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Have you ever been asked why Traditional Catholics like to have Mass celebrated in a language which no one can understand? I have had it asked of me and heard it asked of others. This is a great answer to why we prefer to have Mass celebrated in the Latin language. The video is taken from the consecration of the church of Saints Peter and Paul at the Fraternity of St. Peter seminary in Lincoln Nebraska. The full footage of the ceremony can be found here:
This video can always be found a little further down on the side-bar.
This video can always be found a little further down on the side-bar.
4 comments:
I got asked that question today, too, especially why we prefer to go to the Latin Mass than the Mass that is known as the "Novus Ordo." In addition, the person thought it was best for the "Latin Mass to stay in the past where it belongs, since no one understands it any more." I tried to explain that the Mass is the same, since God Himself is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and he said "yes, that's great, but what is the point in a Mass that no one can understand? I think it's great to leave the Gloria, the Credo, and sometimes the Pater Noster, in Latin, but what's the point of declaring to each other the penitential rite (the Confiteor) that no one speaks any more?" I'm not well-versed in theology to answer such deep questions, so can you give me a bit of guidance here? Thanks!
As a pastor recently told us at Mass,"Latin is not a foreign language but rather a sacred language"
The Sacrifice of Holy Mass is not "about what we get out of it"
God takes care of that, but rather the Sacrifice of Holy Mass is primarily about adoring Almighty God and we use a sacred language for this, which, in the Roman Catholic Church, is Latin.
The language is for God, not us.
If you want to follow a translation of the Sacrifice, there are many Latin/English missals available.
God bless you.
Dan
That's exactly what I was trying to say, but I didn't know how to phrase it. I always try to remind people that we go there for the honor and glory of God, not to pay attention to mortal man. Yes, we pray for the forgiveness of our sins, but the Mass is to draw down God's mercy, not His wrath. This reminds me of His lamentation where He says, "These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me."
Very well said. Excellent post.
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