FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK

Dear St. Mary’s Parishioners:

No doubt you have noticed that we are singing or chanting the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin at some of our weekend Masses in English and Spanish. There are a number of good reasons to use Latin for the Ordinary of the Mass. The main reason is that the Church says that we should. Sacrosanctum Concilium, a document of the Second Vatican Council states that "the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin Rites". (SC, 36.1) Furthermore, SC clarifies that "steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those [unchanging] parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them" (SC 54.1). The “unchanging” parts of the Mass would be what we call the “Ordinary of the Mass”. Another term for the “Ordinary of the Mass” would be what our choir director in seminary called the “Mass Parts”. In any case, what we are talking about are the “Lord Have Mercy,” the Gloria, the Creed, the “Holy, Holy” and the “Lamb of God,” to name a most of them

Sacrosanctum Concilium also affirms that Gregorian Chant is “especially suited to the Roman Liturgy" and that therefore "other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services" (SC, §116). Giving Gregorian chant “pride of place” means that primary consideration should be given to it, when planning and praying the Mass. When we pray the Mass the way that the Church deems most appropriate, we can be assured that we are praying according to a great tradition that goes back to the time of our Lord. Even though the Mass that we celebrate today is not the same as the one that was celebrated in the early centuries of the Church, we can say that it has taken on its present form building on past tradition.

To be sure, I am not saying that all Masses be celebrated using Latin. Nor should Gregorian chant be used at every Mass. What I am saying is that, as Catholics, we should be familiar with the Latin Mass parts. They should be second nature to us. God willing, after a few weekends, they will become more familiar to us.

May you have a most blessed week!

In Christ,

Father Berg