A
anonymous1995
Guest
Were seminarians a few decades ago required to answer their written exams in Latin? How could they write Latin fluently?
- Status
C
Chatter163
Guest
More than a few decades ago, because they studied Latin as part of their curriculum. The textbooks were in Latin, too. The FSSP today still uses some of the old Latin textbooks.
T
Tarpeian_Rock
Guest
My pastor has been ordained 30+ years, and I’ve heard him mention that he had only a little Latin and Greek, and only those classes’ exams were in the respective language.
P
pianistclare
Guest
The Canonist who married us took courses in Latin, Aramaic, Hebrew, and Koine Greek. I took four years of Koine Greek from him
A seminarian can specialize in languages, it appears.
Another priest told me he took Koine, but never excelled.
A seminarian can specialize in languages, it appears.
Another priest told me he took Koine, but never excelled.
M
MaryT777
Guest
The younger priest at our Student Newman center took no Latin in the seminary he said one day. If he took another language he did not so say. nor does he say Mass in Spanish.
A
anonymous1995
Guest
So he was ordained when textbooks were no longer in Latin
A
anonymous1995
Guest
Yes, but still the ability to read Latin fluently is different from expressing oneself freely in that language…
L
L_Marshall
Guest
I regularly read texts in Latin, and will write my notes in the same language.
“Fluency” is a sort of broad term. It doesn’t necessarily mean knowing it like a native speaker would.
That having bene said, long enough ago a boy would have had Latin from as early as middle school through graduation, then done one or two years of intense study before entering the theologate at the Seminary. Add that to going to Mass every day in Latin, with the readings in Latin, and praying the Divine Office in Latin, and it can create a great familiarity with the language.
“Fluency” is a sort of broad term. It doesn’t necessarily mean knowing it like a native speaker would.
That having bene said, long enough ago a boy would have had Latin from as early as middle school through graduation, then done one or two years of intense study before entering the theologate at the Seminary. Add that to going to Mass every day in Latin, with the readings in Latin, and praying the Divine Office in Latin, and it can create a great familiarity with the language.
F
Filioque
Guest
Yes exams were given in Latin, both oral and written before the Council. In one’s first years as a Philosophy student in Minor Seminary courses and exams were given in the vernacular for many classes, but as one advanced, classes, and exams, most of all for those exams given before the reception of each of the Minor and Major Orders were in Latin. There were also review books that covered the main points one needed to be proficient in as one readied for ordination to those orders.
But don’t forget, Latin was used for the Mass, and the Office which was prayed in common, or chanted throughout the day in the Seminary, as well as some of the textbooks were in Latin, so it was not as much of an issue, as it was used throughout the day, every day.
I knew of a Jesuit priest from the UK who taught a priest from China Calculus in Latin, as neither spoke the vernacular language of the other.
But don’t forget, Latin was used for the Mass, and the Office which was prayed in common, or chanted throughout the day in the Seminary, as well as some of the textbooks were in Latin, so it was not as much of an issue, as it was used throughout the day, every day.
I knew of a Jesuit priest from the UK who taught a priest from China Calculus in Latin, as neither spoke the vernacular language of the other.
Q
Qoeleth
Guest
Scilicet. Latina in libris theologicis- quomodo dico? Forsitan Latinitas infantum! Certe, comparata ad Cicerone, fere nihil est.
Etiam hodie, dicere fluente in modo necnon scribere, nonnulli possunt. Egomet, exempli gratia, omne cum humilitate, fateor!
Cum dolore, pauci sacerdotes, pauci etiam episcopi, possunt conversare. Scientia Latinatis in oblivione nimis celeriter transit.
F
Filioque
Guest
Nam qui non Latinam legere, Latin continues to be the official language of the Western Church, the Typical (or as we would say in the common tongue) “original” editions of Liturgical books are all still in Latin, and translated by groups assigned by the National bishop’s desegnees; Seminarians who are going to study in Rome have to have at least a couple of years of Latin. There is an interest in reviving the use in Liturgical and choral circles, giving truth to the old saying, “What the son wants to forget the grandson wants to remember.” We have to remember that it was not just the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, but in learned society in general where Latin was used among the lettered, Secular and Protestant Universities, as well as High Schools had Latin courses and debates long into the 1950’s. Oxford University preserved the Latin edition of the Protestant Book of Common Prayer in one of it’s chapel services. Even if some like myself snicker when we here the classical pronunciation over the Ecclesiastical use.
A
anonymous1995
Guest
Can anyone suggest some titles of such review books? Very curious to know how seminarians in the past learnt… thanks!
As for textbooks those Scholastic manuals by Tanquerey, Hugon, etc. are well-known to me.
A
anonymous1995
Guest
Yes, I second what you mentioned!!!
A
anonymous1995
Guest
Epistulas meas sacerdoti in latina lingua scribo. (my spiritual director)
F
Filioque
Guest
Officio et Liturgia necnon Theologia libri satis superque. Ego sum minus fluens in Latin per sermonis ad loquendum cum paucis cohortibus.
Loose translation: I get by with my office and the Liturgy, as well as Theology texts, but my conversational skills have dipped due to fewer people to chat with.
Loose translation: I get by with my office and the Liturgy, as well as Theology texts, but my conversational skills have dipped due to fewer people to chat with.
Q
Qoeleth
Guest
Non facile invenire fratres quibus conversare in Latina.
Sed, solertia nata est usu.
A
anonymous1995
Guest
Certe. Lectionem alteram breviarii cotidiernam tertis annis in latina lingua legavi, quam mihi valde profert.
Q
Qoeleth
Guest
Etiam. Volo Latina lingua esse vivens rursum!
K
Kielbasi
Guest
Many more than a few decades ago, for sure.
I sat in cubicle in the 1990’a with a man (now in his 70’s) who washed out of the seminary in the 1970’s and he knew almost no Latin.
Of course, going back to the earlier parts of the 20th Century and before, Latin was studied extensively by almost all educated people, not just priests and not just Catholics either.
B
BenP
Guest
Major Seminary courses were certainly taught in Latin as late as the latter 1950s… I know a man in his eighties who was in seminary in 1958 and didn’t make it, his classes and textbooks were all in Latin.
- Status