Tea at Trianon: Latin in the Seminaries

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Latin in the Seminaries

Will the Latin Mass be taught in the seminaries? According to Rorate Caeli, the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei" will soon publish an order addressed to seminaries "in which it is required that the celebration of the Latin Mass be taught to future priests." Share

7 comments:

Anonymous said...: It all comes full circle. The day after my marriage in 1961 to a Roman Catholic, I attended my first Catholic Mass which was totally in Latin. It seemed like half the congregation participated using their missal which had one page in Latin and the other page in English, but many just prayed the rosary and never looked at the missal. I found this fascinating compared to the Protestant church which I attended where the Congregation fully participated in all the prayers and sang all the hymns with great gusto. This is just an observation, not a criticism. I am now a Catholic and could never conceive of returning to a Protestant church.; November 18, 2007 at 12:18:00 PM EST
elena maria vidal said...: I think the original intention of the council was to encourage people to pray the Mass, and to enter more deeply into it, united with their brothers and sisters in Christ. The Vatican Council documents say nothing about getting rid of Latin, merely introducing the use of vernacular to parts of the Mass.; November 18, 2007 at 12:21:00 PM EST
Christine said...: I suppose it depends on what one means by "fully participated." The participation in the Traditional Latin Mass is supposed to be far deeper than mere singing or vocal prayer; it is supposed to be a mystical union in prayer with the priest towards Christ. This is why Pope St. Pius X asked that the faithful "pray the Mass." (Incidentally, praying the Rosary during Mass is not encouraged by the Church.) Some souls who don't say a word during Mass may be participating more fully and more spiritually than those who sing every hymn "with great gusto." It's impossible to judge from mere external observation.; November 18, 2007 at 12:26:00 PM EST
elena maria vidal said...: Yes, Christine, so true! You get no argument from me.; November 18, 2007 at 12:39:00 PM EST
Anonymous said...: I pray this is true. Latin prayers would unify our worship in a beautiful way. I would love to be able to travel anywhere and bring my missal and understand the Mass.; November 18, 2007 at 4:50:00 PM EST
Anonymous said...: The Seminary of the Archdiocese of New York is already implementing the Motu Proprio. However, this should come as now surprise since Cardinal Egan has always been faithful to the Holy Father.; November 18, 2007 at 11:04:00 PM EST
Sanctus Belle said...: This is very good news!!; November 19, 2007 at 12:12:00 PM EST