St. Thomas More Chicago

     We are now, this weekend, almost at the end of the group of ordinary Sundays which began back in July.  In two weeks, the Feast of Christ the King marks the close of the Church year, and on the following Sunday—three weeks from now—we begin again with Advent.  This morning the tone of the liturgical readings becomes increasingly urgent in warning us to be ready and to prepare ourselves…whoever for (wisdom’s) sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from care…because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her….For the Lord Himself…will come down from heaven…and the dead in Christ will rise first….

     

           For many years—in some ways for more than 30 years—the Church in the English-speaking world has been preparing for what will take place three weeks from today—November 27th—the First Sunday of Advent.  On that day the new English version of the Latin Roman Missal will begin to be used in our nation and in most of the English-speaking world (a few places, like Australia, have begin its use already).  What is particularly distinctive about this missal is that it is, as much as possible, an exact translation of the Missale Romanum—the Latin Roman Missal.  This is as it should be, because Latin is the Church’s language.  Whenever I hear a remark such as I recently heard…if I wanted to hear Latin, I would go to the Latin Mass…I have to lament that, after nearly 50 years, the intention of the Second Vatican Council and the popes since the council is still not understood by so many Catholics, clergy and laity alike.  The Second Vatican Council never condemned nor forbade the use of Latin in the liturgy.  Unfortunately, after 1965 there was a dramatic change in most places that gave this impression: the Church went from using almost all Latin at Mass, to almost totally excluding it.  Yet quite the contrary to being forbidden, following upon Blessed John Paul II’s final encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia, the instruction from the Holy See Redemptionis Sacramentum, taught that…Priests are always and everywhere permitted to celebrate Mass in Latin….  The Second Vatican Council, while permitting translations into the vernacular, taught that…care must be taken to ensure that 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…. Not only does the Council plainly insist on keeping some Latin in the Mass, it goes on emphatically to approve the use of Gregorian chant; the council taught in these words…The Church recognizes Gregorian chant as being especially suited to the Roman liturgy.  Therefore…it should be given pride of place in liturgical services….Latin is the language of Gregorian chant.

         
         What the Council had probably envisioned was gradual changes and a mix of English and Latin. Obviously it is beneficial that the readings, homily and many of the prayers should be in English for ease in understanding. But this in no way meant the Church should forget the Gloria, Creed, Sanctus, Agnus Dei and Pater Noster—all of which the Council says we should still be able to say and sing.  In 1974 Pope Paul VI sent to all the world’s bishops a booklet titled Missa Jubilate Deo—a booklet of simple Latin Gregorian chants; the Holy Father asked that all Catholics become familiar with them and use them in the celebration of the Mass.  These are the Latin chants you find today in every issue of our missalette.

       
       But what makes Latin so important, why should it be used?  First, Latin is still the official language of the Church, used whenever the pope issues an encyclical or other official document.  Much more so, we have a treasury of sacred music which goes back to the earliest centuries of the Church—what would we say about an institution which simply forgot the bulk of its historical character or patrimony?  What is regrettable about the use of only English at Mass, especially music sung only in English, is that we are in danger of losing part of the Church's rich heritage of thousands of years of Latin chant, dating back to the time of Pope Gregory the Great, from whom it derives its name: Gregorian chant. Some of the most theologically accurate and hauntingly beautiful hymns are the great Latin classics.  Perhaps we should ask it this way: how many of our English glory and praise songs and folk melodies will still be sung in 1500 years?

     
     When St. Boniface brought Catholicism to Germany in the 8th Century, he celebrated Mass singing…Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus…not…Heilig, Heilig, Heilig Gott….  When St. Francis of Assisi and St. Catherine of Siena assisted at Mass in Medieval Italy, they responded not in Italian, but in Latin…Et cum spiritu tuo…. Ss. Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross both wrote beautiful Spanish poetry in the 16th century, but at each Mass they sang the Pater Noster, not the Padre Nuestro. Sts. Therese of Lisieux and John Vianney lived in 19th century France, but at each Mass they sang the Agnus Dei, not Agneau de Dieu.  No matter from where our ancestors came to this country, they sang Kyrie eleison, not Lord have mercy…that’s what the Episcopals sang, and Catholics knew they were Catholic, not Episcopals.  Latin gives us a connection with 2000 years of history, with millions of Catholics from dozens of generations. Saints from the 4th, 12th and 20th centuries have sung these very chants, hundreds of thousands of priests have said these same words of consecration, billions of Catholics have sung these same Latin chants.

     
      Being one with the mind of the Church, our use of Latin Gregorian chant can be a reminder of the sacredness of what takes place at Mass.  The Mass is essentially a mystery—it takes us out of the things of earth and inserts us into the dimension of heaven.  We can never fully comprehend what takes place in the Eucharist.  We are not supposed to understand fully the mystery of God, because we cannot.  We never will.  We only can accept and give thanks for that partial understanding of the divine mystery revealed to us.  At Mass, we are singing and praying neither to ourselves nor to each other, but to God, Who is essentially Mystery.  The Church’s universal use of Latin keeps that truth always before us.

     
    One may ask…Why do not most parishes make more, or any, use of Latin in the Mass, especially by using the Latin chants, if that is the mind of the Church?  One would have to ask those priests why they do not, since I have tried to explain why parishes should do so.  The use of Latin is more common in other countries, especially in many parts of Europe, South America, and Africa.  But I can best respond, knowing what the Church has taught about the matter from the Second Vatican Council right up until Pope Benedict XVI a few weeks ago (he is quoted on the subject in this Sunday’s bulletin) by asking a question my mother often asked me when I would complain that I couldn’t do what other kids were allowed to do…Just because everybody else is doing it doesn’t make it right…. 

      We are preparing for the use of the new English translation of the Roman Missal beginning in just three weeks.  This translation is an exacting translation of the Latin Roman Missal.  We will have to get used to saying…and with your spirit…rather than…and also with you…when we hear the priest sing or say…The Lord be with you…and with your spirit…and with your spirit…practice will make perfect.  Clearly the Mass prepares us for the coming of the end—our own end as well as the world’s end.  We will hear this prayed for clearly in the new translation of the Third Eucharistic Prayer……as we look forward to His second coming, we offer You in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice….May we use the gift of the Mass always to prepare ourselves for what is surely to come.

Fr. Robert Behnke

The Thirty-Second Sunday per annum, November 6, 2011