Pope Paul VI on the introduction of the vernacular

[mcb]

This is illuminating, I think, and for myself, reassuring too. I'm old enough to remember clearly the change to the vernacular, and I've grown up with the new rite of Mass. I'd like to think my experience of it and my understanding of it fits with the way Pope Paul VI saw it.

I've cut the document down a bit to make it quicker to read; I hope without distorting the sense. The emphases are mine. The whole document is available here.

_____________________

CHANGES IN MASS FOR GREATER APOSTOLATE
Pope Paul VI

Address to a General Audience, November 26, 1969

Our Dear Sons and Daughters:

1. We ask you to turn your minds once more to the liturgical innovation of the new rite of the Mass. [...]

2. A new rite of the Mass: a change in a venerable tradition that has gone on for centuries. [...]

3. It is at such a moment as this that we get a better understanding of the value of historical tradition and the communion of the saints. This change will affect the ceremonies of the Mass. We shall become aware, perhaps with some feeling of annoyance, that the ceremonies at the altar are no longer being carried out with the same words and gestures to which we were accustomed—perhaps so much accustomed that we no longer took any notice of them. This change also touches the faithful. It is intended to interest each one of those present, to draw them out of their customary personal devotions or their usual torpor.

4. We must prepare for this many-sided inconvenience. It is the kind of upset caused by every novelty that breaks in on our habits. We shall notice that pious persons are disturbed most, because they have their own respectable way of hearing Mass, and they will feel shaken out of their usual thoughts and obliged to follow those of others. Even priests may feel some annoyance in this respect.

5. So what is to be done on this special and historical occasion? First of all, we must prepare ourselves. [...] As We said on another occasion, we shall do well to take into account the motives for this grave change. The first is obedience to the Council. [...]

6. This first reason [...] is linked with the power and efficacy of the Church's prayer [...] It is Christ's will, it is the breath of the Holy Spirit which calls the Church to make this change. A prophetic moment is occurring in the mystical body of Christ, which is the Church. This moment is shaking the Church, arousing it, obliging it to renew the mysterious art of its prayer.

7. The other reason for the reform is this renewal of prayer. It is aimed at associating the assembly of the faithful more closely and more effectively with the official rite, that of the Word and that of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, that constitutes the Mass. For the faithful are also invested with the "royal priesthood"; that is, they are qualified to have supernatural conversation with God.

8. It is here that the greatest newness is going to be noticed, the newness of language. No longer Latin, but the spoken language will be the principal language of the Mass. The introduction of the vernacular will certainly be a great sacrifice for those who know the beauty, the power and the expressive sacrality of Latin. We are parting with the speech of the Christian centuries; we are becoming like profane intruders in the literary preserve of sacred utterance. We will lose a great part of that stupendous and incomparable artistic and spiritual thing, the Gregorian chant.

9. We have reason indeed for regret, reason almost for bewilderment. What can we put in the place of that language of the angels? We are giving up something of priceless worth. But why? What is more precious than these loftiest of our Church's values?

10. The answer will seem banal, prosaic. Yet it is a good answer, because it is human, because it is apostolic.

11. Understanding of prayer is worth more than the silken garments in which it is royally dressed. Participation by the people is worth more—particularly participation by modern people, so fond of plain language which is easily understood and converted into everyday speech.

12. If the divine Latin language kept us apart from the children, from youth, from the world of labor and of affairs, if it were a dark screen, not a clear window, would it be right for us fishers of souls to maintain it as the exclusive language of prayer and religious intercourse? What did St. Paul have to say about that? Read chapter 14 of the first letter to the Corinthians: "In Church I would rather speak five words with my mind, in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue" (I Corinthians 14:19).

13. St. Augustine seems to be commenting on this when he says, "Have no fear of teachers, so long as all are instructed" (P.L. 38, 228, Serm. 37; cf. also Serm. 229, p. 1371). But, in any case, the new rite of the Mass provides that the faithful "should be able to sing together, in Latin, at least the parts of the Ordinary of the Mass, especially the Creed and the Lord's Prayer, the Our Father" (Sacrosanctum Concilium n. 19).

14. But, let us bear this well in mind, for our counsel and our comfort: the Latin language will not thereby disappear. It will continue to be the noble language of the Holy See's official acts; it will remain as the means of teaching in ecclesiastical studies and as the key to the patrimony of our religious, historical and human culture. If possible, it will reflourish in splendor.

15. Finally, if we look at the matter properly we shall see that the fundamental outline of the Mass is still the traditional one, not only theologically but also spiritually. Indeed, if the rite is carried out as it ought to be, the spiritual aspect will be found to have greater richness. The greater simplicity of the ceremonies, the variety and abundance of scriptural texts, the joint acts of the ministers, the silences which will mark various deeper moments in the rite, will all help to bring this out.

16. But two indispensable requirements above all will make that richness clear: a profound participation by every single one present, and an outpouring of spirit in community charity.

[...]

19. In every case, and at all times, let us remember that "the Mass is a Mystery to be lived in a death of Love. Its divine reality surpasses all words. . . It is the Action par excellence, the very act of our Redemption, in the Memorial which makes it present" (Zundel).

With Our Apostolic Benediction.

[monty]

Thank you for finding this MCB. I don't think I have ever seen this before but it reminds me of the feelings around when the change was made.

True wisdom.

[SOP]

Interesting to read the Our Father and Creed would still be sung in Latin.

Apart from that, very prophetic although he may have expected things to blow up before 40 years had passed.

[nazard]

Paul VI makes a couple of very pertinent points here. Clause 13 is very interesting, particularly as he says "especially" and not "only", and clause 15 where he says "if it is carried out as it ought to be". It appears that even in the weeks before the new mass was introduced, the Pope was worried that it would be abused. Has anyone know why he felt threatened like that? The letter which promulgated the tridentine mass, I think it was called "Quo primum" shows no such doubts. Any ideas?

[Southern Comfort]

and clause 15 where he says "if it is carried out as it ought to be". It appears that even in the weeks before the new mass was introduced, the Pope was worried that it would be abused.

You could interpret it like this, but I think he was more probably anticipating that some would continue to celebrate the new incarnation of the rite in the same way as they had celebrated the old ─ i.e. on rubrical autopilot.

The thing about the 1969 Order of Mass is that all engaged in it need to put rather more effort into the celebration. Cruising along, going through the motions, or whatever, becomes rather more apparent when the celebration is more "open to the gaze" of everyone and particularly where the language is understandable by everyone.

And yet one still encounters both priests and people who don't really seem interested in what they are doing ─ the perfunctory discharge of an obligation, as Christopher Walsh put it in (I think it was) English Catholic Worship, the SSG's Golden Jubilee book ─ and children who say things like "I don't think Father really means it" or even "I don't think anyone really means it".

[monty]

Nazard, it is interesting you have taken his words as worry whereas I read them as guidance.

To me, the overall tone of the letter is gentle guidance and understanding of how upsetting some may find it but an attempt to allay those fears and and more or less let people know he does understand it will be upsetting but he truly believes it is worth it.

Very interesting.