There are numerous different religions globally, and each one has its traditions, rituals, and celebrations. Catholic Church also owns certain important and memorable dates on which it holds ceremonies that aim to honor some historical and religious figures or feast holidays. One of such celebrations is Holy Mass, which is usually held when the changes in the Second Vatican Council are about to appear. Therefore, this paper aims to reflect on the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite and provide observations regarding the ceremony.
The celebration was in honor of St. Joseph the Worker, and during the service, the priest accordingly very often referred to his figure and was telling his biblical story. It was enjoyable and fascinating to listen about St. Joseph and this man’s role in the religious context (St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake 00:21:24-00:32:54). Such simple actions can be rather effective in preserving the memory of one of the most important religious figures, reminding and educating parishioners on the fundamental story of Catholicism.
Although Latin is considered the dead language because people do not use it in real life, it is not entirely true. Latin is still crucial for religious, scientific, and spiritual purposes, and this is the origin of the most modern language. Therefore, I believe that it should be studied more widely and considered a key element of education. During the ceremony, boys were singing church songs during the preaching, and the pastor said a prayer in Latin (St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake 00:45:07-00:49:15). The choir’s singing was incredibly touching, and it added some amount of solemnity and vivacity to the Holy Mass.
Overall, the ceremony was held in the best catholic traditions, including preaching, singing, and praying. Some occasions, such as changes in the Second Vatican Council, are important for the religious community and a complementary reason to honor the traditions and gather people with the same beliefs together in one place. Using and preserving the Latin language in the practices is one of the ways to protect the history and respect the heritage left by the previous generations. Thus, studying Latin is not only a religious aspect but also cultural and historical, which is crucial to cherish and recognize in the modern world.
Work Cited
“Tridentine (Latin) Mass; 2022; Feast of St. Joseph the Worker.” YouTube, uploaded by St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake, Web.