1000th post: An editorial on the use of Latin in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite
For its 1000th post, Catholic Metanarrative will not lift any article or news from any particular source but will post an editorial on the recent "rage" in using Latin in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite (of the Mass). Please note that this is simply a personal opinion of the author.
*~*~*
I was told fairly recently by someone very close that the reason why there will be a recitation of the Pater Noster (Our Father) in Latin for Sunday Masses is because "the Pope said so." I became curious about it. After all, what I do know, to the best of my recollection at that time, was that the Pope recommended the use of Latin in the Liturgy, but not making any specific recommendations about the Pater Noster on Sunday Masses.
I embarked on a journey to search for the actual announcements or letters by Pope Benedict XVI in this regard. At this point, I found nothing that made any specific recommendations about the Pater Noster on Sunday Masses. However, true to what I recollected earlier, the recommendations were on the use of Latin in the liturgy.
This can be found primarily in Sacramentum Caritatis, 62:
None of the above observations should cast doubt upon the importance of such large-scale liturgies. I am thinking here particularly of celebrations at international gatherings, which nowadays are held with greater frequency. The most should be made of these occasions. 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 (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, 36, 54), 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 (Propositio 36) 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. (cf. ibid)
The ones in bold are the key phrases/clauses. Let's try to break it down:
1. Sacramentum Caritatis is an apostolic exhortation by the Pope after the 11th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the topic of The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church. The Pope is not the only one who would like the use of Latin in the Mass; bishops in union with the Pope have made this recommendation! In fact, this point by the Pope has been based from Propositio 36, one of the propositions done by the bishops and sent to the Pope during the Synod.
2. Should the Our Father be the only one to be recited/sung in Latin? The answer is no. Based on the point by the Pope and by the proposition by the bishops, much of the Mass is to be celebrated/concelebrated in Latin. The "better-known prayers" in the Mass is not just the Our Father. Of course, reciting/singing the Pater Noster is a good start, but why stop there?
2.(a) Assuming we start with the sung prayers, the Gloria is the most sung (and personally, the most abused) part of the Mass. No offense to the late Fr. Hontiveros, S.J. who composed the original scores for "Papuri sa Diyos"; I feel it's a very rich and nice rendition of the Gloria. However, most parishes tend to use the "Papuri sa Diyos" an opportunity to show off their singing skills. I would agree that most of them really sing well, but is that the point? Aren't we supposed to praise God that heaven and earth will be wedded in the celebration of the Eucharist? Of course, choirs can always say that "they're doing it for God", but honestly, are these choirs really doing it for God? Why is it, then, that the "Papuri sa Diyos" is sung the loudest compared to the other "better-known prayers"? And where does it say in the rubrics or the General Instructions of the Roman Missal that we should clap while singing the "Papuri sa Diyos"? Really, more than the Pater Noster, I feel that the Gloria must be included as one of the "better-known prayers" that should be recited/sung in Latin.
2.(b) Apart from the Pater Noster and Gloria, there should be interest also in reciting/singing the other commonly sung prayers like the Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus Dei. Also, rather than just reciting the Apostle's Creed, the Credo can be sung as well.
3. The point by the Pope here does not include any prescription about the use of the Tridentine Mass or now known as the "Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite". This has been discussed in full in his moto proprio "Summorum Pontificum" starting with Article 1 (author's emphasis in bold).
Art. 1. Missale Romanum a Paulo VI promulgatum ordinaria expressio “Legis orandi” Ecclesiae catholicae ritus latini est. Missale autem Romanum a S. Pio V promulgatum et a B. Ioanne XXIII denuo editum habeatur uti extraordinaria expressio eiusdem “Legis orandi” Ecclesiae et ob venerabilem et antiquum eius usum debito gaudeat honore. Hae duae expressiones “legis orandi” Ecclesiae, minime vero inducent in divisionem “legis credendi” Ecclesiae; sunt enim duo usus unici ritus romani.
3.(a) There might be a mistaken notion that the use of Latin in the Liturgy and the permissibility of the Extraordinary Form are one and the same thing. By the use of Latin in the Liturgy, this refers to the Ordinary Form, the one we're all familiar with when we attend Mass on Sundays. As such, there is no command, imperative or mandate by the Pope to shift back to the Tridentine.
3.(b) Assuming a parish would like to celebrate the Extraordinary Form, there are invited to examine Articles 5, 7 and 8 (author's emphasis in bold).
Art. 5, § 1. In paroeciis, ubi coetus fidelium traditioni liturgicae antecedenti adhaerentium continenter exsistit, parochus eorum petitiones ad celebrandam sanctam Missam iuxta ritum Missalis Romani anno 1962 editi, libenter suscipiat. Ipse videat ut harmonice concordetur bonum horum fidelium cum ordinaria paroeciae pastorali cura, sub Episcopi regimine ad normam canonis 392, discordiam vitando et totius Ecclesiae unitatem fovendo.
§ 2. Celebratio secundum Missale B. Ioannis XXIII locum habere potest diebus ferialibus; dominicis autem et festis una etiam celebratio huiusmodi fieri potest.
§ 3. Fidelibus seu sacerdotibus id petentibus, parochus celebrationes, hac in forma extraordinaria, permittat etiam in adiunctis peculiaribus, uti sunt matrimonia, exsequiae aut celebrationes occasionales, verbi gratia peregrinationes.
§ 4. Sacerdotes Missali B. Ioannis XXIII utentes, idonei esse debent ac iure non impediti.
§ 5. In ecclesiis, quae non sunt nec paroeciales nec conventuales, Rectoris ecclesiae est concedere licentiam de qua supra.
Art. 7. Ubi aliquis coetus fidelium laicorum, de quo in art. 5 § 1 petita a parocho non obtinuerit, de re certiorem faciat Episcopum dioecesanum. Episcopus enixe rogatur ut eorum optatum exaudiat. Si ille ad huiusmodi celebrationem providere non potest res ad Pontificiam Commissionem “Ecclesia Dei” referatur.
Art. 8. Episcopus, qui vult providere huiusmodi petitionibus christifidelium laicorum, sed ob varias causas impeditur, rem Pontificiae Commissioni “Ecclesia Dei” committere potest, quae ei consilium et auxilium dabit.
3.(b)(i) First point, it should be clear that there are a group of faithful adhering to the Tridentine. This must be established before resorting to the use of the Extraordinary Form. How can we go about this? If the last time that the Tridentine was done was in 1962, the age of a seven-year-old at that time must be 54 years old. Hence, one must examine whether the 54-year-olds and older in the parish still would like to go with the Tridentine.
3.(b)(ii) Second point, the Extraordinary Form can be done ordinarily on ferial days. For Sundays and feast days, once is allowed. But can be do more than once on Sundays and feast days? Then this apparently is not anymore "extraordinary".
3.(b)(iii) If there is a group of lay faithful who would like to attend the Tridentine, their pastors must be consulted first. If he does not approve of it, the diocesan bishop must be consulted. If the bishop cannot act on it immediately, he can consult the Ecclesia Dei commission. Third point, it is not the prerogative of the lay faithful to decide on this. The hierarchy of the Church must be actively consulted in this regard.
4. We should have more of the use of Latin in the Ordinary Form than the Extraordinary Form. It is highly recommended that parishes invest in buying Latin language sacramentaries and copies of the Order of the Mass for the people to follow. I feel that there is still more to gain and learn from the Ordinary Form. Since both forms are one and the same Roman rite, I don't see any reason why we should be actively trying to promote a "shift back".
In any case, I hope those who are curious about why certain places have more Latin prayers in the Mass, they should not feel afraid or ashamed. Lest, they should be guided by the Holy Spirit to learn more from this experience as this constitutes the rich treasures of the Catholic Church given by God Himself.
*~*~*
I was told fairly recently by someone very close that the reason why there will be a recitation of the Pater Noster (Our Father) in Latin for Sunday Masses is because "the Pope said so." I became curious about it. After all, what I do know, to the best of my recollection at that time, was that the Pope recommended the use of Latin in the Liturgy, but not making any specific recommendations about the Pater Noster on Sunday Masses.
I embarked on a journey to search for the actual announcements or letters by Pope Benedict XVI in this regard. At this point, I found nothing that made any specific recommendations about the Pater Noster on Sunday Masses. However, true to what I recollected earlier, the recommendations were on the use of Latin in the liturgy.
This can be found primarily in Sacramentum Caritatis, 62:
None of the above observations should cast doubt upon the importance of such large-scale liturgies. I am thinking here particularly of celebrations at international gatherings, which nowadays are held with greater frequency. The most should be made of these occasions. 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 (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, 36, 54), 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 (Propositio 36) 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. (cf. ibid)
The ones in bold are the key phrases/clauses. Let's try to break it down:
1. Sacramentum Caritatis is an apostolic exhortation by the Pope after the 11th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the topic of The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church. The Pope is not the only one who would like the use of Latin in the Mass; bishops in union with the Pope have made this recommendation! In fact, this point by the Pope has been based from Propositio 36, one of the propositions done by the bishops and sent to the Pope during the Synod.
2. Should the Our Father be the only one to be recited/sung in Latin? The answer is no. Based on the point by the Pope and by the proposition by the bishops, much of the Mass is to be celebrated/concelebrated in Latin. The "better-known prayers" in the Mass is not just the Our Father. Of course, reciting/singing the Pater Noster is a good start, but why stop there?
2.(a) Assuming we start with the sung prayers, the Gloria is the most sung (and personally, the most abused) part of the Mass. No offense to the late Fr. Hontiveros, S.J. who composed the original scores for "Papuri sa Diyos"; I feel it's a very rich and nice rendition of the Gloria. However, most parishes tend to use the "Papuri sa Diyos" an opportunity to show off their singing skills. I would agree that most of them really sing well, but is that the point? Aren't we supposed to praise God that heaven and earth will be wedded in the celebration of the Eucharist? Of course, choirs can always say that "they're doing it for God", but honestly, are these choirs really doing it for God? Why is it, then, that the "Papuri sa Diyos" is sung the loudest compared to the other "better-known prayers"? And where does it say in the rubrics or the General Instructions of the Roman Missal that we should clap while singing the "Papuri sa Diyos"? Really, more than the Pater Noster, I feel that the Gloria must be included as one of the "better-known prayers" that should be recited/sung in Latin.
2.(b) Apart from the Pater Noster and Gloria, there should be interest also in reciting/singing the other commonly sung prayers like the Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus Dei. Also, rather than just reciting the Apostle's Creed, the Credo can be sung as well.
3. The point by the Pope here does not include any prescription about the use of the Tridentine Mass or now known as the "Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite". This has been discussed in full in his moto proprio "Summorum Pontificum" starting with Article 1 (author's emphasis in bold).
Art. 1. Missale Romanum a Paulo VI promulgatum ordinaria expressio “Legis orandi” Ecclesiae catholicae ritus latini est. Missale autem Romanum a S. Pio V promulgatum et a B. Ioanne XXIII denuo editum habeatur uti extraordinaria expressio eiusdem “Legis orandi” Ecclesiae et ob venerabilem et antiquum eius usum debito gaudeat honore. Hae duae expressiones “legis orandi” Ecclesiae, minime vero inducent in divisionem “legis credendi” Ecclesiae; sunt enim duo usus unici ritus romani.
3.(a) There might be a mistaken notion that the use of Latin in the Liturgy and the permissibility of the Extraordinary Form are one and the same thing. By the use of Latin in the Liturgy, this refers to the Ordinary Form, the one we're all familiar with when we attend Mass on Sundays. As such, there is no command, imperative or mandate by the Pope to shift back to the Tridentine.
3.(b) Assuming a parish would like to celebrate the Extraordinary Form, there are invited to examine Articles 5, 7 and 8 (author's emphasis in bold).
Art. 5, § 1. In paroeciis, ubi coetus fidelium traditioni liturgicae antecedenti adhaerentium continenter exsistit, parochus eorum petitiones ad celebrandam sanctam Missam iuxta ritum Missalis Romani anno 1962 editi, libenter suscipiat. Ipse videat ut harmonice concordetur bonum horum fidelium cum ordinaria paroeciae pastorali cura, sub Episcopi regimine ad normam canonis 392, discordiam vitando et totius Ecclesiae unitatem fovendo.
§ 2. Celebratio secundum Missale B. Ioannis XXIII locum habere potest diebus ferialibus; dominicis autem et festis una etiam celebratio huiusmodi fieri potest.
§ 3. Fidelibus seu sacerdotibus id petentibus, parochus celebrationes, hac in forma extraordinaria, permittat etiam in adiunctis peculiaribus, uti sunt matrimonia, exsequiae aut celebrationes occasionales, verbi gratia peregrinationes.
§ 4. Sacerdotes Missali B. Ioannis XXIII utentes, idonei esse debent ac iure non impediti.
§ 5. In ecclesiis, quae non sunt nec paroeciales nec conventuales, Rectoris ecclesiae est concedere licentiam de qua supra.
Art. 7. Ubi aliquis coetus fidelium laicorum, de quo in art. 5 § 1 petita a parocho non obtinuerit, de re certiorem faciat Episcopum dioecesanum. Episcopus enixe rogatur ut eorum optatum exaudiat. Si ille ad huiusmodi celebrationem providere non potest res ad Pontificiam Commissionem “Ecclesia Dei” referatur.
Art. 8. Episcopus, qui vult providere huiusmodi petitionibus christifidelium laicorum, sed ob varias causas impeditur, rem Pontificiae Commissioni “Ecclesia Dei” committere potest, quae ei consilium et auxilium dabit.
3.(b)(i) First point, it should be clear that there are a group of faithful adhering to the Tridentine. This must be established before resorting to the use of the Extraordinary Form. How can we go about this? If the last time that the Tridentine was done was in 1962, the age of a seven-year-old at that time must be 54 years old. Hence, one must examine whether the 54-year-olds and older in the parish still would like to go with the Tridentine.
3.(b)(ii) Second point, the Extraordinary Form can be done ordinarily on ferial days. For Sundays and feast days, once is allowed. But can be do more than once on Sundays and feast days? Then this apparently is not anymore "extraordinary".
3.(b)(iii) If there is a group of lay faithful who would like to attend the Tridentine, their pastors must be consulted first. If he does not approve of it, the diocesan bishop must be consulted. If the bishop cannot act on it immediately, he can consult the Ecclesia Dei commission. Third point, it is not the prerogative of the lay faithful to decide on this. The hierarchy of the Church must be actively consulted in this regard.
4. We should have more of the use of Latin in the Ordinary Form than the Extraordinary Form. It is highly recommended that parishes invest in buying Latin language sacramentaries and copies of the Order of the Mass for the people to follow. I feel that there is still more to gain and learn from the Ordinary Form. Since both forms are one and the same Roman rite, I don't see any reason why we should be actively trying to promote a "shift back".
In any case, I hope those who are curious about why certain places have more Latin prayers in the Mass, they should not feel afraid or ashamed. Lest, they should be guided by the Holy Spirit to learn more from this experience as this constitutes the rich treasures of the Catholic Church given by God Himself.
posted by Chipi Buenafe at
12:30 PM
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