Why Latin?

[BobP123]

THE NECESSITY OF LATIN FOR THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

You know, a time will come when a man will no longer be able
to say, “I speak Latin and am a Christian” and go his way in
peace. There will come frontiers, frontiers of all kinds –
between men – and there will be no end to them. --Cardinal St.
Cajetan

 Liturgical Reform, having as one of its basic principles the

abolition of all mystical acts and formulations, insists upon the
usage of modern languages for the divine service… The hatred
of the Latin language is inborn in the hearts of all who hate
Rome. They see in it a bond that unites throughout the world, a
weapon of orthodoxy against all the subtleties of the sectarian
spirit, and a most powerful arm of the Papacy… Surely it is
one of the most masterful strokes of the reformers to declare war
on the holy language of Latin, for if they succeed in destroying
its use, their aims are all but accomplished. The liturgy, from
the moment it loses its sacred character and is offered to the
people in a profaned manner, becomes like a dishonored virgin…
How long do you think the faithful will go to hear these
self-styled liturgists cry “The Lord be with you” and how long
will they continue to respond “and with your spirit”? --Dom
Prosper Gueranger, “The Antiliturgical Heresy”

 It [the Traditional Latin Mass] is virtually unchanged since

the third century. --John Henry Cardinal Newman, “Callistus”

 

[BobP123]

For the Church, precisely because it embraces all nations and is
destined to endure until the end of time … OF ITS VERY NATURE requires
a language that is universal, immutable, and non-vernacular. --Pope
Pius XI, Officiorum Omnium, 1922

 The day the Church abandons her universal tongue [Latin] is

the day before she returns to the catacombs. --Pope Pius XII

 The use of the Latin language prevailing in a great part of

the Church affords at once an imposing sign of unity and an
effective safeguard against the corruptions of true doctrine.
–Pope Pius XII, Mediator Dei, 1947, Sec. 60

 Latin is the immutable language of the Western Church.

–Pope John XXIII

 The Catholic Church has a dignity far surpassing that of every

merely human society, for it was founded by Christ the Lord. It is
altogether fitting, therefore, that the language it uses should be
noble, majestic, and non-vernacular. --Pope John XXIII, Veterum
Sapientia, February 22, 1962 (just eight months before the opening of
Vatican II), chap. 13

 We also, impelled by the weightiest of reasons ... are fully

determined to restore this language to its position of honor and to do
all We can to promote its study and use. The employment of Latin has
recently been contested in some quarters, and many are asking what the
mind of the Apostolic See is in this matter. We have therefore decided
to issue the timely directives contained in this document, so as to
ensure that the ancient and uninterrupted use of Latin be maintained
and, where necessary, restored. --Pope John XXIII, Veterum Sapientia,
February 22, 1962 (just eight months before the opening of Vatican II),
chap. 13

 The use of the Latin language ... is to be preserved in the

Latin rites. --Second Vatican Council, Sacrosanctum Concilium
(Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy), para. 36.1

 In accordance with the age-old tradition of the Latin rite,

the Latin language is to be retained by clerics in the Divine
Office. --Second Vatican Council, Sacrosanctum Concilium
(Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy), para. 101.1

 If the Church is to remain truly the Catholic Church, it is

essential to keep a universal tongue. --Cardinal Heenan (1967)

 

[BobP123]

The Latin language is assuredly worthy of being defended with great
care instead of being scorned; for the Latin Church it is the most
abundant source of Christian civilization and the richest treasury of
piety… We must not hold in low esteem these traditions of your
fathers, which were your glory for centuries. --Pope Paul VI,
Sacrificium Laudis, August 15, 1966, Epistle to Superiors General of
Clerical Religious Institutes Bound to Choir, on the Celebration of the
Divine Office in Latin

 We cannot permit something that could be the cause of your

own downfall, that could be the source of serious loss to you,
and that surely would afflict the Church of God with sickness and
sadness… The same Church gives you the mandate to safeguard
the traditional dignity, beauty, and gravity of the choral office
in both its language [Latin] and its chant… Obey the commands
that a great love for your own ancient observances itself
suggests… --Pope Paul VI, Sacrificium Laudis, August 15, 1966,
Epistle to Superiors General of Clerical Religious
Institutes Bound to Choir, on the Celebration of the Divine
Office in Latin

 We address especially the young people:  In an epoch when in

some areas, as you know, the Latin language and the human values
are less appreciated, you must joyfully accept the patrimony of
the language which the Church holds in high esteem and must, with
energy, make it fruitful. The well-known words of Cicero, “It is
not so much excellent to know Latin, as it is a shame not to know
it” [Non tam praeclarum est scire Latine, quam turpe nescire
(Brutus, xxxvii.140)] in a certain sense are directed to you. We
exhort you all to lift up high the torch of Latin which is even
today a bond of unity among peoples of all nations. --Pope John
Paul II, 1978

 Nevertheless, there are also those people who, having been

educated on the basis of the old liturgy in Latin, experience the
lack of this “one language,” which in all the world was an
expression of the unity of the Church and through its dignified
character elicited a profound sense of the Eucharistic Mystery.
It is therefore necessary to show not only understanding but also
full respect towards these sentiments and desires. As far as
possible these sentiments and desires are to be accommodated, as
is moreover provided for in the new dispositions. The Roman
Church has special obligations towards Latin, the splendid
language of ancient Rome, and she must manifest them whenever the
occasion presents itself. --Pope John Paul II, Dominicae Cenae,
February 24, 1980, sec. 10

 

[rlg94086]

BobP123,

You quoted Dom Gueranger, who died in 1875 (I just read his book The Medal or Cross of Saint Benedict). Was there a movement to drop Latin as the language of the Church in the 1800s?

Pax,
Robert

 

[mgrobertson79]

There was a time in this One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church where every mass was exactly the same, except maybe the sermon(known today as the homily). You could go to Mass in Italy, Germany, Russia, France, or the US and everything would be the same. This is a mark of Unity. What happened to this? I believe it not to be the introduction of the vernacular but a Liturgical revolution in which a small group pushed their views and opinions on Rome and the Holy Father was somehow convinced that they were right. In matters of this nature the Holy Father is not speaking Ex Cathedra so is not free from error or as we say Infallible. The Mass is however still the Mass. It may not promote the reverence or the sense of the Sacred as it once did in the Traditional Rite of the Saints, but it is still the Mass.

A return to Latin, in the Mass and elsewhere is a step toward the Unity we profess at each Solemn Mass when we say the Nicene Creed. It isn’t to say you must speak Latin in your daily lives, but you should leave you daily lives at the door when you enter into the presence of our Blessed Lord.

If the rubrics were changed, once again, to take the adaptive nature away and give the Priest one mass, not 4 or 5 variations, this would likely be the beginning of reform. Along with teaching Latin and Gregorian Chant once again in our Seminaries. It is time to once again find God and the Sacred, not in our lives, but in his Church.

 

[rwoehmke]

A common liturgical language, while useful if understood all over the world, could be a sign of unity, but in my opinion a very surface one compared to unity in doctrine and teaching. Its sort of like saying if it doesn’t wear blue it must be a girl.

 

[mgrobertson79]

A common liturgical language, while useful if understood all over the world, could be a sign of unity, but in my opinion a very surface one compared to unity in doctrine and teaching. Its sort of like saying if it doesn’t wear blue it must be a girl.

It isn’t only a superficial quality, it is the Language of the Church. We are losing our unity of doctrine not at the magisterial level, but the laity. A lot of people seem to have forgotten either what they believe, or think that it is unimportant today.

 

[BobP123]

A common liturgical language, while useful if understood all over the world, could be a sign of unity, but in my opinion a very surface one compared to unity in doctrine and teaching. Its sort of like saying if it doesn’t wear blue it must be a girl.

So I take it you didn’t think too much of the Tower of Babel passage?

 

[rwoehmke]

It isn’t only a superficial quality, it is the Language of the Church. We are losing our unity of doctrine not at the magisterial level, but the laity. A lot of people seem to have forgotten either what they believe, or think that it is unimportant today.

Believe me it is not the lack of a common language that is at the root of the ignorance and disregard of the basic truths of the Catholic Church. It has more to do with post-modernism and the subsequent loss of trust in the belief that there are absolutes. Relativism reigns and there is no language that can fix that problem. Can you say, unless you were a seminarian, that all you learned about the Faith was taught to you in Latin? All across the world we were taught the truths of the Catholic Faith in our mother tongue.

 

[BobP123]

All across the world we were taught the truths of the Catholic Faith in our mother tongue.

Hopefully they adhered to the Latin originals.

 

[mgrobertson79]

Believe me it is not the lack of a common language that is at the root of the ignorance and disregard of the basic truths of the Catholic Church. It has more to do with post-modernism and the subsequent loss of trust in the belief that there are absolutes. Relativism reigns and there is no language that can fix that problem. Can you say, unless you were a seminarian, that all you learned about the Faith was taught to you in Latin? All across the world we were taught the truths of the Catholic Faith in our mother tongue.

Unfortunately the Faith doesn’t seem to be taught with the clarity and fervor it once was. People go to Holy Mass out of obligation, instead of love of God. The confession line is rarely full, though the Communion lines are packed. Children not only chew gum during Holy Mass(breaking the fast), but place it under the pews and then receive our Blessed Lords Body and Blood. Speaking of the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, most do not believe in the Real Presence. This is a mystery, sure, but to not believe is to cease to be Catholic. What happened, sure relativism plays a part, but there is more. Satan has worked his way in and has gained and held a foothold in our society for 50+ years. Things have changed culturally and not for the good either. For all the nice houses, nice cars, trips to the beach and so on, the materialism we live for today, we have lost as much of the sense of right and wrong, of heaven and hell, off good and evil. We resist or deny God at every turn, because we think he may stand in the way of our next want. Enough is enough. We must stand up, fight for what is right and restore Christ as King of Heaven AND Earth. We as Catholics can do it, because we did it before. It has nothing to do with Latin, it has everything to do with giving Almighty God his proper place in our lives. Remember it is he who gave us life and he who will take it back.

 

[KeithL]

There was a time in this One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church where every mass was exactly the same, except maybe the sermon(known today as the homily). You could go to Mass in Italy, Germany, Russia, France, or the US and everything would be the same. This is a mark of Unity. What happened to this? I believe it not to be the introduction of the vernacular but a Liturgical revolution in which a small group pushed their views and opinions on Rome and the Holy Father was somehow convinced that they were right. In matters of this nature the Holy Father is not speaking Ex Cathedra so is not free from error or as we say Infallible. **The Mass is however still the Mass. It may not promote the reverence or the sense of the Sacred as it once did in the Traditional Rite of the Saints, but it is still the Mass. **

A return to Latin, in the Mass and elsewhere is a step toward the Unity we profess at each Solemn Mass when we say the Nicene Creed. It isn’t to say you must speak Latin in your daily lives, but you should leave you daily lives at the door when you enter into the presence of our Blessed Lord.
**
If the rubrics were changed, once again, to take the adaptive nature away and give the Priest one mass, not 4 or 5 variations, this would likely be the beginning of reform. Along with teaching Latin and Gregorian Chant once again in our Seminaries. It is time to once again find God and the Sacred, not in our lives, but in his Church**.

Amen!
Pax tecum sit,et benedicat te Deus!

 

[maciejk60]

Was the original question “How is it that Latin was chosen to be used for the Tridentine Mass?” or is the question “ Why is Latin used TODAY for the Tridentine Mass?”
It seems to me that most answers are directed towards answering the first question rather than the second question.

My understanding of an answer to the second question has to do with the fact that Latin is considered by linguists to be a ‘dead” language. As a so called “dead” language there are accepted definitions of the words and thus no confusion can be introduced with later interpretations or uses of the words. It is the same reason that the medical field uses Latin as well when writing a prescription etc.

One example of the change in the use or definition of a word is as follows. I am 60 years old and when I was a kid one could have said “I had a gay time at the party”. Today’s meaning of the word gay is totally different! The Church wants to insure that this type of error does not enter into the Mass, so they use a Latin the 'dead" language.

The definition of “dead” is that it is not in use as a spoken language and thus not open to changes or modernization.

God Bless

Matt

 

[BobP123]

One example of the change in the use or definition of a word is as follows. I am 60 years old and when I was a kid one could have said “I had a gay time at the party”. Today’s meaning of the word gay is totally different! The Church wants to insure that this type of error does not enter into the Mass, so they use a Latin the 'dead" language.

That’s a great example. One which I use is Spiritus Sanctus, which I never heard a problem with. The Holy Ghost vs Holy Spirit argument, on the other hand, continues, and why?