Today, I am happy to be able to share with NLM's readers my article, "In Defense of Preserving Readings in Latin," from the forthcoming issue of The Latin Mass: The Journal of Catholic Culture and Tradition.
This article offers reasons to maintain the Latin language for the readings in the usus antiquior. Recently more and more attention has been paid to the nature and role of the readings in the Mass, as an increasing number of Catholics are questioning whether the new Lectionary of the Ordinary Form is, in fact, an improvement over the old, or to what extent or in what respects it is an improvement -- questions that demand far more to be taken into account than the mere quantity of text utilized. One cannot say that more text or a greater diversity of text is superior without first seriously engaging the issue of what the role of Scripture at Mass is supposed to be, and curiously enough, the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council do not seem to have discussed this issue at any length. It is only now, in the light of several decades of experience with the new Lectionary, that we are better positioned to see the gains and losses of introducing a much more extensive vernacular lectionary into the Roman Rite.
My article here at NLM is scheduled to coincide with the publication at Rorate Caeli of Dr. Joseph Shaw's related Position Paper on the retention of Latin readings in the Extraordinary Form, which may be found here.
In Defense of Preserving Readings in Latin
This article offers reasons to maintain the Latin language for the readings in the usus antiquior. Recently more and more attention has been paid to the nature and role of the readings in the Mass, as an increasing number of Catholics are questioning whether the new Lectionary of the Ordinary Form is, in fact, an improvement over the old, or to what extent or in what respects it is an improvement -- questions that demand far more to be taken into account than the mere quantity of text utilized. One cannot say that more text or a greater diversity of text is superior without first seriously engaging the issue of what the role of Scripture at Mass is supposed to be, and curiously enough, the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council do not seem to have discussed this issue at any length. It is only now, in the light of several decades of experience with the new Lectionary, that we are better positioned to see the gains and losses of introducing a much more extensive vernacular lectionary into the Roman Rite.
My article here at NLM is scheduled to coincide with the publication at Rorate Caeli of Dr. Joseph Shaw's related Position Paper on the retention of Latin readings in the Extraordinary Form, which may be found here.
