I'm always hearing Traditionalist Catholics complain that Vatican II actually called for the continued use of Latin, and that this was ignored in the liturgical reforms. And when I mean "always", I really do mean "always". I could retreat to a cave in the Himalayas, I could shun all computers and radios and telephones, and I think some young chap in a blazer and a St. Christopher's medal would still clamber into my hideaway to complain about St. Paul VI.
So I was intrigued in this passage from a book about an Irish-American priest who died in the nineteen-twenties:
The liturgy had once been a great educational force and he believed that it should retain this function. He pointed out that in the early days of Christianity the liturgy, even more than schools, had been the great instructor in Christian doctrine. The educational function of the liturgy had declined largely due to the loss of the vernacular. And when the Council of Trent reformed so much, it failed here because the use of the vernacular was associated in the minds of the Council Fathers with the Protestant denial of the Sacrament of Holy Orders and the Sacrament of the Mass. Even so the decree which ordered the retention of Latin insisted on proper instruction of the things that are read in the Mass. Fr. Slattery dryly remarked that this injunction is honoured more in the breach than the observance.
Interesting, eh? Eh? The pendulum swings from age to age.
I'd be curious to know what exactly he meant. We have Latin texts from earlier times, Introits from Hildegard and non -liturgical Latin hymnody from her also, Latin Gospel books from the golden age of Celtic monasteries. There's less evidence of vernacular in western Europe before Trent ; he may be pointing to the eastern Church
ReplyDeleteWell, presumably there was lot of vernacular commentary going on around the Latin. At least, that seems to be what he's implying.
DeleteMaybe not a helpful comment bc I can’t offer any citations, but my husband’s old Medieval history professor at the University of Chicago told me that bishops were required to instruct in the local language until the Reformation, when things went Latin to ensure standardization. She’s a Catholic herself and part of the Div School as well as history departments. She showed me some specific document with that instruction on it, though ofc I had to read it in translation and I don’t remember what it is. But I remember it seeming to mean that mass should be conducted in the local language. She has/had an online presence as Fencing Bear (fencingbearatprayer blogspot.com) if you want to ask her. She’s pretty responsive to email especially outside of academic term.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's really interesting. And very relevant! You must have a very high standard if you think that wouldn't be helpful! And I'm sure you're right. Thank you.
DeleteHa, well, I tend to think the main thing UofC did for me was help me realize how little I know, especially in a genuinely first-hand way. Medieval studies in particular are just so difficult with all the copies of copies and outright fakes and lost documents and just the totally different mindset of the authors (not to mention bizarre spellings and handwriting!). It’s so common for there to be three surviving treatments of one event or issue and all three authors are calling the other two liars. Add to that the suspect motives of modern academics and yeah, I tend to asterisk all of my supposed knowledge.
DeleteApparently Kyrie tropes could be in vernacular, but they were a local musical expression which Trent, like a lot of local custom, found unsavoury. I don't like the modern versions of this myself and don't see how they preach the Gospel in any way. Lord Have Mercy and that's it
ReplyDeleteI think, as Mia comments suggests, it's not so much the liturgy proper that Fr. Yorke might have been talking about, but rather the instruction during the liturgy.
DeleteFirst Mass which was the last supper was said in Aramaic. That was the language spoken by Jesus and his apostles. Then said in Greek. When Christianity reached Rome it was said in Latin. Only natural that it should be said in the vernacular. When it was said in Latin lots of people had missals with the English translation of all the prayers.
ReplyDeleteI'm always surprised this isn't accepted as a killer argument in favour of use of the vernacular in the Mass. I mean, I don't think anyone wants to do away with the Latin.
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