Just before Mass, he explained why he was introducing it. Interestingly, it was mainly because of requests from young people. He said he always thought it was important for people to get to grips with the Mass in Latin as we were Latin Rite Catholics and it was the language of the Church. Then when Pope Benedict strongly encouraged the use of Latin in his recent Apostolic Exhortation, Sacramentum Caritatis, he decided to go through with it.
How glorious it was! I couldn't stop grinning all the way through. We were all very rusty (or, in some cases, a complete beginner) at the prayers and responses (which Fr had put on a sheet with Latin and English alongside each other), but that didn't matter. It's such a rare occasion for me to enjoy Mass in the universal language of the Church. For me, it's simply beautiful, authentic and enhances the significance of the Sacrifice of the Mass. Those of you who live in London don't know how lucky you are with several Latin Mass options available.
Hopefully the monthly Mass will take off and more parishes will follow the recommendation of the Pope.
Even Leona, the adorable daughter of Lovingit, was enthusiastic about learning Latin afterwards:
5 comments:
I think for your Latin to be rusty you need to have Latin to go rusty.
My Latin is brand new, shiny and squeaky clean. Like a newborn baby (and just as literate).
That is very good news. As you say, Latin is much rarer in that part of the world and Fr Massie is showing real courage in introducing it.
I am delighted to read this. I do not live in England any more but I am a Yorkshireman. I have only visited Hull on few occasions so I do not know it well. I have bought the book "A Glimpse of Heaven" and St. Charles church features in that. I looks to be a lovely church and just right for a Latin Mass. If you would like a copy of Benediction which I printed out for my own church here in Western Australia, please e-mail me at :-
raynerja@iprimus.com.au
and I will send it to you. I have split the page in two with Latin on the left and English (in part, my translation) on the right. Having come out in the open here, I do hope that I do not get miles of spam as a result!
JARay
It is great to hear that Fr Massie is leading the way. In fact I have been to a Novus Ordo Mass celebrated by Fr Massie in Latin before.
Incidentally the Tridentine Rite is being revived in the Middlesbrough Diocese, and on Sundays to boot. There will be a traditional Mass at the Church of the English Martyrs in York on Sunday 17th June at 6.00pm celebrated by Fr Hudson of the Institute of Christ the King. This is the first of a series. There will be a Mass at this time at English Martyrs on the third Sunday of every month.
Wonderful news!
I was a Director of Religious Education in the US a few years ago and our Bishop had not exactly 'banned' the use of Latin; he had recommended with strong words that the vernacular must be maintained [we were also commanded to stand during the consecration and after the 'agnus dei' [even though JPII had declared we could not be coerced to do so] I had a long-running vainglorious argument with him over the new English translation of the Creed in the US [Homoousios [consubstantialem] does not mean 'One in Being' but 'Of One Being'] - all to no avail....
[I was even forbidden by the diocese from using Ignatius press literature ; so you can imagine what it was like]
The latin mass is a wondrous thing; even the Novus Ordo adopts some ineffable 'glimpse of eternity' through it.
People forget that the Bishops of Vatican II ordered the retention of latin in the mass [I think the actual word is better translated as commanded] ; but I trained with seminarians who could sing the Salve,Tantum,Sanctus,Agnus and the Regina; but upon their ordination they knew hardly a word of Latin, let alone how to say a Latin mass or even recite a pater or ave.
All too sad.
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