Celebrating the Latin Mass

The Catholic Church is returning to the celebration of the Mass in Latin. The New York Times has released an audio slide show of the celebration of Latin Mass and how it is beginning to attract priests and parishioners in the U.S.

Click here to view the audio slide show.

When I was living in Brazil, I grew up in a Catholic home. My family and I attended a church which celebrated the Mass in Latin. My family and I did not understand Latin, so the celebration of the Mass was mostly unintelligible to us. As the slide show demonstrates, most people are attracted to the “mystery” which they perceive is present in the Latin Mass.

The return of the Latin Mass reminds me of the words of Paul: “But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue” (1 Corinthians 14:19).


Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Catholic Church, Latin Mass, Mass