A Vatican document issued on March 25, 2004
entitled, On Certain Matters To Be Observed Or To Be Avoided Regarding The Most
Holy Eucharist, states that "priests are always and everywhere permitted to
celebrate Mass in Latin." (#112)
Fr. William C.
Van Breda, O.S.A. writes:
At a time when
the Church is passing through an era of crisis and a period of doctrinal
disarray, when the centers of higher learning proclaim themselves independent
of the Holy See, a remark of Dom Gueranger, O.S.B., on the use of Latin,
written more than a century ago, may gain again some curious significance.
"The hatred of the Latin language is innate in the hearts of all the enemies
of Rome; they perceive in it the universal bond of all Catholics and the
arsenal of orthodoxy; against all sectarian subtleties..." (Inst. Liturg. I
402) The same thought appears in the Encyclical Mediator Dei (#60):
"The use of the Latin language ... is a manifest and beautiful sign of unity
as well as an effective antidote for any corruption of doctrinal truth." So it
is no coincidence that the doctrinal dissenters, the moral muddlers and the
loathers of Latin are lodging at the same address. (Homiletic & Pastoral
Review, March 1991, pp. 64-65)
The Popes on the Latin language:
Pope Pius X (Moto
Propio on the Restoration of Church Music, November 22, 1903):
“The
language of the Roman Church is Latin. It is therefore forbidden to sing
anything whatever in the vernacular in solemn liturgical functions—much more to
sing in the vernacular the variable or common parts of the Mass and Office.”
Pope Pius XI (Officiorum
Omnium, 1922):
"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 which is universal,
immutable, and non-vernacular."
Pope Pius XII (Mediator
Dei):
"The use of the Latin language affords at once an imposing sign of unity and an
effective safeguard against the corruption of true doctrine."
Pope John XXIII
(encyclical Veterum Sapientia, 1962):
The Pope spoke of the special value of Latin which had proved so admirable a
means for the spreading of Christianity and which had proved to be a bond of
unity for the Christian peoples of Europe. He continued: "Of its very nature,
Latin is most suitable for promoting every form of culture among peoples. It
gives rise to no jealousies. It does not favour any one nation, but presents
itself with equal impartiality to all and is equally acceptable to all. Nor must
we overlook the characteristic nobility of Latin's formal structure. Its
concise, varied and harmonious style, full of majesty and dignity makes for
singular clarity and impressiveness of expression. For these reasons the
Apostolic See has always been at pains to preserve Latin, deeming it worthy of
being used in the exercise of her teaching authority as the splendid vesture of
her heavenly doctrine and sacred laws. She further requires her sacred ministers
to use it, for by so doing they are the better able, wherever they may be, to
acquaint themselves with the mind of the Holy See on any matter, and communicate
the more easily with Rome and with one another. The Church - because it embraces
all nations and is destined to endure to the end of time - of its very nature
requires a language which is universal, immutable, and non-vernacular. Modern
languages are liable to change, and no single language is superior to the others
in authority. Thus, if the truths of the Catholic Church were entrusted to an
unspecified number of them, the meaning of these truths would not be manifested
to everyone with sufficient clarity and precision. There would also be no
language which could serve as a common and constant norm by which to gauge the
exact meaning of other renderings. But Latin is indeed such a language. It is
set and unchanging. It has long since ceased to be affected by those alterations
in the meaning of words which are the normal result of daily, popular use.
Finally, 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. In addition, the Latin language can be called truly catholic. It
is a general passport to the proper understanding of the Christian writers of
antiquity and the documents of the Church's teaching. It is also a most
effective bond, binding the Church of today with that of the past and of the
future in wonderful continuity. There can be no doubt as to the formative and
educational value of the language and great literature of the Romans. It is a
most effective training for the pliant minds of youth. It exercises, matures and
perfects the principal faculties of mind and spirit. It sharpens the wits and
gives keenness of judgment. It helps the young mind to grasp things accurately
and develop a true sense of values. It is also a means for teaching highly
intelligent thought and speech. The use of Latin has recently been queried in
many quarters, and many people are asking about the mind of the Apostolic See in
this matter. We have therefore decided to issue this document, so as to ensure
that the ancient and uninterrupted use of Latin be maintained and, where
necessary, restored. So many people, unaccountably dazzled by the marvelous
progress of science, are taking it upon themselves to oust or restrict the study
of Latin and other kindred subjects. Yet, the greatest impression is made on the
mind by those things which correspond more closely to man's nature and dignity.
And therefore the greatest zeal should be shown in the acquisition of whatever
educates and ennobles the mind. Otherwise poor mortal creatures may well become
like the machines they build - cold, hard, and devoid of love. Bishops and
superiors-general of religious orders shall be on their guard lest anyone under
their jurisdiction, eager for revolutionary changes, writes against the use of
Latin in the teaching of the higher sacred studies or in the liturgy, or through
prejudice makes light of the Holy See's will in this regard or interprets it
falsely. Professors of the sacred sciences in universities or seminaries are
required to speak Latin and to make use of textbooks written in Latin. If
ignorance of Latin makes it difficult for some to obey these instructions, they
shall gradually be replaced by professors who are suited to this task. Since
Latin is the Church's living language, it must be furnished with new words that
are apt and suitable for expressing modern things, words that will be uniform
and universal in their application and constructed in conformity with the genius
of the ancient Latin tongue."
Pope Paul VI
(encyclical Sacrificium Laudis, 1966):
"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 our fathers which were our glory for centuries."
Pope John Paul
II (1980 letter on the mystery and worship of the Eucharist),
praised Latin as an expression of the unity of the Church which, through its
dignified character, elicited a profound sense of the Eucharistic mystery. He
said it was necessary to show understanding and full respect towards those
Catholics who missed the use of the old Latin liturgy, and to accommodate their
desires as far as possible. He said the Roman Church has special obligations
towards Latin and she must manifest them whenever the occasion presents itself.
And at the start of the new millennium, Pope John Paul told an international
group of pilgrims in Rome on July 28, 1999: "We strongly encourage you all that,
by diligent study and effective teaching, you may pass on like a torch the
understanding, love and use of this immortal language in your own countries."
"Because
of the fall in Babylon, many new languages were given because of the sin of
Babylon. Therefore, as a member of one country, My children, with a universal
language, you carried with you your own country's translation, and were you to
visit abroad, you could enter upon any foreign edifice, Church of My Son, and
feel comfortable and in one with the man, the priest, the one chosen by My Son
to represent Him in His House.
"If you were, My child, to go from your United States to France, could you
understand the words in French? But, My child, you would recognize the words in
Latin and you would have your book with you to read in your American language,
just as those in France could read in their French language, bringing upon the
world a beautiful and common bond of language among all who have been given the
grace to be called to the Roman Catholic Church of My Son.
"Do not leave My Son's Church though, My children, because they have taken
this language from among you. You must wait and persevere and weep with My Son
for this defilement by man."
- Our Lady, April
10, 1976
Directives
D1
-
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
PDF
D85
-
Tradition PDF
D123 -
Catholic Church, Part 1 PDF
D124
-
Catholic Church, Part 2
PDF
D127
-
Vatican II
PDF
Articles
Msgr. Klaus
Gamber's insights are strikingly close to Our Lady of the Roses messages on
the Mass and tradition
Gamber.htm
VIDEO: New papal norm at Papal Masses: Pope will give Communion kneeling, and
on the tongue only
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/7738776/20586557
“Kneel
before your God in the Eucharist”
kneeling.htm
The post-conciliar
spirit, by Dietrich von Hildebrand
PostConciliarSpirit.htm
Cardinal
Stickler on the changes in the Mass
Stickler.htm
Pope Benedict XVI: the Mass reduced to a
show
http://www.tldm.org/News7/PopeBenedictXVIMassReducedToAShow.htm
Latin: the
universal language of the Catholic Church
Latin.htm
VIDEO: Cardinal Arinze - What about
altar girls?
Video-CardinalArinzeAltarGirls.htm
Pope Benedict XVI on the disintegration of the liturgy
http://www.tldm.org/news7/PopeBenedictXVIDisintegrationOfLiturgy.htm
The case for the Latin
Mass
http://www.tldm.org/news5/latinmass.htm
Restore the main altar
http://www.tldm.org/news5/main%5Faltar.htm
Return the use of patens
http://www.tldm.org/news4/patens.htm
New Vatican document on the use of Latin
http://www.tldm.org/news6/Latin2.htm
Pope speaks out against laity
distributing Holy Communion
http://www.tldm.org/news5/distributing.htm
Should women cover
their heads in Church?
http://www.tldm.org/news6/veils.htm
Our Lady of the Roses message to Pope
Paul VI
http://www.tldm.org/news6/PaulVI.htm
Vatican II,
part 1: Infiltration of the Church
VaticanII-1.htm
Vatican II, part 2: Dark
clouds forming before Vatican II
VaticanII-2.htm
Vatican II, part 3: The satanic revolution gains momentum at the Council
VaticanII-3.htm
Statistical decline of the
Catholic Church since Vatican II
http://www.tldm.org/News6/statistics.htm
Fatimagate
http://www.tldm.org/FatimaGate.htm
Pope John Paul II
recommends praying the St. Michael Exorcism
http://www.tldm.org/news6/exorcism.htm
Articles
The Council Fathers in support of Latin
http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2017/09/the-council-fathers-in-support-of-latin.html
Videos
online:
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Latin: the universal language of the Catholic Church
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