Vatican official sees revival of interest in Latin
September 25, 2012
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An official who works for the Vatican's Office of Latin Letters has observed a revival of interest in Latin in the Church, particularly among the younger clergy.
“Young people are experiencing a dryness at not being able to connect to what preceded us, both ecclesiastically but also simply historically in the West,” said Msgr. Daniel Gallagher, 42, of Michigan. “Young people ... are searching to understand who they are and where they've come from, and [are] themselves choosing to take Latin.”
“Part of re-evangelizing that culture has to reconnect [Europeans] with Latinity in its large sense, not just the language but the whole human tradition in which the Christian message was presented 1500 years ago,” he added as he reflected on the link between the revival of Latin and the new evangelization.
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who will play a leading role at the upcoming synod of bishops on the new evangelization, plans to deliver two major addresses in Latin.
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Posted by: hartwood01 -
Oct. 03, 2012 8:11 PM ET USA
Ask the average Muslim if he can translate the Koran,not from memorizing,but from understanding the grammar,and the answer is no. If you want to pray in a language you don't understand,but feels good,go for it.
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Posted by: -
Sep. 26, 2012 11:11 PM ET USA
In our Catholic school(1928-1937: Belgium)we,Flemings,learned French, English, German(very little Latin).Later I learned Esperanto. Yes, learning Latin may be interesting.Try it.
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Posted by: garedawg -
Sep. 25, 2012 10:47 AM ET USA
Many of the major religions of today make use of languages or or forms of languages that are no longer spoken in everyday life. Besides keeping the important connection to the past, this has the very practical advantage in that the words do not change their meanings over time. Even after just 200 years, constitutional scholars sometimes have to figure out what a certain English word in the U.S. Constitution really meant back when it was written.
