The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-18
WHY LATIN IS THE LANGUAGE 0F MASS The Rev. ather kerrigan Points
 Out the Reason. EXPLAINS CATHOLIC USAGE Knights of Columbus Attend Early Mass and Receive Communion in Body--Laree Congregation
 at the Three Services.
EXPLAINS CATHOLIC USAGE


 at the Three Services. The Rev Father O'Reilly was the eele- brant at the 7:3o o o'clock and the 9 o'clock mass at St. Paul's yesterday and the Rev Father Kerrigan was the eelebrant at high mass at l0:SO o'clock. At the first service Birmingham Council No, 635, Knights of Columbus attended in body and received holy communion. Large con- gregations were present at all of the ser vices.
 At the last mass Father Kerrigan con- tinueu his instruction on the ceremonies cf the church. his theme being the use of Latin in the liturgy.
 The Latin Tongue. He said in part:
 "There is one feature of Catholic wor- ship especially puzzling to our non-Cath- ollie brethren. It is a feature for which Catholics themselves, unfortunately, are not always prepared to give an inteliI- g mt reason We refer to the use of the hatir language in all the liturgical or ceremonial exercises of the church, and especially in the sacrifice of the mass.
 This morning we will consider this question, first, for the instruction O. 1 Catholics, if perchance their knowledge of the matter needs refreshing and. sec ondly, for the information of any non- 1 Catholic friends who may be present that l they, in the interest of truth, may know the exact position of the churcI, in the case and may enlighten others who are in error concerning it.
 Before explaining why the church uses the Latin language we would dispose or an objection that must naturally occur to a non-Catholc. We say must natur- ally occur for we respect his intelligence and his charity too much to advert to those absurd and sinister objections brought against the church back in the days when the heat of controversy be- fuddled mems minds and hearts.
 We state the objection as it would oc- cur to us placed in a non Catholic posi- tion Is it not a hindrance to the spirit ual well-being of Catholics that their service should be conducted in an un- known tongue%
 Point of View.
 Answer: It all depends on the point of view There is service and service-non- l Catholic and Catholic. Each may not be tested by the same criterion Let me ex- plain.
 "our non-Catholic brother goes to church primarily to hear; to hear his pastor pray and explain the Word of God In his church there is no sacrifice, strictly speaking. Did his pastor use an 1 .,,.Ir,
 1 Catholic brother would make small pro- gress in the spiritual line and his obiec- l ton would be eminently reasonable But | the Catholic goes to church primarily to see. To see what? The Holy sacrifice of the mass which he believes is a continu- ation of the sacrifice of Calvary. The l mass is not essentially a prayer nor a l sermon but an action. The language of the priest, except in a few phrases, 1 which, from constant repetition, the peo- l pie know well, concerns but God and the priest himself. All that the church re- quires of the faithful is that they be pres 1 ent at the mass in the same spirit as nearly as possible, as they would be pres ent at Calvary, exciting in their souls lively acts of love of God, thanksgiving l Tor so great mercy, detestation of sins and desires for further graces. l What is intended especially for his 1 ear-the epistles and gospels of the Holy | 1 expositions of doctrine, exhortation to 1 good living-the Catholic hears In the vernacular in his own language. The 1 Catholic, then. gets all that his own Cath l ollie friend gets and a great deal more 1 The action of the mass, If he follows tt understandingly and properly disposed l toward it, appeals to him more strongly than any sermon ever pronounced. So true l is this that the ablest spiritual writers | have declared that the best method cf assisting at mass is to follow it atten- l lively and appreciativeIy with the eyes, l at the same time exciting fin the soul cor | responding holy thoughts. aspira tions and prayers. Of course ability to do this latter without distraction Is rare; hence to fix the attention, to arouse these sentiments | Catholics read from their prayer books either parallel vernacular translations oe 1 the words of the priest or prayers adopt ed to each part of the mass. or even re- 1 cite the rosary, which. bringing in review sas it does, the various episodes in our Lords life. passion and death, is admir- ably calculated to place one en rapport with the significance of the divine saeri- | flee"
 Never Intended.
 | The preacher then advanced arguments | to show that from the very arrangement 1 of the mass an intimate participation of 1 the faithful in the words of the priest
 
 l from the people most of the time, and cannot be understod. The greater and more important part of the mass-the cannon-is recited by the priest under his breath, and in the primitive church at this ! stage he was not even seen. What need then" said the preacher, that the priest use the language of the dayZ What God required at the sacrifice of the old law 1 is expressed by St. Luke 1:10-'And all the multitude of the people was praying with cut at the hour of incense In Levitt, 1i:17. it was expressly ordered that 10 man should be in the tabernacle or temple when the high priest went with the blood 1 Of the victim into the sanctuary to make atonement. If these facts were not preju- dicial to the people of the old law, why | should they be to Catholics who claim l the great sacrifice of the new law" l Father Kerrigan also showed that the Latin church should not bear the whole brunt of the objecton. as mass is also 1 said in Greek, Syriac. Chaldaic, Sclavonic. 1 Wallachian. Armenian, Coptic and !, Ethropic tongues, and in not q single case are these languages as used in the lit urgy, the vernacular, but old forms no 1 longer understood by the people. A Precedent.
 "Nor is the church without precedent" | the priest said. "The Jews, during the | Rahylonian captivity, lost their knowl-