By Bob Sullivan
Many Catholics think the Church suppressed or discouraged the use of Latin in the “New Mass,” which is the Mass the vast majority of us have experienced in our parishes in the Lincoln Diocese since 1964. This simply is not true.
Catholics fall into three basic groups regarding the use of Latin during Mass: Those who appreciate the use of Latin, those who dislike the use of Latin, and those who don’t care either way. I think most Catholics are in the “don’t care” group, but priests tend to hear from people in the other two groups. Many priests will tell you that they tend to hear most from people who prefer that every word of Mass be spoken or sung in English.
In a parish, just as in each family, you can’t please everyone. However, no one should avoid Mass at their own parish because some Latin is used during Mass. Avoiding your parish is a bit like avoiding your own family. Your parish is intended to be the center of your community. There are actually geographic boundaries to each parish, and residents who live within those boundaries are supposed to register, receive their sacraments, support the parish, and engage in the life of the parish.
Exceptions are made, but this is the norm because it builds community, forms the culture, and can even create a familial relationship with the pastor in a spiritual paternal role, all with Jesus at the very center.
What does the Church say about the use of any particular language during Mass?
The language and music of the liturgy was a large part of the Second Vatican Council, or Vatican II. Vatican II took place from October 1962 through December 1965. The Vatican II Council document which dealt specifically with the music of the liturgy was Musicram Sacram. For purposes of brevity, I’ll simply refer to Vatican II and its documents as the Church, since it was an ecumenical council and therefore, it is the teaching of the Church.
Contrary to what many people have been told, the Church has never discouraged or prohibited the use of Latin in the Mass. As you may be aware, prior to the first Sunday of Advent 1964, the official language of all Masses was Latin. However, some priests, primarily in Europe, were celebrating the Mass in their local language even before 1964.
Some believe that the unofficial use of the local language in some dioceses impacted the bishops during the Council. Even so, instead of simply saying that all Masses must be celebrated in the local language, the Church stated that with regard to music: “… the use of the Latin language… is to be preserved in the Latin rites.” (Musicam Sacram 47)
The diocese of Lincoln is a Latin rite diocese. The Church went on to say: “Pastors of souls should take care that besides the vernacular [the local language] the faithful may also be able to say or sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them.”
Another Vatican II document, Sacrosanctum Concilium, which was the Council’s Constitution On The Sacred Liturgy, stated the following about the use of Latin whether sung or spoken: “… the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites. But since the use of the mother tongue, whether in the Mass, the administration of the sacraments, or other parts of the liturgy, frequently may be of great advantage to the people, the limits of its employment may be extended. This will apply in the first place to the readings and directives, and to some of the prayers and chants...” (Sacrosanctum Concilium 36, 1-2)
And also: “Nevertheless steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them.” (Sacrosanctum Concilium 54)
Even though the official teaching of the Church was to retain the use of at least some Latin in the “New Mass,” and remains so today, many Catholics declined to follow it. This is often referred to as “The Spirit of Vatican II,” which means that even many bishops and priests were not knowledgeable of or faithful to the decisions of St. Pope Paul VI and the college of bishops after the close of the Council. Because of this intentional or mistaken misapplication of the teachings of Vatican II, Latin all but disappeared from the Mass. This misunderstanding may be why some Catholics now bristle when Latin is used at Mass.
In a nutshell, the use of the local language was approved and allowed by the Church, under the guidance and discretion of the bishop, but the continued use of Latin is encouraged. Soon after being installed as the Bishop of the Diocese of Lincoln, Bishop James Conley encouraged pastors to utilize some of the Latin Chant parts during Lent, and he has continued to use Latin in many of the Masses he celebrates throughout the liturgical year.
This provides some of the recent history of the use of Latin in the Mass.
I’ll continue this discussion in my next column, including an explanation that the use of a “dead language” such as Latin, is a very good thing. Until then, I’ll leave you with the words of one of the Church’s great saints: “The Roman Church has special obligations towards Latin, the splendid language of ancient Rome, and she must manifest them whenever the occasion presents itself.” (Pope John Paul II)
