Catholic Church Documents

SUMMARY

Since the late 1960s to the early 1970s, the use of Latin has diminished in the Church throughout the world. One could easily conclude form the changes in the Mass and the Mass being offered in the vernacular, the Latin Language no longer matters. After all, Latin is a "Dead" language. Coming to such a conclusion, as many Catholics have done, cannot be further from the truth.

Despite the Second Vatican Council, many Popes have made strong statements as to the importance of Latin within the Church and many issued orders to ensure the restoration of Latin studies continue. The complete or pertinent sections of the Papal documents follow below. Immediately following are excepts from those documents:

Pope John XXIII in Veterum Sapientia states,
- "For by its own nature the Latin language is well adapted to promote all human culture among all peoples: since it does not arouse envy, presents itself as equal to each nation, favors no one's party, and is ultimately pleasing and friendly to all. Nor should it be overlooked that there is a noble conformation and property in the Latin language; for it has a style of speech that is concise, rich, numerous, full of majesty and dignity, which alone is conducive to both clarity and gravity."
- "...due to the assumed nature of studies prevailing in the public schools of the city, the cultivation of the Latin language has been somewhat detracted from, to the detriment of germane and solid doctrine, we consider that the traditional order of teaching this language should be completely restored;"
- "...the Latin language is the living language of the Church..."
Pope Paul VI in Sacrosanctum Concilium states,
- "Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites."
- "... steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them."
- "In accordance with the centuries-old tradition of the Latin rite, the Latin language is to be retained by clerics in the divine office."
Pope Paul VI in Della Fondazione "Latinitas" states,
- "Although after the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, vernacular languages were introduced into the Sacred Liturgy for pastoral purposes, there still remain many areas of piety and intellectual culture, especially in the Church, in which the Latin language seems to be completely preserved and promoted. Desiring to provide assistance to this end, we have deemed it expedient to establish a Foundational Work, which would confirm the initiatives that already exist and add new ones to them, as necessity or opportunity may suggest, and thus, with a certain framework established, provide for the Latin cause in the future as well as we can.
Pope Benedict XVI in Sacramentum Caritatis states,
- "...with the exception of the readings, the homily and the prayer of the faithful, it is fitting that such liturgies be celebrated in Latin. Similarly, the better-known prayers of the Church's tradition should be recited in Latin and, if possible, selections of Gregorian chant should be sung."
Pope Benedict XVI in Motu Proprio Latina Lingua states,
- "Yet in today’s culture, the danger of an increasingly superficial knowledge of Latin may be noted in the context of the widespread weakening of humanistic studies. This is also a risk in the context of the philosophical and theological studies of future priests. Moreover in our own world, in which science and technology play such an important role, there is a renewed interest in the Latin culture and language and not only on those continents whose culture is rooted in the Greco-Roman heritage. This attention seems all the more meaningful since it not only involves academic and institutional sectors but also concerns young people and scholars from very different nations and traditions."
- It therefore appears urgently necessary to support the commitment to a greater knowledge and more competent use of Latin, both in the ecclesial context and in the broader world of culture. In order to give relevance and resonance to this undertaking the use of didactic methods in keeping with the new conditions and the promotion of a network of relations between academic institutions and scholars is particularly appropriate so as to make the most of the rich and multiform patrimony of the Latin civilization.

Pope John XXIII,
Servant of the Servants of God,
For Its Perpetual Memory

APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION

WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS

ON PROVIDING LATIN STUDIES

1. The wisdom of the ancients, included in the writings of the Greeks and Romans, as well as the most illustrious monuments of the learning of ancient peoples, are to be considered as a kind of foretaste of the dawn of the gospel truth, which the Son of God, the arbiter and teacher of grace and discipline, the illuminator and guider of the human race (1), announced to them on earth. For the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, in the most excellent memories of those ancient times, recognized a certain preparation of souls for receiving the heavenly riches which Christ Jesus communicated to mortals in the dispensation of the fullness of times (2); from which it is clear that in the restored Christian order of things nothing was truly lost that which they had brought forth before the ages had passed.

2. For this reason the Holy Church has honored with the highest honor the documents of that kind of wisdom, and especially the Greek and Latin languages, the golden garment of its wisdom, and has also adopted into use other venerable languages that flourished in the regions of the East, since they were of no small value for the advancement of the human race and for shaping morals; and these same languages, whether used in religious ceremonies or in the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, have flourished in certain regions to the present time, just as the never-ceasing words of lively antiquity.

3. Among the variety of these languages, that which first arose in the borders of Latium certainly stands out, and which afterwards made a wonderful contribution to the spread of the Christian name in the regions of the West. For it was not without divine counsel that it happened that the language which had united a very large community of nations under the authority of the Roman Empire for many centuries should also become the proper language of the Apostolic See (3) and, preserved for posterity, should unite the Christian peoples of Europe with one another in a close bond of unity.

For by its own nature the Latin language is well adapted to promote all human culture among all peoples: since it does not arouse envy, presents itself as equal to each nation, favors no one's party, and is ultimately pleasing and friendly to all. Nor should it be overlooked that there is a noble conformation and property in the Latin language; for it has a style of speech that is concise, rich, numerous, full of majesty and dignity (4), which alone is conducive to both clarity and gravity.

4. For these reasons the Apostolic See has at no time been less diligent in preserving the Latin language and has deemed it worthy of being used in the exercise of its teaching, as the magnificent garment of heavenly doctrine and the most holy laws (5) , and of being used by its ministers of the sacred. For these ecclesiastical men, wherever they are of the Gentiles, can more readily learn the things of the Holy See, and have more expedient intercourse with it and with one another.

Therefore, it, so closely connected with the life of the Church, perceived by science and practice, is not so much a matter of humanity and literature as of religion (6), as Our Predecessor of immemorial memory Pius XI warned, who, having pursued the matter by reason and method, demonstrated three qualities of this language, wonderfully consistent with the nature of the Church: For the Church, which includes all nations in its embrace, and is to endure until the end of time..., by its very nature requires a universal, immutable, and non-vulgar language (7).

5. For since it is necessary for every church to unite to the Roman Church (8), and since the Supreme Pontiffs have truly episcopal, ordinary and immediate power over all and each Church, as well as over all and each pastor and faithful (9) of every rite, of every nation, of every language, it seems entirely consistent that there should be a universal and equal instrument of mutual communication, especially between the Apostolic See and the Churches which use the same Latin rite. Therefore both the Roman Pontiffs, if they wish to teach the Catholic nations anything, and the Councils of the Roman Curia, if they proceed with any business, if they draw up any decrees, concerning the universality of the faithful, always use the Latin language no differently than if it were the mother tongue accepted by innumerable nations.

6. Not only a universal, but also an immutable language should be used by the Church. For if the truths of the Catholic Church were handed down either in some or in many of the more recent, mutable languages, none of which would have authority over the others, it would certainly follow that their force would not be sufficiently significant or sufficiently clear, given their variety, to all; that there would be no common and stable standard by which the meaning of the others could be weighed. Indeed, the Latin language itself, long protected against the variations which the daily custom of the people is wont to introduce into the notion of words, must indeed be considered fixed and immovable; since the new meanings of certain Latin words, which the progress, explanation, and defense of Christian doctrines demanded, have long since been firmly established and ratified.

7. Finally, since the Catholic Church, founded by Christ the Lord, stands far above all human societies in dignity, it is certainly fitting that it should use a language not vulgar, but one full of nobility and majesty.

8. Furthermore, the Latin language, which we can truly call Catholic (10), since it is consecrated to perpetual use by the Apostolic See, the mother and teacher of all Churches, is to be considered both a treasure ... of incomparable excellence (11), and a kind of door, through which access is open to all to the Christian truths themselves accepted in ancient times and to interpret the monuments of ecclesiastical doctrine (12); and finally, a perpetual bond by which the present age of the Church is wonderfully bound to previous and future ones.

9. Nor can anyone doubt that there is a power in both Roman speech and honest literature that is particularly suited to educating and shaping the tender minds of young people, since by it the chief faculties of the mind and soul are exercised, matured, and perfected; by it the mental agility and power of judgment are sharpened; by it the childish intellect is more aptly constituted to grasp and evaluate all things correctly; and finally by it is learned to think and speak with the utmost reason.

10. From these considered facts it is certainly understandable why the Roman Pontiffs have often and greatly praised not only the importance and excellence of the Latin language, but have also enjoined its study and use on the sacred ministers of both clergy, warning of the dangers arising from its neglect.

Therefore, led by the same very serious reasons as our predecessors and the Provincial Synods (13), we also strive with a firm will that the study and cultivation of this language, restored to its dignity, may be promoted again and again. For since in our times the use of the Roman language has begun to be called into controversy in many places, and since many people are seeking the opinion of the Apostolic See on this matter, we have therefore taken it into our hearts, by issuing appropriate norms in this important document, to take care that the ancient and never-ceased custom of the Latin language be retained, and, where it has almost disappeared, to be completely restored.

However, what Our own sense of this matter is, We have declared quite clearly, as it seems to Us, when We addressed these words to famous students of Latin: Unfortunately, there are quite a few who, abnormally captivated by the wonderful progress of the arts, undertake to repel or coerce the study of Latin and other disciplines of that kind... With this very driving necessity, We think that the opposite path should be pursued. Since that which is more worthy of the nature and dignity of man resides entirely in the soul, we must more ardently acquire that which cultivates and adorns the soul, lest miserable mortals, like the machines they manufacture, exist cold, hard and devoid of love (14).

11. Having considered these matters and thoughtfully weighed them, with a certain awareness of Our duty and with authority We establish and command the following.

§ 1. The Bishops of Sacred Congregations and the Supreme Masters of Religious Orders should equally endeavor to ensure that, either in their Seminaries or in their Schools in which young men are being trained for the priesthood, all diligently obey the will of the Apostolic See in this matter, and that they most diligently comply with these Our prescriptions.

§ 2. Let them beware with paternal solicitude lest those who, under their authority, are interested in new things, write against the use of the Latin language either in teaching higher sacred disciplines or in celebrating sacred rites, or that they, with a prejudiced opinion, weaken or misinterpret the will of the Apostolic See in this matter.

§ 3. As is established either by the Code of Canon Law (can. 1364) or by the precepts of Our Predecessors, before they begin their properly ecclesiastical studies, students of the sacred are to be taught the Latin language most carefully by the most expert teachers in a suitable way and manner and for a suitable period of time, also for this reason, lest later, when they approach the greater disciplines... they be unable, due to ignorance of the language, to attain a full understanding of doctrines, much less to engage in those scholastic disputations by which the talents of young people are excellently sharpened for the defense of the truth (15). We also wish to apply this to those who, having been called by God to undertake sacred duties at a later age, have devoted either no or very little effort to the study of the humanities. For no one should be allowed to treat of philosophical or theological disciplines unless he is thoroughly and perfectly instructed in this language and is endowed with the use of it.

§ 4. However, wherever, due to the assumed nature of studies prevailing in the public schools of the city, the cultivation of the Latin language has been somewhat detracted from, to the detriment of germane and solid doctrine, we consider that the traditional order of teaching this language should be completely restored; since everyone should be convinced, even in this matter, that the order of the education of sacred students must be religiously maintained, not only as regards the number and types of disciplines, but also as regards the periods of time during which they are taught. However, if, either by the demands of time or place, other disciplines are necessarily added to the common ones, then for that reason either the curriculum of studies should be extended, or the same disciplines should be shortened, or finally their study should be postponed to another time.

§ 5. The major sacred disciplines, as has often been prescribed, are to be taught in the Latin language; which, as we have learned from the use of many centuries, is considered most suitable for explaining the most difficult and subtle forms and notions of things very conveniently and clearly (16); since, moreover, it has long been enriched with its own and certain vocabulary, adapted to protect the integrity of the Catholic faith, it is also not in the least adept at cutting down empty talk. Therefore, those who profess these disciplines, whether in the greatest Athenaeums or in Seminaries, are bound to speak Latin and to use books intended for the use of scholars written in Latin. And if they themselves are not prepared to comply with these prescriptions of the Holy See, due to ignorance of the Latin language, doctors suitable for this purpose are gradually to be substituted in their place. But difficulties, if they are brought up either by students or by professors, must be overcome by the constancy of the Bishops and Moderators, and by the good will of the teachers.

§ 6. Since the Latin language is the living language of the Church, to be adapted to the daily increasing needs of speech, and therefore to be enriched with new and suitable and appropriate words, in a balanced, universal manner and in harmony with the spirit of the ancient Latin language - which manner both the Holy Fathers and the best writers, whom they call scholastics , followed - we therefore command the Sacred Council, presided over Seminaries and Universities, to take care of the founding of the Academic Institute of Latin. This Institute, in which a body of Doctors must be assembled, experts in Latin and Greek, summoned from various parts of the world, will have the following main purpose - not unlike the Academies of individual cities, established to promote the language of each nation - to simultaneously provide for the appropriate development of the Latin language, the Latin lexicon, if necessary, with the addition of words appropriate to its character and color; at the same time to have schools for the entire Latin language of every age, especially for Christian Latin. In these schools, those who are destined either to teach Latin in seminaries and ecclesiastical colleges, or to write decrees and judgments, or to carry out the exchange of letters in the Councils of the Holy See, in the Curias of dioceses, and in the offices of religious orders, will be instructed in a fuller knowledge of the Latin language, in its use, and in a proper and elegant style of writing.

§ 7. Since the Latin language is most closely related to the Greek language, both by its nature and by the weight of the writings handed down from ancient times, it is therefore necessary, as Our Predecessors have often commanded, that those who are to become ministers of the sacred should be trained in it from the lower and middle schools; so that, when they will work on higher disciplines, and especially if they aspire to academic degrees in either the Sacred Scriptures or the Sacred Theology, they may have the opportunity not only to approach and thoroughly understand the Greek sources of the scholastic philosophy, which they call the Greeks, but also to approach and thoroughly understand the original manuscripts of the Sacred Scriptures, the Liturgy, and the Holy Fathers of Greece(17).

§ 8. We further command the same Sacred Council to establish a system for teaching the Latin language, which must be observed most diligently by all, so that those who follow it may acquire a just knowledge and use of the language. If circumstances require, the assembly of Ordinaries may indeed elaborate this system in a different way, but they may never change or diminish its nature. However, the same Ordinaries should not take it upon themselves to implement their own plans unless they have been known and approved by the Sacred Congregation.

12. We desire and command that all that we have established, decreed, issued, and commanded in this Our Constitution, all of them, having been ratified and firmly established by Our Apostolic authority, shall stand and remain, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, even those worthy of special mention.

Given at Rome, at Saint Peter's, on the 22nd day of February, in the sacred Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle, in the year 1962, the fourth of Our Pontificate.

Pope John XXIII

(1) Tertullian, Apol. 21; Migne, PL 1, 394.

(2) Ephesians 1:10 .

- Text published in AAS 54(1962) 129-35; and in L'Oss. Rom. 24 Feb. 1962, p. 1-2.

(3) Epist. S. Congr. Stud. Vehementer sane, to the Epist. universos, 1 July 1908: Ench. Cler., No. 820. Cf. also Epist. Apost. Pius XI, Unigenitus Dei Filius , 19 March 1924: AAS 16 (1924), 141.

(4) Pius XI, Apostolic Letter Officiorum omnium , 1 Aug. 1922: AAS 14 (1922), 452-453.

(5) Pius XI, Motu Proprio Litterarum Latinarum , 20 Oct. 1924: AAS 16 (1924), 417.

(6) Pius XI, Apostolic Letter Offιciorum omnium , 1 Aug. 1922: AAS 14 (1922) 452.

(7) Ibid.

(8) St. Irene, Adv. Haer. 3, 3, 2; Migne , PG 7, 848.

(9) Cf. CIC, can. 218, § 2.

(10) Cf. Pius XI, Apostolic Letter Offιciorum omnium , 1 Aug. 1922: AAS 14 (1922), 453.

(11) Pius XII, Allocution Magis quam , 23 Nov. 1951: AAS 43 (1951) 737.

(12) LEO XIII, Epistle Encycl. Depuis le jour , 8 Sept. 1899: Acta Leo XIII 19 (1899) 166.

(13) Cf. Collectio Lacensis, especially: vol. III, 1918s. (Conc. Prov. Westminster, 1859); vol. IV, 29 (Conc. Prov. Paris, 1849); vol. IV, 149, 153 (Conc. Prov. Rheims, 1849); vol. IV, 359, 361 (Conc. Prov. Avenion, 1849); vol. IV, 394, 396 (Conc. Prov. Burdigal, 1850); vol. V, 61 (Conc. Strigoni, 1858); vol. V, 664 (Conc. Prov. Colocense, 1863); vol. VI, 619 (Synod. Vicariate of Suchnensis, 1803).

(14) To the Assembly of the Intern.

"Promoting Ciceronian Studies", 7 Sept. 1959; in Discorsi Messaggi Colloqui del Santo Padre Giovanni XXIII, I, pp. 234-235; cf. also Alloc. to the citizens of the diocese of Placentia on pilgrimage to Rome, 15 Apr. 1959: L'Osservatore Romano, 16 Apr. 1959; Epistle Pater misericordiarum, 22 Aug. 1961: AAS 53 (1961), 677; Alloc. in solemn auspication of the College of the Philippine Islands held in the City, 7 Oct. 1961: L'Osservatore Romano , 9-10 Oct. 1961 Epistle Iucunda laudatio, 8 Dec. 1961: AAS 53 (1961), 812.

(15) Pius XI, Apostolic Letter Offιciorum omnium , 1 Aug. 1922: AAS 14 (1922), 453.

(16) Epist. SC Studiorum, Vehementer sane, 1 July 1908: Ench. Cler., n. 821.

(17) Leo XII, Encyclical Letter Providentissimus Deus, 18 Nov. 1893: Acta Leonis XIII, 13 (1893), 342; Epist. Plane quidem intelligis, 20 May 1885, Acta , 5, 63-64; Pius XII, Alloc. Magis quam, 23 Sept. 1951: AAS 43 (1951), 737.

CONSTITUTION
ON THE SACRED LITURGY
SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM
SOLEMNLY PROMULGATED BY
HIS HOLINESS
POPE PAUL VI
ON DECEMBER 4, 1963

Pertinent Sections

[...]

CHAPTER I

GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR THE RESTORATION AND PROMOTION OF
THE SACRED LITURGY

III. The Reform of the Sacred Liturgy

C) Norms based upon the didactic and pastoral nature of the Liturgy

[...]

36. 1. Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites.

2. But since the use of the mother tongue, whether in the Mass, the administration of the sacraments, or other parts of the liturgy, frequently may be of great advantage to the people, the limits of its employment may be extended. This will apply in the first place to the readings and directives, and to some of the prayers and chants, according to the regulations on this matter to be laid down separately in subsequent chapters.

3. These norms being observed, it is for the competent territorial ecclesiastical authority mentioned in Art. 22, 2, to decide whether, and to what extent, the vernacular language is to be used; their decrees are to be approved, that is, confirmed, by the Apostolic See. And, whenever it seems to be called for, this authority is to consult with bishops of neighboring regions which have the same language.

4. Translations from the Latin text into the mother tongue intended for use in the liturgy must be approved by the competent territorial ecclesiastical authority mentioned above.

[...]

CHAPTER II

THE MOST SACRED MYSTERY OF THE EUCHARIST

[...]

54. In Masses which are celebrated with the people, a suitable place may be allotted to their mother tongue. This is to apply in the first place to the readings and "the common prayer," but also, as local conditions may warrant, to those parts which pertain to the people, according to the norm laid down in Art. 36 of this Constitution.

Nevertheless steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them.

And wherever a more extended use of the mother tongue within the Mass appears desirable, the regulation laid down in Art. 40 of this Constitution is to be observed.

[...]

CHAPTER IV

THE DIVINE OFFICE

91. So that it may really be possible in practice to observe the course of the hours proposed in Art. 89, the psalms are no longer to be distributed throughout one week, but through some longer period of time.

The work of revising the psalter, already happily begun, is to be finished as soon as possible, and is to take into account the style of Christian Latin, the liturgical use of psalms, also when sung, and the entire tradition of the Latin Church.

[...]

101. 1. In accordance with the centuries-old tradition of the Latin rite, the Latin language is to be retained by clerics in the divine office. But in individual cases the ordinary has the power of granting the use of a vernacular translation to those clerics for whom the use of Latin constitutes a grave obstacle to their praying the office properly. The vernacular version, however, must be one that is drawn up according to the provision of Art. 36.

2. The competent superior has the power to grant the use of the vernacular in the celebration of the divine office, even in choir, to nuns and to members of institutes dedicated to acquiring perfection, both men who are not clerics and women. The version, however, must be one that is approved.

3. Any cleric bound to the divine office fulfills his obligation if he prays the office in the vernacular together with a group of the faithful or with those mentioned in 52 above provided that the text of the translation is approved.

[...]

CHAPTER VI SACRED MUSIC

120. In the Latin Church the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional musical instrument which adds a wonderful splendor to the Church's ceremonies and powerfully lifts up man's mind to God and to higher things.

But other instruments also may be admitted for use in divine worship, with the knowledge and consent of the competent territorial authority, as laid down in Art. 22, 52, 37, and 40. This may be done, however, only on condition that the instruments are suitable, or can be made suitable, for sacred use, accord with the dignity of the temple, and truly contribute to the edification of the faithful.

[...]

HANDWRITTEN BY PAUL VI, THE SUPREME POPE

PER LA CONSTITUZIONE DELLA FONDAZIONE "LATINITAS"
WITH PERSONALITY AT ITS OWN JURISDICTION

This Apostolic See has always sought to protect and expand the excellence and use of the Roman language , since it has flourished without interruption from the ancient age of the Church throughout the long course of centuries until now, although subject to some changes - which is inherent in the nature of each language.

Although after the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, vernacular languages were introduced into the Sacred Liturgy for pastoral purposes, there still remain many areas of piety and intellectual culture, especially in the Church, in which the Latin language seems to be completely preserved and promoted. Desiring to provide assistance to this end, we have deemed it expedient to establish a Foundational Work, which would confirm the initiatives that already exist and add new ones to them, as necessity or opportunity may suggest, and thus, with a certain framework established, provide for the Latin cause in the future as well as we can. Therefore, having carefully considered all this, we approve and promulgate the following Statutes:

Art. I - The Foundation "Latinitas" is constituted, endowed with the character of a moral person of its own.

Art. II - The seat of the Foundation is in Vatican City.

Art. III - The purpose of the Foundation is to foster and protect all public and private initiatives that strive to promote:

a) the use of the Latin language among people of different languages, in the production of writings for the purpose of higher learning, especially those pertaining to the Church's cultivation of the intellect, in Catholic universities and in diocesan seminaries;

b) the study of the language and literature of the so-called classical Latin and the Middle Ages.

Art. IV - To achieve these objectives, Opus Fundatum publishes periodical commentaries; announces competitions; oversees the preparation, printing, and dissemination of books containing texts by outstanding authors and didactic aids; encourages the publication of books written in Latin, provided that their true excellence is commended; establishes study curricula or schools, especially promotes schools in which the beginnings of the ecclesiastical Latin language are taught to students of seminaries and colleges in the city; holds lectures, and the like.

Art. V - The Foundation is presided over by a Council, which consists of seven members; three of whom are elected by the Secretariat of State or the Papal States, while the rest are proposed to the Secretariat by the Council, which is retiring from office. All are appointed by the Secretariat of State for a term of five years.

Art. VI - The things proposed to be done in Art. IV must be done with the approval and moderation of the aforementioned Council.

Art. VII - For all legal effects, the Foundation is represented by the President.

Art. VIII - The patrimony of the Foundation is made up of the goods which the Apostolic See attributes to it in the act of constitution itself, and other goods which will subsequently be given to it by others.

Art. IX - A college of three experts, appointed by the Secretariat of State or the Papal States for a five-year term, shall examine the annual estimate of expenses and the annual sumptuary accounts themselves, and shall inspect the administration of the money and accounts as often as it deems appropriate. The Council, after having duly learned of them, shall request the approval of the annual accounts from the Supreme Pontiff, acting through the Secretariat of State.

Art. X - If the Foundation is dissolved, its assets are transferred into the possession of the Apostolic See.

Art. XI - The Foundation will issue its own detailed norms, to be approved by the Secretariat of State or the Papal Secretariat.

From the Vatican, June 30, 1976 , the fourteenth year of Our Pontificate.

PAUL VI

POST-SYNODAL
APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION
SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS
OF THE HOLY FATHER
BENEDICT XVI
TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY,
CONSECRATED PERSONS
AND THE LAY FAITHFUL
ON THE EUCHARIST
AS THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT
OF THE CHURCH'S LIFE AND MISSION

{Pertinent Excerpts only}

[...]

The Latin language

62. None of the above observations should cast doubt upon the importance of such large-scale liturgies. I am thinking here particularly of celebrations at international gatherings, which nowadays are held with greater frequency. The most should be made of these occasions. In order to express more clearly the unity and universality of the Church, I wish to endorse the proposal made by the Synod of Bishops, in harmony with the directives of the Second Vatican Council, (182) that, with the exception of the readings, the homily and the prayer of the faithful, it is fitting that such liturgies be celebrated in Latin. Similarly, the better-known prayers (183) of the Church's tradition should be recited in Latin and, if possible, selections of Gregorian chant should be sung. Speaking more generally, I ask that future priests, from their time in the seminary, receive the preparation needed to understand and to celebrate Mass in Latin, and also to use Latin texts and execute Gregorian chant; nor should we forget that the faithful can be taught to recite the more common prayers in Latin, and also to sing parts of the liturgy to Gregorian chant. (184)

[...]

CONCLUSION

94. Dear brothers and sisters, the Eucharist is at the root of every form of holiness, and each of us is called to the fullness of life in the Holy Spirit. How many saints have advanced along the way of perfection thanks to their eucharistic devotion! From Saint Ignatius of Antioch to Saint Augustine, from Saint Anthony Abbot to Saint Benedict, from Saint Francis of Assisi to Saint Thomas Aquinas, from Saint Clare of Assisi to Saint Catherine of Siena, from Saint Paschal Baylon to Saint Peter Julian Eymard, from Saint Alphonsus Liguori to Blessed Charles de Foucauld, from Saint John Mary Vianney to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, from Saint Pius of Pietrelcina to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, from Blessed Piergiorgio Frassati to Blessed Ivan Merz, to name only a few, holiness has always found its centre in the sacrament of the Eucharist.

This most holy mystery thus needs to be firmly believed, devoutly celebrated and intensely lived in the Church. Jesus' gift of himself in the sacrament which is the memorial of his passion tells us that the success of our lives is found in our participation in the trinitarian life offered to us truly and definitively in him. The celebration and worship of the Eucharist enable us to draw near to God's love and to persevere in that love until we are united with the Lord whom we love. The offering of our lives, our fellowship with the whole community of believers and our solidarity with all men and women are essential aspects of that logiké latreía, spiritual worship, holy and pleasing to God (cf. Rom 12:1), which transforms every aspect of our human existence, to the glory of God. I therefore ask all pastors to spare no effort in promoting an authentically eucharistic Christian spirituality. Priests, deacons and all those who carry out a eucharistic ministry should always be able to find in this service, exercised with care and constant preparation, the strength and inspiration needed for their personal and communal path of sanctification. I exhort the lay faithful, and families in particular, to find ever anew in the sacrament of Christ's love the energy needed to make their lives an authentic sign of the presence of the risen Lord. I ask all consecrated men and women to show by their eucharistic lives the splendour and the beauty of belonging totally to the Lord.

95. At the beginning of the fourth century, Christian worship was still forbidden by the imperial authorities. Some Christians in North Africa, who felt bound to celebrate the Lord's Day, defied the prohibition. They were martyred after declaring that it was not possible for them to live without the Eucharist, the food of the Lord: sine dominico non possumus. (252) May these martyrs of Abitinae, in union with all those saints and beati who made the Eucharist the centre of their lives, intercede for us and teach us to be faithful to our encounter with the risen Christ. We too cannot live without partaking of the sacrament of our salvation; we too desire to be iuxta dominicam viventes, to reflect in our lives what we celebrate on the Lord's Day. That day is the day of our definitive deliverance. Is it surprising, then, that we should wish to live every day in that newness of life which Christ has brought us in the mystery of the Eucharist?

96. May Mary Most Holy, the Immaculate Virgin, ark of the new and eternal covenant, accompany us on our way to meet the Lord who comes. In her we find realized most perfectly the essence of the Church. The Church sees in Mary – "Woman of the Eucharist," as she was called by the Servant of God John Paul II (253) – her finest icon, and she contemplates Mary as a singular model of the eucharistic life. For this reason, as the priest prepares to receive on the altar the verum Corpus natum de Maria Virgine, speaking on behalf of the liturgical assembly, he says in the words of the canon: "We honour Mary, the ever-virgin mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God" (254). Her holy name is also invoked and venerated in the canons of the Eastern Christian traditions. The faithful, for their part, "commend to Mary, Mother of the Church, their lives and the work of their hands. Striving to have the same sentiments as Mary, they help the whole community to become a living offering pleasing to the Father" (255). She is the tota pulchra, the all-beautiful, for in her the radiance of God's glory shines forth. The beauty of the heavenly liturgy, which must be reflected in our own assemblies, is faithfully mirrored in her. From Mary we must learn to become men and women of the Eucharist and of the Church, and thus to present ourselves, in the words of Saint Paul, "holy and blameless" before the Lord, even as he wished us to be from the beginning (cf. Col 1:22; Eph 1:4) (256).

97. Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may the Holy Spirit kindle within us the same ardour experienced by the disciples on the way to Emmaus (cf. Lk 24:13-35) and renew our "eucharistic wonder" through the splendour and beauty radiating from the liturgical rite, the efficacious sign of the infinite beauty of the holy mystery of God. Those disciples arose and returned in haste to Jerusalem in order to share their joy with their brothers and sisters in the faith. True joy is found in recognizing that the Lord is still with us, our faithful companion along the way. The Eucharist makes us discover that Christ, risen from the dead, is our contemporary in the mystery of the Church, his body. Of this mystery of love we have become witnesses. Let us encourage one another to walk joyfully, our hearts filled with wonder, towards our encounter with the Holy Eucharist, so that we may experience and proclaim to others the truth of the words with which Jesus took leave of his disciples: "Lo, I am with you always, until the end of the world" (Mt 28:20).

Given in Rome, at Saint Peter's, on 22 February, the Feast of the Chair of Peter, in the year 2007, the second of my Pontificate.

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Referenced Footnotes

APOSTOLIC LETTER
IN THE FORM OF "MOTU PROPRIO"

LATINA LINGUA

OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF
BENEDICT XVI

ESTABLISHING
THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY FOR LATIN

1. The Latin language has always been held in very high esteem by the Catholic Church and by the Roman Pontiffs. They have assiduously encouraged the knowledge and dissemination of Latin, adopting it as the Church’s language, capable of passing on the Gospel message throughout the world. This is authoritatively stated by the Apostolic Constitution Veterum Sapientia of my Predecessor, Blessed John XXIII.

Indeed the Church has spoken and prayed in the languages of all peoples since Pentecost. Nevertheless, the Christian communities of the early centuries made frequent use of Greek and Latin, languages of universal communication in the world in which they lived and through which the newness of Christ’s word encountered the heritage of the Roman-Hellenistic culture.

After the fall of the Roman Empire of the West, the Church of Rome not only continued to use Latin but, in a certain way, made herself its custodian and champion in both the theological and liturgical sectors as well as in formation and in the transmission of knowledge.

2. In our time too, knowledge of the Latin language and culture is proving to be more necessary than ever for the study of the sources, which, among others, numerous ecclesiastical disciplines draw from, such as, for example, theology, liturgy, patristics and canon law, as the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council teaches (cf. Decree Optatam Totius, n. 13).

In addition, precisely in order to highlight the Church’s universal character, the liturgical books of the Roman Rite, the most important documents of the Papal Magisterium and the most solemn official Acts of the Roman Pontiffs are written in this language in their authentic form.

3. Yet in today’s culture, the danger of an increasingly superficial knowledge of Latin may be noted in the context of the widespread weakening of humanistic studies. This is also a risk in the context of the philosophical and theological studies of future priests. Moreover in our own world, in which science and technology play such an important role, there is a renewed interest in the Latin culture and language and not only on those continents whose culture is rooted in the Greco-Roman heritage. This attention seems all the more meaningful since it not only involves academic and institutional sectors but also concerns young people and scholars from very different nations and traditions.

4. It therefore appears urgently necessary to support the commitment to a greater knowledge and more competent use of Latin, both in the ecclesial context and in the broader world of culture. In order to give relevance and resonance to this undertaking the use of didactic methods in keeping with the new conditions and the promotion of a network of relations between academic institutions and scholars is particularly appropriate so as to make the most of the rich and multiform patrimony of the Latin civilization.

To contribute to attaining these goals following in the footsteps of my venerable Predecessors, today, with this Motu Proprio, I establish the Pontifical Academy for Latin, under the Pontifical Council for Culture. It is governed by a President assisted by a Secretary, who are appointed by me, and by an Academic Council.

The Latinitas Foundation, erected by Paul VI with the Chirograph Romani Sermonis of 30 June 1976 is hereby replaced.

I order that this Apostolic Letter in the form of a Motu Proprio, with which I approve the attached Statutes ad experimentum, for five years, be published in L’Osservatore Romano.

Given at St Peter’s in Rome on 10 November 2012, the Memorial of St Leo the Great, the eighth year of my Pontificate.

BENEDICTUS PP XVI

Statutes of the Pontifical Academy for Latin

Article 1

The Pontifical Academy for Latin, with headquarters in Vatican City State, is established for the promotion and appreciation of the Latin language and culture. The Academy is linked to the Pontifical Council for Culture on which it depends.

Article 2

§1. The aims of the Academy are:

a) to encourage the knowledge and study of Latin — language and literature, classical and patristic, Medieval and humanistic — in particular at the Catholic institutions for formation at which both seminarians and priests are trained and taught;

b) to promote the use of Latin in various contexts, both as a written and as a spoken language.

§ 2. To achieve the said aims the Academy intends:

a) to publish and to organize meetings, study congresses and exhibitions;

b) to set up and support courses, seminars and other training projects in coordination with the Pontifical Institute for Advanced Latin Studies;

c) to teach the young generations a knowledge of Latin, also through the modern means of communication;

d) to organize exhibitions, shows and competitions;

e) to plan other activities and initiatives necessary for attaining the goals of the institution.

Article 3

The Pontifical Academy for Latin consists of the President, the Secretary, the Academic Council and Members, who are also known as Academicians.

Article 4

§ 1. The President of the Academy is appointed by the Supreme Pontiff for a five-year term. The office of the President may be extended for a second five-year term.

§ 2. It is the task of the President:

a) to represent the Academy legally before any judicial or administrative authority, of either the Church or the State;

b) to convoke and to chair the Academic Council and the Assembly of Members;

c) to take part as a Member in the meetings of the Coordinating Council of the Pontifical Academies and to maintain relations with the Pontifical Council for Culture.

d) supervise the Academy’s work

e) take care of the ordinary administration with the assistance of the Secretary, and in matters of extraordinary administration with the advice of the Academic Council and of the Pontifical Council for Culture.

Article 5

§ 1. The Secretary is appointed by the Supreme Pontiff for a five-year term and may be extended for a second five-year term.

§ 2. The President delegates the Secretary to replace him in the case of absence or impediment.

Article 6

§ 1. The Academic Council consists of the President, the Secretary and five Councillors. The Councillors are elected by the Assembly of Academics for a five-year term that may be extended.

§ 2. The Academic Council, which is chaired by the President of the Academy, deliberates on the more important matters that concern the Academy. It approves the agenda in view of the Assembly of Members that is to be held at least once a year. The Council is convoked by the President at least once a year and, in addition, whenever it is requested by at least three Councillors.

Article 7

The President, with the consent of the Council, may appoint an Archivist, with the duties of librarian, and a Treasurer.

Article 8

§ 1. The Academy consists of no more than 50 Ordinary Members known as Academicians, who are scholars and connoisseurs of Latin, language and literature. They are appointed by the Secretary of State. When they reach the age of 80, the Ordinary Members become “emeritus”.

§ 2. Ordinary Academicians take part in the Assembly of the Academy convoked by the President. Academicians emeritus may take part in the Assembly but are not entitled to vote.

§ 3. The President of the Academy, having heard the opinion of the Council, may appoint as well as Ordinary Academicians other Members, known as Correspondents.

Article 9

The patrimony of the superseded Fondazione Latinitas and its activities, including the redaction and publication of the Review Latinitas, are transferred to the Pontifical Academy for Latin.

Article 10

Although not expressly prescribed, reference is made to the norms of the Code of Canon Law in force and to the laws of Vatican City State.