The celebrant is Fr Dimitri Artifoni, FSSP, who on September 14th, his first solemn Mass celebrated in his native city of Bergamo in northern Italy after his ordination this past June.
In this form of the Mass, the one and same priest could celebrate the Mass like this in Italy, USA, Japan, China, Indonesia, Russia, Argentina and even more exotic locales and not change one thing for the people to understand it. All he would need is someone to translate his homily.
But more importantly this Mass is beautiful, elegant and transcendent. It bespeaks the other world to which we are called once this earthly Catholic pilgrimage of ours is ended.
Today, we'd have to find priests capable of speaking the various languages of the various countries I write about above. One priest wouldn't do, only priests who know the vernacular. What a loss to our missionary efforts and new evangelization!
In this form of the Mass, the one and same priest could celebrate the Mass like this in Italy, USA, Japan, China, Indonesia, Russia, Argentina and even more exotic locales and not change one thing for the people to understand it. All he would need is someone to translate his homily.
But more importantly this Mass is beautiful, elegant and transcendent. It bespeaks the other world to which we are called once this earthly Catholic pilgrimage of ours is ended.
Today, we'd have to find priests capable of speaking the various languages of the various countries I write about above. One priest wouldn't do, only priests who know the vernacular. What a loss to our missionary efforts and new evangelization!
4 comments:
"Today, we'd have to find priests capable of speaking the various languages of the various countries I write about above. One priest wouldn't do, only priests who know the vernacular. What a loss to our missionary efforts and new evangelization!"
No, it is no loss.
Is the priest who can celebrate mass in Latin going to teach catechism classes in Latin? Is he going to visit the homes of the local people and speak Latin? Is he going to go to the local market and, using Latin, buy his daily needs?
No, the missionary efforts of the Church have, since the DAY OF PENTECOST, involved knowing the local languages. You might recall Acts 2: "We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”
We hear them speaking in our own tongues...
I hate your clericalism as you seem to think only priests should teach the faith. No, catechists who are well versed in the faith and well versed in the vernacular can do that of course. And a catechist or other interpreter can translate the homily as the priest gives it.
You need a priest, though, for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
"I hate your clericalism as you seem to think only priests should teach the faith."
So, is the non-priest who is going to teach the faith going to teach it in Latin? You see, the same problem exists.
And what is the non-vernacular priest going to do when he is not celebrating Mass in Latin? Sit around the rectory eating bon-bons and watching MTV?
And in a missionary country, just where do you expect to find these catechists who are familiar with the vernacular?
You just don't think things through, do you?
You must be a young whippersnapper! Catechism as well as devotions were in the vernacular and neither needed priests. But clericalism leads you to think these must be in Latin and only a Latin speaking priest can do it. Not so, not so, clericalist.
Clericalism hates popular devotions because you don't need a priest to do these at home or in the Church, the laity can lead these.
And yes, I would enjoy the bon bons but not the MTV, but maybe Lawrence Welk!
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