So... what's with the Latin?

During the season of Lent and through Palm Sunday, we are singing a different set of acclamations at Mass during the Liturgy of the Eucharist – three of them, plus a short ‘Amen’. Lovely and simple, these acclamations have a history stretching back many centuries as an elemental part of Catholic worship.  They can be found on an insert card inside the back cover of each copy of the maroon-colored hymnal in our church, as well as in the pages of the same hymnal beginning at #842.  Some of them may be quite familiar to certain members of the community; we last sang them here at Saint Catherine a year ago.  Usually sung 'a cappella' (without instruments), each of them is fairly short - ideal for learning as we go.  All of them are in Latin, taken from the church’s traditional Gregorian chant.

Although it may seem odd to some to begin singing in a foreign language, we already do so at Mass when we sing the Kyrie in Greek during the Penitential Rite.  Many people find that, once they see the words with the translation and begin to understand what is being sung, the beauty and simplicity of the sound can help bring a different quality to worship.

Chant, when sung in its intended spirit, has a timeless and ethereal quality that is especially appropriate to the mysteries inherent to the Eucharist.  Latin is the language that our liturgies were sung in for centuries, and joining in the singing of this music is a way to further connect our prayer with that of countless believers throughout the world and throughout the ages.

While it is not our plan to make this music a year-round part of our worship here are Saint Catherine, it is hoped that as a community we will benefit from its periodic presence: that by tasting and even gaining a bit of intimacy with this small sampling of ancient sacred music, we may experience our worship in a different way, perhaps broaden our personal ideas about worship, and deepen our appreciation for the multifaceted treasure that is our Catholic faith.