The Latin Mass.

[VetusOrdo]

It's also the language in which we privately pray. I'm nowhere near capable of having a meaningful dialogue in Latin and even if I could I don't think I'd address God that way, on a personal basis.

Well, I usually pray to God in Latin.

But, hey, that's me. I'm kind of nuts!

[Evey]

Vetus, good for you! I wish I were fluent in Latin... but it's all I can do to follow the Mass and basic prayers. Maybe one day I'll be able to converse and comprehend it effortlessly. Till then, Latin's just not an realistic option.

[VetusOrdo]

Vetus, good for you! I wish I were fluent in Latin... but it's all I can do to follow the Mass and basic prayers. Maybe one day I'll be able to converse and comprehend it effortlessly. Till then, Latin's just not an realistic option.

Oh, perhaps you misunderstood me, Evey. I don't "converse" with God when I pray, at least not in the sense of conversation like this one I'm having with you, for instance. When I pray I recite the prayers of the Church, silently or out loud, and unite my intentions with those of the prayer in question.

Of course, I previously chose from the immense treasury of prayers of the Church those that I judged more appropriate to the different situations, wrote them down and compiled them in a little prayer book that I have.

I know all of them by heart, except one or two that are more long, like one prayer to St. Joseph, but the prayer book serves as a guide when I forget something.

But that's just me.

[ResiduumRevertetur]

Vetus, good for you! I wish I were fluent in Latin... but it's all I can do to follow the Mass and basic prayers. Maybe one day I'll be able to converse and comprehend it effortlessly. Till then, Latin's just not an realistic option.

Oh, perhaps you misunderstood me, Evey. I don't "converse" with God when I pray, at least not in the sense of conversation like this one I'm having with you, for instance. When I pray I recite the prayers of the Church, silently or out loud, and unite my intentions with those of the prayer in question.

Of course, I previously chose from the immense treasury of prayers of the Church those that I judged more appropriate to the different situations, wrote them down and compiled them in a little prayer book that I have.

I know all of them by heart, except one or two that are more long, like one prayer to St. Joseph, but the prayer book serves as a guide when I forget something.

But that's just me.

Oh, okay. I was confused to. You had me dazzled thinking you could converse (?) so fluently in prayer. I'm only able to pray Pater Noster and Ave Maria well enough to use it for everyday prayer. The Gloria, so/so.

I'm still impressed (envious?), anyway. Good for you. I know I get so much more out of Latin prayers.

[Evey]

Oh, perhaps you misunderstood me, Evey. I don't "converse" with God when I pray, at least not in the sense of conversation like this one I'm having with you, for instance. When I pray I recite the prayers of the Church, silently or out loud, and unite my intentions with those of the prayer in question.

Of course, I previously chose from the immense treasury of prayers of the Church those that I judged more appropriate to the different situations, wrote them down and compiled them in a little prayer book that I have.

I know all of them by heart, except one or two that are more long, like one prayer to St. Joseph, but the prayer book serves as a guide when I forget something.

But that's just me.

Ok... I do that too (pray from books or memory) but I also engage in a more spontaneous sort of prayer, which I find extremely rewarding. I don't converse either in the sense of a back and forth discussion! I have a journal I use to compile prayers, psalms and hymns that I find special, some of which are even in Latin (with an included translation). Uniting my intentions with the psalmist or author of a particular prayer can be especially edifying and saying the litany of Loreto before I begin the rosary has always helped concentrate and calm me.

[VetusOrdo]

Oh, okay. I was confused to. You had me dazzled thinking you could converse (?) so fluently in prayer. I'm only able to pray Pater Noster and Ave Maria well enough to use it for everyday prayer. The Gloria, so/so.

I'm still impressed (envious?), anyway. Good for you. I know I get so much more out of Latin prayers.

Well, it's not that difficult, it's just a matter of learning the prayers (and that inclundes understanding them too) and reciting them. The daily routine of saying them, builds up a habit so strong that they become a part of your system (organism).

For instance, the first times I started to pray the Rosary in Latin, I would not get distracted with anything because I would be so focused in not screwing up the prayers that my mind rarely drifted elsewhere. This was a gradual process, so the fist times I still had some vernacular parts in it.

Nowadays, a year and half or so later, I pray the Latin Rosary like if it where my own tongue and normal distractions come around too! Yikes!

Perhaps it's time to start learning prayers in Old Church Slavonic! ;)

[charlesh]

Okay, I refer you to Dietrich von Hildebrand. He was described by Pope Pius XII (informally) as "the 20th century doctor of the Church," so--nothing to sneeze at. Bless you.

The Case for the Latin Mass

Another thing not to overlook. The Tridentine Mass (I prefer to call it the Roman Rite mass, because Trent didn't invent it, it just codified it) is a sure-fire barrier against heresy not only because of the precision of the Latin, but also because of the rubrics. EVERY LITTLE ACTION MEANS SOMETHING. And every last detail that the priest and servers perform is dictated by the rubrics. There is no room for the priest to take over and make it his thing. One example of this is the amount of times the priest genuflects to tabernacle. There is no room for doubt that Jesus is really there. The experimental New Order mass has removed almost all of the genuflections.

Another reason Latin should be used: it is the universal language of the Church and a sacred language (along with Greek and Hebrew). Just as the liturgy is the corporate worship of Holy Mother Church, it should be carried out in Her language.

P.S. If anybody else wants to learn the rosary prayers in Latin, take a look at ageofmary.com, which is down in my signature line.