El Padre J.C. Aguirre

On The Use of Latin in Mass

31 August 2007

“As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me” (Jn 6:57).

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Our Lord Jesus Christ gives us life through the Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is a life not generated from within us, but a life that comes from Jesus Christ as is directed to the Father and in the Holy Spirit. It is not ours, it is His, and we joyfully participate of it.

Because Christ gives us life in the Eucharist, we are constantly challenged to transfigure every aspect of our life into his. “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). By our active participation in the Eucharist, Christians in all their actions are called to offer true worship to God. Pope Benedict XVI recently reminded us of this mystery. “The Eucharist, since it embraces the concrete, everyday existence of the believer, makes possible, day by day, the progressive transfiguration of all those called by grace to reflect the image of the Son of God (cf. Rom 8:29ff.).”

In our parish, we are working in provided people the tools needed to promote this active participation, by the use of music, prayer and at times we incorporate the Latin language into our liturgies.

A small number of parishioners have objected to the use of Latin in some parts of the Mass. Two of the main objection can be summarized as follow. First, that the Church did away with Latin many years ago and we do not need to go back to the past. Second, that it is hard for people to understand the use of Latin during Mass and thus it keeps people from active participation.

In this letter, I attempt to answer these objections with the hope to clarify and enlightened people on this complex issue.

First Question:

Is it true that the Church did away with the use of Latin in the Mass?

Answer: No.

The use of the term Latin Mass is not specific enough. There is one Mass of the Latin Rite, the Mass published in Latin by Paul VI in 1969 according to the norms of the Second Vatican Council. Any other language is a translation of that “typical edition” of the Roman Missal. So, the official Mass text of the Latin Rite, which we currently use in English or Spanish, is and will always be, in Latin.

This is not the same as the so-called Tridentine Mass, where the Missal of Pope John XXIII is used. Such Missal is still used by those parishes where the pastor sees a pastoral need. The Holy Father recently wrote a Motu Propio where he extends pastor’s the discretion to use the such missal. Currently, our parish does not have such need.

Some of the Masses here at St. Helen of the Cross are said in the vernacular (English or Spanish) but includes some Latin, in accordance to the current norms of the Missal of Pope Paul VI (otherwise know as the Novus Ordo). The Second Vatican Council desired the retention of Latin as the ritual language of the Roman Rite.

In 1963, The Second Vatican Council indeed allowed the use of the vernacular (mother language) be used in the sacraments and parts of the liturgies, such as the readings, homilies, and some of the prayers. However, the Council stated that “Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites”.

Following the Council the Holy See followed up with subsequent implementing documents encouraging bishops and priests to continue to promote the use of Latin in the liturgies. For example, on October 16 1964, the Congreagation of Rites said that “Pastors of souls shall carefully see to it that the faithful… also know how to say or to sing together in the Latin language those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertains to them, especially with the use of simpler melodies.

Some bishops requested Paul VI that the entire Mass be said in the vernacular, Pope Paul VI granted this, but continued to insist on the people being able to pray the “ordinary parts” (that is, those that remain the same in every Mass, such as the dialogues “Dominus vobiscum” “Et cum spiritu tuo,” Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Pater Noster, Agnus Dei etc.) in Latin and also according to the simple Gregorian chant modes.

In 1974, Pope Paul VI added the following reminder to its exhortation that vernacular languages should have a suitable place in liturgical celebration: “It should be arranged that the faithful can say or sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass that belongs to them.”

The Supreme Pontiff Paul VI followed this trend of thought. He has often expressed two desires: that Gregorian Chant with its pleasing melody might accompany and support the Eucharistic celebrations of the people of God; that the voices of the faithful might resound in both the Gregorian Chant and in the vernacular.

In 1975, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) was published. In there it stated that, “Since the faithful from different countries come together ever more frequently, it is desirable that they know how to sing at least some parts of the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin, especially the profession of faith and the Lord’s Prayer, set to simple melodies.”

In more recent years the questions as to the importance of the use of Latin during Mass led the Holy Father, John Paul II to address the needs of the United States, when he spoke to American bishops who were in Rome, he said, “The use of the vernacular has certainly opened up the treasures of the liturgy to all who take part, but this does not mean that the Latin language, and especially the chants which are so superbly adapted to the genius of the Roman Rite, should be wholly abandoned.

Pope Benedict XVI has further exhorted bishops and priests to preserve the use of Latin during Masses, so as to pass on to the next generation the tradition of the Church.

“In order to express more clearly the unity and universality of the Church, I wish to endorse the proposal made by the Synod of Bishops, in harmony with the directives of the Second Vatican Council, that, with the exception of the readings, the homily and the prayer of the faithful, it is fitting that such liturgies be celebrated in Latin. Similarly, the better-known prayers of the Church’s tradition should be recited in Latin and, if possible, selections of Gregorian chant should be sung. Speaking more generally, I ask that future priests, from their time in the seminary, receive the preparation needed to understand and to celebrate Mass in Latin, and also to use Latin texts and execute Gregorian chant; nor should we forget that the faithful can be taught to recite the more common prayers in Latin, and also to sing parts of the liturgy to Gregorian chant.”

Thus, from the Council to the present, the Magisterium of the Church has had the consistent intention to preserve the use of Latin and Gregorian Chant (sung Latin melodies) in the Mass of the Roman Rite, even when offered in the vernacular. As has been the practice of this parish, the common parts, or some portion of them, can easily be said in Latin and the changeable parts and priestly prayers in the vernacular. In this way the patrimony of the Latin Rite is preserved by its use in the unchanging parts, quite few in number and easily to memorize, while the prayers particular to each liturgy are accessible to the faithful in their own language.

Second Question

Does the use of Latin during Mass keep people from Active Participation at Mass?

Answer: No, it actually promotes proper active participation.

Since the Second Vatican Council, the Church has strived to promote active participation of the faithful into the mystery of the Eucharist. One of the ways the Church promoted participation is by allowing Mass to be celebrated in the language of the people (Vernacular); in our case it is either English or Spanish.

This change has certainly allowed people to participate more in the Eucharist; however, it has never been the intention of the Church to eliminate the use of Latin from the Celebration of the Eucharist. Nor should be implied that to promote active participation the Mass must be understood in our language. The Eucharist is not an experienced that must be understood, as much as it is an experienced that must be lived.

Some people narrowly define participation as the ability to speak, see, smell, listen and touch things during the liturgy. Certainly the use of our sense experience opens the gates to the soul so that we may receive within the gift of grace that is being offered. All Sacraments are visible or perceivable signs of invisible and unperceivable grace. Furthermore, the Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that “In fact, the active participation called for by the Council must be understood in more substantial terms, on the basis of a greater awareness of the mystery being celebrated and its relationship to daily life.”

To fully participate in the Universal Aspect of the Church, we cannot limit our experience or participation to our native language (eg. English or Spanish). Part of our experience is to listen and speak in the Universal Language of the Catholic Church: a Language that unities the Church in doctrine and worship. A language that transcends our limitations of time and space and unites us both, with the geographical expansion of the Church and historial presence throughout the centuries.

Pope Benedict XVI continues to challenge our definition of participation when he says that, “Active participation in the Eucharistic liturgy can hardly be expected if one approaches it superficially, without an examination of his or her life. This inner disposition can be fostered, for example, by recollection and silence for at least a few moments before the beginning of the liturgy, by fasting and, when necessary, by sacramental confession. (SC, 55)

In conclusion, I invite you to open your hearts to the experience presented before us. That the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is not limited to a particular language. That we have a great tradition to transmit to our young people: a worship experience were we can all speak the same tongue, at least in worship. Language has devided people since the Tower of Babel. Language, I believe, will ultimately unite us to the One, Holy, Catholic and Aposotolic Church of Christ.

In Christ Jesus

Rev. Juan Carlos Aguirre, Pastor