Quote:
Originally Posted by wfranzen
Steven,
Let me clear up what seems to be a common misconception concerning the old Latin mass, at least as far as the language issue goes -- especially since this is the second time this week I have heard something like your claim.
In the first place, the sermons were in the vernacular (English or German in my case), so there was no problem understanding the sermons. The rite itself was in Latin, and it was the same every week so people just picked up Latin (translations were available  ).
To someone unfamiliar with the Mass, looking in, it may have appeared as incomprehensible mumbo jumbo, but I assure you, this was not the case. You could go to a Catholic church anywhere in the world and understand what was going on (of course you may not have understood the sermon!).
You may have problems with Catholicism for other reasons (and many people on this forum do), but please stop propagating this “urban myth”.
wfranzen |
The Latin mass was mumbo jumbo to everyone but the priests (most of whom hadn't a clue either), I was an altar boy and had to learn the whole mass in Latin, it was still used at funerals in the 1960's, we learned by rote, never learning the translation.
In the 1960's Sunday Mass was in English following Vatican II and the flyers had both English and Latin side by side, before that all masses were in Latin so they could have been performing all sorts of witchcraft to the ignorant people most of whom were illiterate until universal education became available following WWII.
Of course the sermons were in the native language, otherwise how could the flock be guided?