Vatican Says Latin Mass Shouldn't Divide Catholics

By Francis X. Rocca
c. 2011 Religion News Service

VATICAN CITY (RNS) The Vatican on Friday (May 13) broadened access to the old Latin Mass with a new rule that gives the Vatican the power to overrule bishops who fail to make the rite available in their dioceses.

The Vatican also said that Catholics who request celebrations of the old Latin Mass must not support or belong to groups that challenge either the pope's authority or the "validity or legitimacy" of the newer Mass.

The announcement comes nearly four years after Pope Benedict XVI lifted most restrictions on the old Latin liturgy, also known as the Tridentine Mass, which had largely fallen out of use in favor of worship in local languages.

Celebrations of the older liturgy remain relatively rare. Few priests are qualified to celebrate its rites, and many bishops view the Latin Mass as a symbol of resistance to the church's liberalizing reforms of the 1960s.

The Vatican on Friday said bishops should permit use of the old Mass for even small groups that request it, and said pastors should receive such requests in a "spirit of generous welcome."

Bishops are also asked to offer instruction in the old liturgy to priests and seminarians, thus expanding the ranks of qualified celebrants.

"That really is basic to the pope's thinking," said the Rev. Joseph Kramer, a member of one such group, the Fraternal Society of Saint Peter, an order dedicated to celebrating the old Latin Mass. "He would like the old rite to take its place alongside the new rite in the mainstream of the church."

Kramer called it an "important step," that Catholics may now contest bishops' decisions regarding the old rite before a Vatican commission, with the possibility of appealing to the Apostolic Signatura, the Vatican's supreme court.

Benedict presented his 2007 decision to lift restrictions on the old Latin Mass as a conciliatory gesture toward the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), a traditionalist group that rejected the new liturgy along with most reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).

Benedict has said that acceptance of Vatican II and of his own authority are prerequisites for reconciliation with the SSPX.

Revival of the old Latin liturgy has also provoked inter-religious tensions. Jewish groups objected to a special Good Friday prayer from the old Mass that referred to Jews' "blindness" and asked God to "take the veil from their hearts." Benedict later modified that language, but not all critics have found the new version satisfactory.

Comments

[sunshine14]

11:46 AM on 05/19/2011

I pray daily for our Shepherd the Pope, he has been given much and much one will be held accountable for. Asking God to Bless our dear Pope, giving him the understanding of God's Word, the spiritual strength, to accomplish the Will and Desire works of God, doing so in all Righteousness, for God is all Righteous, all Truths. May God  in His great Love and Mercy continue to Bless our Pope.

[turfkiller]

07:42 PM on 05/19/2011

The pope is a conservative reactionary and is the latest pope standing against the Vatican II reforms.

[William J Unverferth Sr]

09:29 AM on 05/22/2011

Which reform has been undone, please cite the document in question. Thanks

[sunshine14]

10:40 AM on 05/19/2011

Those some eyes are blinded for now, it is done so with great purpose.

[sunshine14]

10:39 AM on 05/19/2011

God told us in HIS Word our salvation comes from the Jews, so do not boast. If I grafted off those who are  of the Natural Tree, and you being not of the Natural Tree grafted you on, how much more easily I can graft you off, that not being of the Natural Tree. And if mercy has been given to you, how much more mercy shall be given to them of the Natural Tree?  For you salvation comes from the Jews. So do not boast. I will choose them again, first Jew then Greek. God works in mysterious ways. Not word for word but it is written. Obey my commandments which Jesus could not stress enough to all. I love all for God loves all dearly.

[Ramsis]

09:44 AM on 05/19/2011

"Revival of the old Latin liturgy has also provoked inter-religious tensions. Jewish groups objected to a special Good Friday prayer from the old Mass that referred to Jews' "blindness" and asked God to "take the veil from their hearts." Benedict later modified that language, but not all critics have found the new version satisfactory."
The Catholic Church has a right and a responsibility to base its prayers and worship upon its deposit of faith not on what some extenal organization deems appropriate.There are many prayers during the Jewish High Holy Days which are prejudical to non Jews is anyone complaining or suggesting that those be changed.

[been2there]

10:53 AM on 05/19/2011

Yes, and groups who find those prayers obnoxious have a right and responsibility to voice their concerns. Considering the very real threat behind those words in the past, I can understand the Jews' concerns!

[Ramsis]

11:59 AM on 05/19/2011

Well I think that religions that use black as negative, bad, and sinful should chose a different point of reference for good and bad and eternal damnation because as you said I find:
" those prayers obnoxious have a right and responsibi­lity to voice their concerns. Considerin­g the very real threat behind those words in the past, I can understand the Jews' concerns! "

[sunshine14]

09:37 AM on 05/19/2011

I ask why was the Latin Mass ever changed in the first place to English?
Like the first Bible was done only in Latin and only the elites held one. Why was the Bible done in Latin and not remain in the Greek then, that which was also handed to them?  All gospels were written in Greek,why did they not remain in Greek, taught in Greek, and worship God in Greek?

Why the need then from Greek, to Hebrew, Armaic to Latin to English was ever needed? The New Church formed, to be able to do so itself, realizing the great importance  also of understanding the Word of God, put it in a Language it only understood clearly to know, learn more deeply, come to full understanding, worship God in,  about  God for themselves.

It must of been of great importance also, to also put the Word of God,  in a language they also could simply understand and worship in- Latin. Why did the New Church not leave the Word of God only in  Greek then, or Hebrew, or Aramaic? And also must of been a very difficult task to do so, knowing also, Greek words have different meaning, when changed into different one language into another language into another language etc.
For all languages their own words, come also with their own meaning, definitions.  Interesting I ponder but also very grateful for the dear Catholic Church for doing so  
To make God's kingdom of the Faithful grow and make it all acceptable easy for all to enter into, understand God Word, help spread the good news to all Nations, was also done so in a language all could understand, their own language.
To me it is like the Greeks saying also now all masses should be done in the original Word of God Greek, not Latin? Or Hebrew? Or Aramaic? Oh my. I love all God Bless our dear Pope. 

[turfkiller]

07:45 PM on 05/19/2011

Because it's not a native language anymore. When you apologize to anyone today, do you do it in English or do you do in in Latin?

[cenobiarch]

09:43 PM on 05/19/2011

The church did not leave the word of God in Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic because the dominant world language at that time was Latin. The common people were not scholars; all the texts were not in one place; and the people could relate to the Latin language and worship better. Yes, you are correct; the translation from three different languages was a very difficult task as variant texts existed in different places across the Roman world and it was researched, debated and determined which version was the oldest and most original in content and meaning.

[European1919]

08:40 AM on 05/19/2011

Arabic koran doesn't divide the muslims either, nor does a hebrew thora divide the jews. But ever since the age of enlightenment it has been customary for the catholic church to follow their littany in a language the common man can understand. Luther was a clever guy in this respect.

[sunshine14]

08:35 AM on 05/19/2011

I simply know this, when God speaks to me within my heart in a whisper God does so in English a language I simply understand, does not do so in Latin to make me feel good, nor have to go and figure it out make it difficult for me to understand and know him. But in the language God has chosen and given me.

[NYC123]

08:17 PM on 05/18/2011

Question! Would Jesus conduct mass in a tongue the flock does not understand? Mass is spiritual food to the flock - it gets digested from the mind to the heart and body! Mass in Latin is all ego with these clergies -- God's work always gets put on the shelf.

[sunshine14]

07:33 AM on 05/19/2011

What dear Mother would not want a child to go directly to their own Father in asking and telling their own Father directly how much they Love HIM? God knows all languages, I believe what is far more important
to my Father God is that I love him and tell him so.

[NYC123]

07:45 AM on 05/19/2011

I agree sister - but you would wnat God to talk to communicate to you in a language you understand.

[sunshine14]

12:58 PM on 05/17/2011

Interesting all that God does  ask for, commands not to do, is done and  gets changed? God's feast days, renamed? celebrated on a different days? You shall not carve idols for yourselves, you shall not bow down before them, or worship them. Be careful to observe all commandments, -Deuteronomy, Chapter 3 verse 15 You saw NO form at ALL on the day the Lord spoke to you Horeb, be strictly on your guard, there fore , not to degrade yourselves by fashioning an -idols to represent any figure whether it be the form of a man or of a woman, sun moon etc do not be led astray into adoring them or serving them.  God warns greatly much much on this, not to do. Interesting etc. Just interesting that is all to ponder on. I am the Lord Thy God there is NO other God before ME. All are called to become Saints and go spread the good news, all are called to become disciples also. Many woman were disciples also in OT and in NT.  And were all married also. God commands no one if they want to be a priest they cannot marry. Interesting that is all. Got more man made laws then God ever asked for or commanded today, you think?

[New Yorker]

01:39 PM on 05/17/2011

Statues of Jesus, The Crucifix, the statues of Mary, like the arresting image of La Pieta where Mary is so sorrowfully holding the dead body of Jesus taken down from the Cross, are occasionally branded as Godless Image Worshipping by those seeking to find fault where there is none, and bash the Catholic Church for approving of such images. La Pieta and other statues make the facts within te Bible come to live, and the practice was initiated long ago, probably because most people were simple uneducated and illiterate who needed to understand what the word of God was telling them. No Catholic prays to a stautue, we do however pray to the saints in Heaven and The Blessed Mother to ask them to interceed with us before the throne of God who sees them and whom they see every moment. Hebrews 12:1 is the primary, but not only Biblical Passage that tells us to do this. This in addition to our prayers to God, and not in place of them. We supplement our requets to God with the hoped for intercession of The Blessed Mother and the saints. There is no Biblical passage that suggests that this is wrong in any way.

[sunshine14]

07:21 AM on 05/19/2011

God sets the rules not I. Ten Commandments makes that what clear. God was
very clear giving strict instruction to Mose's when He was building God's House of Worship,
what was to be placed within, was a very serious matter to God.
God is the same today as yesterday.
God does not change to met our standards or Laws does HE? Deuteronomy chapter 28 verse 15
-21. God uses words such as - Stands Forever-
Warning against idolatry, even Jesus could not stress enough on keeping the
All commandments of God which Jesus fully observed. When asked what must I 
do to enter the Kingdom. Jesus replied. Keep the commandments to enter the Kingdom. Why do
you call Me Lord Lord, do not keep the Commandments. God mentions idols through out the whole OT
Interesting in ponder, they were far less educated by the time Jesus came, yet all knew about God
 God's Word long before pen was even taken to hand or having no carved idol image of
God made out of stone, with any painted eyes, in knowing God existed

Jesus wrote nothing down, nor carried no image of God to teach his massive followers he
gathered quickly about the living God, did HE? God gives his Laws of Blessings God"s Laws
of Curses. Chapter 29 Verse 15 Warning again against idolatry. Regardless to me whether we
pray not to a statue or worship not, we are forbidden to even create or build such things
nor bow kneel before them even regardless.
 Jesus did not pray to Abraham or Moses, asking them to go an ask God
 for this or that for HIS needs did Jesus? But Jesus taught us all to speak and go directly to God himself our Heavenly Father.
I love all and pray for all and yes for our dear Pope also. 
Deut. 30 Verse 11 makes this quite clear
For this command which I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you. "It is NOT up in the sky, that you should say, Who? will go up in the sky to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out". Nor is it across the sea, that you should say, Who will cross the sea to get it for us and tell us of it that we may carry it out? NO, it is something very NEAR to you ALREADY in your mouths and IN YOUR hearts: YOU have only to Carry it out"
God dwells within us all, simply talk to HIM, ask HIM,
seek HIM and knock at HIS Door.
To know and have a personal relationship with a neighbor, right there next to you, one does not go next door to another neighbor to do so right? Love all

[Pembrokelib]

09:31 AM on 05/19/2011

La Pieta is the most beautiful statue I have ever seen. The marble folds of the robes look just like cloth. The fact that it is religious means nothing to me. It is simply a masterpiece. Only the ignorant think that Catholics worship statues. When I was a Catholic I enjoyed the sheer beauty of the Latin Mass. The only words you need to understand are those given in the sermon.

[sunshine14]

12:45 PM on 05/17/2011

Only adds more confusion choas and harder to questions also? We have a hard enough time seek and knowing God in English now throwing in Latin into the mix also. What is the true purpose for this at all? Read the bible in English to be told oh that is not want it means in English now? I get it?

[New Yorker]

11:04 AM on 05/17/2011

As a Roman Catholic I understand the Tridentine Mass was a tradition, and often holding onto tradition is a good thing. I also recognize how The Holy Sacrifice of The Mass is better understood by the people attending Mass when it is said in the langauge they are fluent in. Latin Mass will never divide the Catholic Church, and I can see where a small group may prefer the old tradition, but the 2nd Vatican Council did away with that tradition for several excellent reasons.

The interior of the church was redone, the altar is seen from all sides, and the celebrant (the priest) no longer had his back turned to those celebrating the Mass with him. This exposes the litury to all, and makes it far more relevant to all watching and participating in the Mass. The Holy Eurcharist is the spiritual food, but now the Mass is more inclusive, and better understood by all. I, personally, prefer the Mass as it is, and not as it once was. The Church should always speak the language of her people in preference to a dead language, like latin.

[sunshine14]

12:21 PM on 05/17/2011

A man made tradition only. Moses, Abraham, Jesus, all prophets, King David, Job etc all did not speak Latin put praises and worship God in their own native tongue God gave them, Guess what God choose them also and they did not praise God in Latin did they? Out to divide? God understands all languages and has not commanded has God if not done in Latin I will not accept your worship or praise did God say that? Who is saying God is not please with his children prayers of worship in their own God given Language?  
Now has rather turned our back  to God present? Now no longer the host is even on the altar off the altar, in many churches, way off to the side to the side in the church and some Host in the back of the church, does not even remain in a place of great Honor, hidden in the back behind the altar. The ark of the Convent remained on the Altar always, the present of God. Now who sits in place of God on the altar? Interesting yes this can only divide, confuse and is not necessary or called for. What is the reason for any of this? None? I will not attend a latin mass, something I cannot partake in giving praise glory to God, by words I do not understand. But only repeated word to memory have no meaning for me at all. Sorry. yes divides, more then ones knows spiritually. Not as ONE, or in unity together at all, just going through the motions only.    

[New Yorker]

12:31 PM on 05/17/2011

How often do you attend a Catholic Mass ? Jesus is present in the atbernacle throughout the year in Catholic Churches except for the Good Friday until Easter Vigil service that recalls when Jesus was in the Tomb. The ark of the covenant was before God became man, and told us to eat his flesh and drink his blood that He might be in us and we in Him. WE who do that are the arc of the new covenant for God is within each of us. How can you read the Bible and not know these truths ?

[sunshine14]

08:19 AM on 05/19/2011

My opinion only, God warns do not take on mans traditions, that which God said, I did not ask for or have commanded, nor has placed such heavy burdens on us, which only complicates in seeking and knowing God himself. We are not here to please man, nor man's traditions, which God warns over over again in OT also. And what God warned through Moses, what not to do,  before his Chosen People entered the Promise Land, but sadly they did. But God first in all things.
It is not whether Latin will separate us, rather does Latin separate us from knowing God individually, personally, when we all gather as ONE. 
I believe only, we are not here to please man's traditions,  but to please God in all things, what God desires and wills for us, to love God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength, the language in how we do that to me is not what is gravely important to God, but that we do so in our own daily lives. It is not about making me feel good, but making God feel pleased good about me. 
God is not a God of confusion or chaos. God is a God of order, when we start changing the Laws of God's order, to serve man's Traditions then, chaos confusion comes in. When we start adding mans own arbitrary ideas to the mix even more confusion and chaos comes in,  for myself tend then to slowly drift further and further away from God WORD, focusing more on man's traditions his word, arguing over etc.
God said go out and spread the good news to all the Nations, God knowing all speak in different languages, letting us know God is a God of all, ones language was not God's concern, but knowing HIM was and how much God loves all that he has created.
I ask saying if one gives worship to God in Latin, that brings them closer to God? Or God hears them first or more acceptable? God's language to me is simple, not latin, french, english, what ever, but simply the language of LOVE.  I am confused. 

[alterego55]

09:54 AM on 05/17/2011

Latin shmatin. It's all the same control freak dogma.

[sunshine14]

12:32 PM on 05/17/2011

Control is right on. And one can change a word here and there and not know even what one is saying, not even knowing Latin in the first place. Now telling how to speak to God? How only to worship, give praise to  God, put words in my mouth I do not even understand? God knows all languages, it is God who created them did HE not?  God what speaks understands latin only now? God will only now accept  Latin? Sorry disagree and my God given Free Will does not accept. Sorry.

[Fever911]

08:06 AM on 05/17/2011

I'm 40 and had never known anything but the vernacular. Over the years I noticed the form of the mass seemed to devolve into a service I no longer recognized. I was well into lapsed status when a chance attendance at a Latin mass transformed me. Here was the profound spiritual experience I had longed for.

I have returned to the church.

[New Yorker]

11:30 AM on 05/17/2011

Thanks for an excellent example of the importance of tradition. Clearly you have made a wise choice, one I also made in my life. May we meet before the throne of God one day, and may the peace of The Lord Be with you Always ! Have you seen the web site for The Divine Mercy, if not do a google search. Great Stuff !

[Fever911]

03:46 PM on 05/17/2011

We belong to a rather liberal, vibrant parish which is very good for my son, but my husband and I (40-ish San Francisco bohos) were shocked to discover we prefer the traditional, more conservative liturgy. I didn't foresee this 20 or even 10 years ago!

I'm pretty much giving up on HuffPo. Maybe I'll see you at Commonweal or Truthdig or the UK Herald. Peace be with you!

[sunshine14]

12:34 PM on 05/17/2011

Sadly I hope God will transform me, not a language. Feel good experience?

[quoveritas]

03:08 AM on 05/17/2011

It'll only divide the ones who don't speak, read or understand Latin!

en vino veritas

[sugarcreekchile]

11:01 PM on 05/16/2011

I'm glad the Latin mass is back. I hated when it changed to the local language. Catholicism lost it's universality. The old prayer books had Latin printed on one side and English on the other so it's not like you didn't know what was being said. Before, it didn't matter where in the world you went to mass, except for the sermon in the local language, the mass was the same. It's what made Catholicism unique. When it changed to English and other changes were made like shaking hands with your neighbor, it started to feel more like a Protestant church and lost the sense of reverence that the Latin mass conveyed.

[thecid]

01:03 AM on 05/17/2011

you know what? I never realized that was what the Latin Mass was about.

[sunshine14]

12:41 PM on 05/17/2011

Latin is not universal, latin is one of many hundreds of different languages. I was very young when latin was being done in mass, I did not hate it when I finally understood what I was saying at all. In God's eyes all God has created is unique, equal, for all were created in God's image. God is God and he is NOT Latin. And those who God chosen spoke all languages, Jesus was Armaic and spoke Hebrew. IT is not about feeling good, it is about being and seeking to be good, and all suffered greatly and much persecution, those who were chosen by God. Being close to God is not about feeling good, Jesus suffered much for God and all, had nothing to do with him making himself feel good, was it?

[sugarcreekchile]

04:48 PM on 05/17/2011

Since you were very young when the Latin Mass was outlawed, it's not surprising you miss the significance of the Church's loss of universality. If you were too young to be a proficient reader, then your lack of comprehension is understandable. The common language translation was on the left side of the missal page, making the Latin Mass very understandable upon reaching the age of reason.

You have a simplistic view of the Mass's meaning. It is not about being and seeking to be good. The Mass Is the sacramental celebration of the Church established by Jesus at the Last Supper and renews the mystery of our salvation through participation in the death and resurrection of Christ.

Of course, Latin isn't currently a universal language. It is a dead language. Jesus was Hebrew but Jesus did not found the Catholic church; his disciples and followers did, spreading the Christian faith throughout the known world which was the Roman world. Latin was the universal language when Peter founded the church in Rome. It was the converted Romans not Jews who propagated the faith. When Latin fell out of common use, it remained the language of the Church and maintained a commonality of worship among nations where Catholicism had spread. When use of Latin ceased, so did the Church's universality. Go to Russia, Japan, one of many African villages, etc. today to hear Mass and you will not understand one word of it nor experience reverence which doesn't translate as "feeling good".