Letters

Liturgical language

Ted Hayhoe

Contents - Dec 2006 - Buy a copy now Editorial: The first Christmas - Peter Westmore Benedict XVI challenges 'de-Christianisation' of society - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Sydney RCIA conference for 2007 on authentic formation of new Catholics - Paula Flynn 'Lost!' controversy: Archbishop Bathersby's reply - AD2000 Report Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: the Montessori method for RE - Anne Delsorte A 'best practice' guide to priestly vocations Modest dress: Suitable attire for Mass: the moral dimension - Bishop John W. Yanta Religious Life: Tyburn Sisters' communities spread around the world - Tess Livingstone 2006 National Church Life Survey: important questions overlooked - Michael Gilchrist Shrines: Marian Valley: Queensland's centre of pilgrimage - Peter Westmore Letters: Vatican guidelines on Holy Communion for politicians - Vincent Bemowski Letters: A must read for faithful Catholics - Frank Bellet Letters: Liberal Catholicism - Paula Gartland Letters: News from India - Fr Francis Pinto CSsR Letters: Church teaching - Mark Moriarty Letters: Infant Baptism Letters: Community? - Peter Gilet Letters: Christian differences - Alan Barron Letters: True Church - E. Makaus Letters: Linguistics - Matt Bruekers Letters: Liturgical language - Ted Hayhoe Letters: Why apologise? - Concerned Catholic Books: The Shroud Story, by Brendan Whiting - Peter Westmore (reviewer) Books: COME, LORD JESUS:Reflections on the Advent and Christmas Seasons, James Tolhurst - Michael Gilchrist Events: Advent and Christmas Ceremonies - Priestly Fraternity of St Peter Books: SACRED PLACES, PILGRIM WAYS: Catholic Pilgrimages in France and Belgium - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: New Titles from AD Books Reflection: Jesus' law of love and the Ten Commandments - Fr Dennis Byrnes

The letters from Pat Hurley, Fran Swindale and Mrs Carol Phillips (November AD2000) contain the best arguments I have seen for the restoration of the use of the Latin language in the so-called Latin Church.

G.K. Chesterton, writing more than 60 years ago, correctly described Latin as 'a living language in a world of dying languages.'

Pat Hurley is, of course, correct; although I would suggest that 'for us humans' would be just as correct as 'for us human beings'.

To Carol Phillips I would say that 'God's people' would, of necessity, be people of goodwill.

All the above demonstrates that Latin (a so-called dead language), the meanings of which are precise and not subject to the vagaries of vernacular languages, is much more suitable for liturgical and especially theological speculative purposes.

TED HAYHOE
Briar Hill, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 19 No 11 (December 2006 - January 2007), p. 16