Many Blessings as you continue your Lenten journey! Any good Lent will have times that really stretch us, times where we fail but get back up with the Lord’s help and receive graces we didn’t expect. A good Lent will help us be less self-reliant, and receive graces we didn’t expect. Keep on being present to the season.
At our Lenten Masses there is an added tone of solemness—we don’t sing the Gloria, we don’t sing or say “Alleluia,” our Lenten Hymns remind us of our ongoing need for conversion and openness to the Lord’s grace. As is common in many parishes during Lent we also sing a few Mass parts in Latin. English being the common vernacular, it makes sense that a number of people have asked why we would sing those few prayers in Latin. Here are a couple of reasons:
● First is that Latin is part of our patrimony. We are Latin Rite and so it is good to remember our roots and know a few basic prayers and Mass parts in Latin. Indeed,
Church documents from Vatican II on the liturgy expect we would have a basic familiarity. I also think it is similar to the way it is a point of pride for many who have
been American citizens for many generations to
remember the nation their family originally came from and hold on to some of those traditions and some
simple parts of the language.
● Secondly, and perhaps more compelling for many people, is that knowing some of these basic prayers and Mass parts is a great unifier. The Church is truly universal, meaning people from every nation and language are part of the Church. Get everyone together and we can’t speak to one another unless you happen to be a very gifted linguist. But, if we all know a few basic parts of the Mass in Latin, then we can pray together, unified. Having been to some large, universally represented Masses, it was powerful to be able to pray together, unified. Many of our parishioners have, and will make, pilgrimages to different parts of the world and will be able to experience this first hand.
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus. Dóminus Deus Sábaoth.
Pleni sunt caeli et terra glória tua.
Hosána in excélsis.
Benedíctus qui venit in nómine Dómini.
Hosána in excélsis.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the
world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona
nobis pacem.
Thank you again for your generosity in supporting DSA—the annual Diocesan Service Appeal. If you have never supported it before, please consider it. I would love to see the percentage of our parishioners who support it increase.
God Bless,
Fr. Todd