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Misunderstandings regarding the use of Latin in the liturgy

By Adam Schwend
Liturgy & Ritual

Q.   I’ve noticed that Latin seems to be coming back to some liturgies.  Is this permissible?  I thought Vatican II did away with Latin.

A.   Probably the biggest misunderstanding of the Liturgical aspect of the Second Vatican Council was the place of Latin.  Let’s take a look at what the fathers of the Second Vatican Council wrote about Latin in the Liturgy:

Particular Law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites.  But since the use of the mother tongue, whether in the Mass, the administration of the sacraments, or other parts of the liturgy, frequently may be of great advantage to the people, the limits of its use may be extended.  This will apply in the first place to the readings and instructions and to some prayers and chants, according to the regulations in this matter to be laid down for each case in subsequent chapters.  (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, paragraph 36)

This is a far cry from “doing away with Latin”.  Rather, the fathers of the Council are saying that Latin is still the primary language of the Liturgy, but vernacular may also be used.  So what happened?  Where did Latin go and where did people get the idea that it was no longer used?  Here we see the disconnect of the DOCUMENTS of the Second Vatican Council and the so-called “SPIRIT” of the Second Vatican Council.  The documents of the Second Vatican Council remain very insistent that Latin be maintained in the Roman Rite.  Certainly they allow the use of the vernacular, too.  However, this so-called “spirit of Vatican II” (which all too often is the cover for doing whatever you want liturgically) deemed the use of Latin as detrimental and contrary to congregational participation and, that dreaded label, “pre-conciliar”.  In all reality it isn’t detrimental, or contrary to participation, or preconciliar. 

After the Mass was translated into the vernacular, the use of Latin nearly completely disappeared.  Pope Paul VI was so incredibly disturbed by this that he ordered the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship to prepare a small book that would be sent to every bishop and freely copied.  This book contained the simplest forms of Latin chants so that everyone would know the minimum amount of Latin for parish use (Voluntati Obsequens).  The problem?  There were many.  First, the Holy Father was ignored by many.  Latin was viewed by them as for the Church of the past, and we no longer had any use for the Church of the past.  Another issue is that, although these chants were, indeed, the simplest settings, they were also the settings used for funerals.  It was hard to sing the chants for a funeral on Easter Sunday!

However, just as in Humanae Vitae, Pope Paul VI was prophetic.  He saw the great benefit of the Latin language and didn’t see the use of Latin and the vernacular as exclusive of each other.  The use of Latin gave the Church an stronger aspect of universality.    John Paul II took up the same tone in his Apostolic Letter Vicesimus Quintus Annus, issued in December 1988 on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.  He said “Given that the Liturgy is the school of the prayer of the Church, it has been considered good to introduce and develop the use of the vernacular -- without diminishing the use of Latin, retained by the Council for the Latin Rite -- so that every individual can understand and proclaim in his or her mother tongue the wonders of God (cf. Acts 2: 11).”  He carried on the belief of Paul VI that both Latin and the mother tongue are useful and necessary.  Even before that he noted that we are tied in a special way to the Latin language when he said, “The Roman Church has special obligations towards Latin, the splendid language of ancient Rome, and she must manifest them whenever the occasion presents itself.” (Dominicae Caene)

In this ever-more globalized society, we have a new reason to employ the Latin language.  Pope Benedict XVI has noted “I am thinking…particularly of celebrations at international gatherings, which nowadays are held with greater frequency.  The most should be made of these occasions.  In order to express more clearly the unity and universality of the Church, I wish to endorse the proposal made by the Synod of Bishops, in harmony with the directives of the Second Vatican Council, that, with the exception of the readings, the homily and the prayers of the faithful, such liturgies could be celebrated in Latin.” (Sacramentum Caritatis, paragraph 62).  We have today many multi-cultural communities, many of whom are not English speakers (and please, let us not drag political debate into this.  We all have souls and we all must work for the salvation of ALL souls, no matter what language the body in which they inhabit may speak.  I do not wish to argue the merits or failures of an unilingual society.  That debate is for the halls of legislatures, not the naves of churches.).  How wonderful it would be if we could say the prayers and responses in a common language!  Not “his” language, or “her” language or “their” language, but one common language as Catholics without deference to a cultural identity, but in deference to our common Catholic identity!  We have that opportunity.  First, however, we must abandon the unfortunate and incorrect thought that the Second Vatican Council eliminated or discouraged the use of Latin. 

Let me again emphasize that I am not somehow against the use of the vernacular in our liturgies.  The use of the mother tongue has done wonderful things to renew the faith of many.  What I do take great objection to is the incorrect belief that the Second Vatican Council eliminated the use of Latin and that Latin is somehow for the “old church”, whatever that may be.  Latin is for everyone and can be a great asset for a number of reasons.  Certainly, the Latin language adds an air of mystery and wonder, but I submit to you that the greatest case for Latin today is its universality.  Latin gives deference to and belongs to no individual culture.  Rather, it belongs to the whole Church and, when used, brings into reality the prayer of the Lord in the Gospel of St. John;  Ut unum sint…”That they may be one.” (Jn 17:21)

Questions for Liturgy and Ritual, as well as comments, can be sent to Adam Schwend at adams@scdiocese.org, or at 1821 Jackson St. Sioux City, IA 51102.