Latin not quite as bad as once thought?

robindch

This just in:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2397919,00.html

Pope Benedict XVI is understood to have signed a universal indult — or permission — for priests to celebrate again the Mass used throughout the Church for nearly 1,500 years. The indult could be published in the next few weeks, sources told The Times.

Comments?

BrianCalgary

No problems here. There would be certain folks who would welcome the opportunity to worship in Latin. They would probably feel that they were closer to God somehow. (I think Gaelic is spoken in Heaven, isn't it?:) ).

The caution is that there will be those who would insist that it isn't really a mass unless it is in Latin.

Worship can be done in any language.

Asiaprod

BrianCalgary wrote:

No problems here. There would be certain folks who would welcome the opportunity to worship in Latin.

Must admit I loved Latin. Growing up I was an alter boy in a CB school and the mass at that time was only in Latin (every morning 6 am), which did add to it for me.

Dave!

I'd say it'll bring back in some of the older generations, and alienate the younger ones further. That's in the churches who decide to introduce it -- it's not compulsary.

If the church's aim is to reach as wide an audience as possible, then perhaps they should go the other way and follow the American way of Christian rock concerts, etc.

Bit of a conflict there though.

Cantab.

Latin Mass rocks! I'm 25 and love going to St Audeon's the odd Sunday. Was at my local parish last weekend and the cantor was singing as if he were performing - it was a disgrace in my opinion. At Latin Mass, God is the focus, and you really feel the presence.

starn

Never quite understood why the mass was celebrated in Latin. Given the bible was written in Greek. But Have to agree fully Latin Roxs

robindch

> Never quite understood why the mass was celebrated in Latin. Given the
> bible was written in Greek.

A good question.

In the first place, why pick latin or greek rather than the local language? Well, as a religion, you want to ensure uniformity of belief and it's easier to do that with one language. Doing this also benefits the religion in other ways, as the religion can control access to who's able to read the appropriate holybook, by controlling the schools which teach the language(s) required, and thereby assert its own linguistic and doctrinal supremacy. Also, greek is a more difficult language to learn, but you don't secure your holy information any better by using it, if the local population can't read or speak either language anyway. BTW, note how much trouble Luther got into when he translated the bible -- it was a direct assault on the central authority of the church; if everybody could read the bible, then what was the church for?

Also, I suspect there may have been more than a bit of lingustic chauvanism going on -- generally speaking greek was the principal language of intellectual discourse and administration in the early eastern roman empire (and orthodox church), while latin did the same two jobs in the western empire (and the roman church). It would have been strange indeed to carrying out your most important societal bonding ceremony in the shape of the mass, in the language of your religious enemies.

lostexpectation

but didn't jesus speak english :P

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

they should preach mass in mathematical language, 's the language of the universe.