Posted on 10/24/2005 6:00:01 AM PDT by NYer
O TEMPORA, o mores! The rolling thunder that is the Latin language is in such trouble, even in its last redoubt, the heirarchy of the Roman Catholic Church, that cardinals and bishops have begged Pope Benedict XVI to put it on a life support machine.
The Princes of the Church appear to have the same problem that bedevilled generations of baffled English schoolboys battling their way across the three divided parts of Gaul with Julius Caesar — they don’t speak it, read it or understand it. And while the grandly dressed and highly respected congregation at the Vatican’s Synod of Bishops may not have to write out 100 times Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres as a punishment for their ignorance, they appear now to be at least as embarrassed as any ink-stained duffer who confuses the vocative with the nominative.
When Cardinal Angelo Scola, the Patriarch of Venice, opened the synod, he gave his address entirely in Latin, sending many of the 241 participants rushing for headsets to hear a translation. Nothing could have better illustrated the Church’s fading proficiency in its own language.
To help bishops to follow the written text in front of them, Scola gave his audience useful pointers, such as, “paginam decimam quartam”. For many, this was of little help. It was clear that some kind of extra tuition was needed. So yesterday, after the three-week gathering had helped to demonstrate how serious was the need for a simple means of communication across the language barriers amidst the Church’s international flock, the synod called on the Pope to help to stop Latin falling entirely into disuse.
One of the synod’s 50 “propositions” to the Pope is that the language should feature prominently in Masses at major international events, where Catholics speaking many different languages are present.
It is expected to appeal to the Pope, who in June invited Catholics to pray in Latin whenever possible, emphasising its universal dimension. “Latin makes it easier for Christians from different countries to pray together, especially when they meet for special occasions,” he said .
Although ever fewer people outside the Vatican understand Latin, the language is used for papal encyclicals and other important Church documents.
There are few, even in the Church, who can speak it fluently. The tradition at Vatican synods of having at least one discussion group work in Latin was abandoned this year.
According to reports, only one synod participant spoke Latin every time he took the microphone: Latvian Cardinal Janis Pujats, the Archbishop of Riga. He did the same at the previous synod in 2001, when a disconsolate Pope John Paul II commented: “Paupera lingua latina, ultimum refugium habet in Riga” (Poor Latin, it has its last refuge in Riga).
The next time a Pope makes a joke in Latin, perhaps more of his cardinals and bishops will understand him.
I find the Liber Usualis to have the most thorough guide to Ecclesiastical Pronunciation.
For example,
The consonant "h" is pronounced as a "k" in words such as "mihi" (mee-kee) and "nihil" (nee-keel). This is not universally observed probably because most pronunciation guides are not as thorough as the Liber.
Regarding the original topic, mny family is doing a small part to carry on the Latin language. I consider the best way for my son (9 months old) and our future children to learn Latin will be through immersion initially followed by formal instruction later on. One day a week at Church only goes so far, so my wife and I have been praying the Rosary entirely in Latin in addition to various Litanies and Office of Compline.
LOL! That's something about indulgences that is often misunderstood. I'm guessing you said that as a joke. ;-)
What's the origin of that pronunciation? I consulted with a Latin teacher at one of the local Jesuit high schools (he's one of the old school teachers; he's 66), and he said that though he knows of that pronunication, he prefers to pronounce "mihi" "mee-hee."
It SINGS a lot better than either mee-hee or mee-kee.
A site for some texts (like some of the writings of St. Augustine, the Ecclesiastical History of the English People by St. Bede the Venerable, stuff by St. Ambrose and others) in Latin:
http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/christian.html
Honestly, I don't know...although logically, since the "h" is technically supposed to be silent, there would need to be some way separate the two "i" vowels with a stronger sound. Otherwise, one would say "mi-i", which would sound like a poorly elongated pronunciation of the vocative "mi".
Perhaps Solemnes made a judgment call when they published the Liber based on a custom in France. Just my thoughts.
That is an excellent book, and yes it does list specific amount of time each indulgence is worth. Unfortunately many of these indulgences are no longer granted.
It is the pronunciation from the Diocese of Rome. Our choirmaster is studying at Julliard and has recently checked out some books on Gregorian chant (which he said hadn't been checked out in 30-40 years, figures). He made copies of a pronunciation guide from one of them. When I get home I will see if I can tell which book it is from.
So, if you happen to assist at the indult Mass in Jersey City, you will hear the choir sing mihi as "mee-kee." It seemed a little strange to me at first, but I'm still learning.
Oops, I didn't see your reply #25. Please see my reply #31.
I had the same reaction when I was learning chant back in High School when I heard the Schola Director saying "mee-kee". He never mentioned it, nor did I ask him about it...but I eventually consulted the Liber, and there it was in the pronunciation guide. Since then, I would say I have heard priests use it 50% of the time (half do, half don't). My observation would agree with you that this tid-bit is more likely to be learned within the context of singing chant.
I find this humorous in the context of the article. Or do they spell hierarchy differently in the UK?
I only managed a C+ average in two years of high school Latin, so I sympathize with the bishops inability to understand it.
Ecclesiastical (or Medieval) Latin has a completely different pronunciation from Classical Latin as we now understand it. A friend, a few years older than I, attended highschool when the switch was made in teaching back to classical. Thus "civis", pronounced "cheevis" became "key-wis", etc.
Friend accepted it to a point, but then exclaimed to Sister Anna Roberta, "Sister, I refuse to believe that Julius Caesar said 'Waynie, Weedie, Weekie'!"
Gee, thanks Des, I ask a simple question and what do I get? A can of worms,(I'm on a diet, but not That Diet). Hmmm. WWTAU? What would Thomas Aquinas use? I hear he was pretty smart.
I'm guessing Ecclesiastical but now some wiseguy is gonna pipe up with "Well that depends on which Ecclesia."
Oh, and you neglected to say pig latin which I've known since childhood but it adds on an extra fifteen minutes to my Rosary.
Weally?
Secondary source - St. Cecilia Schola Cantorum in Auburn, AL. Plus, our choirmaster said it and AFAIK he is dead on about musical matters . . .
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