June 21, 2009

Back to Normal

Today was my first ever opportunity--oh what a backwards world we live in--to pray publicly in the ordinary language of the Roman rite.

For years I've been doing some of the Liturgy of the Hours in Latin--those hours we don't pray in common, and since I've been a priest I've learned some of the quiet prayers of the Mass, but I have never prayed out loud in Latin at a public liturgy.

Today was the first time. It was "mission appeal" Sunday, and our mission preacher was a priest from the archdiocese of Kampala in Uganda. Of course this was also exciting for me on a personal level, given my devotion to St. Charles Lwanga. When it was Father's turn to preside at Mass, I concelebrated so that he wouldn't have to worry about the particularities of our procedures. Concluding the Eucharistic Prayer, Father intoned the doxology in Latin. I managed to overcome my happy surprise and join in around the est tibi.

Per ipsum et cum ipso et in ipso est tibi, Deo Patri omnipotente, in unitate Spiritus Sancti, omnis honor et gloria, per omnia saecula saeculorum.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't begin my Latin studies until next semester, but I have some familiarity, bits here and there due to my knowledge of French and Ancient Greek. So recently I received the 1961 edition of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with Latin and English paralleled, and I pray as much in Latin as I comfortably can while still actually understanding what I'm praying. I hope this will also help me as I begin formally studying Latin, so that in time I too can purchase the 1961 breviary and pray those offices that aren't in common with it, and if and when I am ever ordained I will be comfortable celebrating the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

Adoro said...

How cool!

Paul Zalonski said...

Friar Charles, What parts of the Mass and/or Office (with the brothers) is done in Latin now? Any?

I use part time the Monastic Diurnal for the Office but slip back to English other times.

Are you aware of this publication? This is an inexpensive edition of the 1961 Office. It may be helpful (it's only $14 for print or free for a download. See: http://stores.lulu.com/breviary.

Michael, did the Augustinians ever have there own usage for sacred Liturgy as the OPs did?

Brother Charles said...

Paul: I'm aware of the diurnal, but not very familiar. I will check it out!

Our prayer in common--which amounts to the hinge hours five days a week--is entirely in English.

For the remaining prayers, I most often use the 2000 typical edition LOH ("economic" edition), though I'm often not ready for Latin when I do the Office of Readings summo mane and so go to the English instead.

I also have a 1962 Breviarium Romano-Seraphicum which I have explored a little bit, and sometimes bring for the little hours when I'm on the go. (it's a lot more portable than the LOH)

paul zalonski said...

I am not that competent to do the Office of Readings in Latin. Some days I barely get through the Latin psalmody etc.

What is, if anything, unique about the 1962 Breviarium Romano-Seraphicum? How similar is it to the Roman Breviary?

Does the parish do any of the Ordinary in Latin?

How Franciscan Capuchin is the parish?

BTW, I am coming to Dunwoodie this Thursday for meetings. You around later in the day?

Brother Charles said...

Paul: The BR-S just has the proper feasts for the Franciscan and Capuchiin calendars added in, plus a lot of illustrations of friars saying their prayers.

Our parish liturgies are Latin-less.

On Thursday I'm free during the day but not the evening. Let's check in on FB about it.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your excitement Father Charles. I think that it would be a great thing to introduce more Latin to the regular liturgies. I would like to see more use of the Latin settings of the Gloria and the Creed sung for special holy days. When I have been present at liturgies where they were sung, the congregation sang along and was in no way daunted by the Latin. In fact, more people joined in than you would hear at your regular N.O. mass where contemporary settings are used.

Brother Charles said...

Thanks for the encouragement, Anonymous!