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Friday, May 27, 2011

Something About Latin

It was about a year ago when I attended my very first Extraordinary
form of the Mass, aka Latin Mass.
From that first time, I was hooked.
It has a beauty and reverence that the Novus Ordo (imho) lacks.
Don't get me wrong, the same Jesus is present at the Novus Ordo and that in it of itself is AMAZING, but there is just something, well, EXTRAORDINARY
about the Extraordinary Mass.
At that first Mass, I was reading along in the Latin to English booklet,
and was literally moved to tears by the words.
The vale between Heaven and Earth felt so thin.


The new translation of the Novus Ordo Mass is going into effect this November;
this will certainly repair much of the lackluster of the Novus Ordo
and correct the poor translation.
I can't wait!
But still, there is just something about Latin...

Lately I have been trying to take my love of Latin from the Mass and music,
to my regular everyday prayers.
Fr. Gabrielle Amorth, the Vatican's head exorcist,
has spoken on many occasions about the power of Latin
and the devil's hatred of it (An Exorcist Tells His Story).
SOLD!
Don't need to tell me twice.
I began with the Ave Mary (Hail Mary)
which was simple because I've been singing it for years.
I also have the Doxologia Minor (Glory Be) down
and am working on the Pater Noster (Our Father),
and the rest of the prayers of the Rosary.
Next on my list, the prayer to Sancte Michael Archangele.

I am already experiencing great fruits and graces from praying in Latin;
more than I could have ever imagined.
It is so much more than just a language.
It is the language of the Church,
of the Mass,
and of my soul.

AVE MARIA, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.




1 comment:

  1. You have inspired me! I know very little Latin. Our church does the Sanctus and Agnus Dei in Latin during Lent, but that's about it. I am going to start learning some of the prayers in Latin -- I will start with the Ave Maria, for the same reason you did. I'm also looking into going to an Extraordinary Mass. The closest to us is about an hour and fifteen minutes away, but there is one about a half hour from my parents' place, so I might try to go there when we're visiting them. Thank you for writing about this!

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