Mass Confusion About The Future Of The Mass -- Of The Traditional Latin Mass, That Is, Of The Catholic Church...

 I wanted to make clear that the Mass I'm writing about is the Traditional Latin Mass in the Catholic Church, simply because there might be some non-Catholics, or novus ordo (new rite) Catholics reading this missive...

First, let me say that the Latin Rite of the Mass has its origins as far back as the 500's A.D.  That's not to say that it began during that age, but the form used from that ancient time is just about the same as we witness when we attend Mass today.  But the first Mass itself goes back to the time of the Apostles as they learned it from our Master and Savior, our Lord, Jesus.  When, at the Last Supper, His disciples were made priests and bishops, and given the power to bring down, on the altar of sacrifice, the Creator of the universe, at the consecration of the bread and wine, transubstantiating those accidents into the Body and Blood of Christ -- for our sakes; for our salvation...

Here is an excerpt from an article that appeared in USCatholic.org: When did we start celebrating Mass in Latin?

"The first language of Christian liturgy was Aramaic, the common language of the first Christians, who were Palestinian Jews. While Hebrew was the language of scripture and formal worship, Christian worship occurred in the home where Aramaic was spoken. The words Abba and maranatha are Aramaic.

"Christianity quickly spread from Palestine to the rest of the world, and the Eucharist came to be celebrated in many languages, including Syriac, Coptic, and Armenian. In most of the Mediterranean world, the common language was Greek, which became the language of liturgy in that region and remained so until the early third century.

"Eucharist itself is a Greek word, meaning thanksgiving. The phrase Kyrie eleison and the words liturgy, baptism, evangelize, martyr, and catechumen, among other familiar church words, are also Greek in origin.

"From around the third century B.C., what we call “classical” Latin was the language of the Roman aristocracy and the educated classes. Around the time Jesus was born, during the reign of Augustus Caesar, the language began to change. The Roman aristocracy was destroyed by war and political infighting; when they disappeared, their language went with them. Classical Latin was replaced by a less refined version of the language.

"In the third and fourth centuries A.D. this form of Latin began to replace Greek as the common language of the Roman world and soon became the language of the liturgy.

"Exactly how this change in the liturgy came about is uncertain. In the early church the liturgy was led extemporaneously by the bishop, according to a pattern. There were written examples of Eucharistic Prayers, but they were models, not prescribed prayers. The last such document in Greek was written around the year 215. By the sixth century, the Roman Canon (which is still in use, also called Eucharistic Prayer I) appears, completely in Latin and prescribed for use exactly as written.

"What happened during those centuries? It seems that a core of the Roman Canon was developed and used first, probably even in liturgies that were partly in Greek and partly in Latin, until the final Latin version evolved. Because Christians had not used Latin for worship prior to this, words had to be adapted or imported (often from Greek) to express Christian ideas, beginning the development of an ecclesiastical form of Latin. There is also evidence that the Roman Canon was influenced by prayers from the Eastern churches.

"Even though Latin evolved into various modern languages, Latin remained the sole language of the Roman Rite..."

End of excerpt...

If anyone follows the musings emanating from Rome these days, it is apparent that there may be some dire developments concerning the future existence of the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM).  

It should be noted, that in 1970, the "official" promulgation of the novus order -- new rite of the Mass -- was fostered on the world's Catholic faithful, thereby "replacing" the ancient rite, known as the TLM, well, not quite...

As it turns out, contrary to what some misinformed Catholics said at the time, and continue to promote -- to this very day -- the lie that the TLM was, in fact, abrogated: it was not then, nor is it now...

Just the opposite is true... The attendance of the faithful has increased dramatically ever since the 2007 moto proprio of Benedict XVI, allowing all priests to say the TLM without the permission of the local ordinary (bishop)!  However, it is also a fact that there has been, and still is, opposition from far too many bishops regarding the TLM in general, and priests not having to get permission from the ordinary.  In plain language, they don't like the idea that a priest can have a TLM service without the okay from the diocese... 

This opposition to the TLM from some bishops is perplexing!  You would think that the enormous increase in attendance -- with many young, large families -- that is also bringing in a staggering infusion of money in weekly donations, would make the hierarchy quite enthused about the TLM.  But that's not the case in most instances...

Now, it seems that pope Bergoglio has sent out a survey to the world's bishops requesting information about the TLM in their dioceses; attendance, funds collected, etc.   This -- for better or worse -- is having an effect on Catholics attending the novus ordo, etc., etc...

Some Catholic writers and opinion makers, are suggesting that this, and some other hints coming out of Rome, may be the first in a series of moves to lessen the availability or outright ban the TLM completely.  This possibility has already been seen in a recent goings on in St. Peter's basilica itself, with the restricting of the TLM to certain times; to certain areas, with only "authorized" priests saying the TLM.  Cardinal Burke, for one, is calling for that restriction to be immediately rescinded.  Don't hold your breath!

But what if the TLM is eventually banned throughout the world?  What then?  If that actually happens, we'll see just who has the guts to obey God rather than men...

Pray for strength and honor for what might be coming down the Catholic road...

Viva Cristo Rey!  Blessed Fr. Miguel Pro, pray for us...

Gene DeLalla