution.

Nevertheless steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them.

And wherever a more extended use of the mother tongue within the Mass appears desirable, the regulation laid down in Art. 40 of this Constitution is to be observed.
 
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