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Latin is the official language of the Catholic Church. It is a “dead” language that prevents church liberals from translating words into the vernacular using ambiguous terms that undermine church doctrine, such as the use of inclusive language. Perhaps the greatest advantage of the Latin Mass, then, is that it is not open to the numerous abuses currently experienced on a regular basis with the new Mass.
The universality of Latin makes it conducive to all believers experiencing more fully the mystery of the Mass. It imbues a heightened reverence and sense of the sacred. It compliments well the Latin rite’s traditional Gregorian Chant with its moving meditative cadence that touches the depths of the soul.
The Tridentine Mass is also more uniform and consistently Catholic in its theological and Christian-cultural aspects. The Pope has previously mentioned, for example, how in the new Mass the “turning of the priest toward the people no longer opens out on what lies ahead and above (but) has turned the community into a self-enclosed circle.” Both the priest and people should be facing the east.
Michael Swan did his usual lucid job of helping us hear conflicted voices in his Sept. 9 report on the faith-based school funding debate (“Funding debate could hurt Catholic schools”). It seems that John Tory’s proposal to recognize the educational rights of religious parents who are not Roman Catholics makes the guardians of our school system extremely nervous.
Yes, there are many things to be nervous about. But it seems to me that Catholics should be jumping up and down with enthusiasm for public support for the educational conscience of other parents who are believers. Of course we should welcome them into the public space whose resources also sustain our schools.
After all, the Catholic argument for public funding for our schools is, precisely, the prior right of all parents to choose for their children an education that reflects the parents’ own deepest values and commitments. The present situation of funding only for one kind of religious parent is unfair also by Catholic standards, not only by secular ones.
And our “right” to our system will surely appear far more attractive to the wider community if we joyfully offer to welcome others into an analogous recognition. Funding of other faith-based schools will civilize our diversity, broaden our dialogue and deepen our society’s hospitality.
Yes, it will be hard to work out the details — it was hard to work out the ground rules for our schools, too — but it will be wonderfully worth the long slog.
Janet Somerville
Toronto, Ont.
I may be naive, but I have no difficulty in accepting both creationism (as I understand it) and evolution.
I can accept the “Big Bang” beginning of the universe, assuming that it was caused by an all-powerful Being (God?). In fact I find that much more acceptable than the idea that it happened out of nothing and for no particular reason.
At that time, God, out of nothing, created time, space and matter. By definition then, He also created at that time what we now know as the rule of nature. He also created at that time the rules of chance by which evolution would produce the results it is producing. We must believe that prior to the Big Bang there was no such thing as chance in God’s kingdom.
Since He created these rules He knew how they would work, and there would be no real need for Him to interject Himself into these developments — unless He wanted to in a specific circumstance. Remember, too, that He created time. He exists outside of time, so that these interventions occur — for Him — at the same time as the Big Bang.
He did this to show His great glory and power, and the major objective of this creation, man, was designed with the ability to accept, or reject, the marvels of His love and beauty.
Recently, I had been encouraging families to subscribe to The Catholic Register in order to have a good example of the Catholic press in their homes. Your colourful covers, your helpful articles, your thoughtful editorials, your Catholic news and your many photographs made it a good source of Catholicity for young and old.
Now, they and I are feeling embarrassed, puzzled and betrayed that you would include an article that promotes the New Age content and occultic leanings of Harry Potter (“Harry Potter’s Christian perspective,” July 22-29). Our Catholic young people need, rather, support in withstanding the massive and manipulative marketing of such offensive material.
Please be more discerning of the spirits behind the fads and trends of our time.
Without taking away anything from the praise of Loretto Abbey and its Sisters (“Thanks to Lorettos,” Readers Speak Out, July 8-15), I would like to explain why Catholic private schools are necessary in many areas.
The main reason is the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association executive and those who voted these people in. Although I do not know any of them personally, I do know that their agenda for many years has contained anti-Catholic teaching. An OECTA vote for homosexuality was only defeated because time ran out at the annual meeting where the resolution was presented. It took the part of Marc Hall in 2002 when he challenged the Durham Catholic school board’s decision to deny his “right” to bring his same-sex partner to the prom. Besides OECTA’s support for the gay lifestyle, it invited prominent dissenters to speak at its conventions. It has joined with a labour union whose dues go to promote abortion and the gay lobby. It encourages its members to vote NDP, notorious for its pro-abortion, pro-gay platform. These are only a few examples among many.
Because of OECTA’s anti-Catholic policies, and its influence over our teachers, neither our teachers nor our students are being taught the great and beautiful truths of our faith. Therefore, parents in desperation turn to private schools. If we want to keep our Catholic schools “public,” we must make sure that our faith is known, loved and practised by all involved in Catholic education.
Recently, I had been encouraging families to subscribe to The Catholic Register in order to have a good example of the Catholic press in their homes. Your colourful covers, your helpful articles, your thoughtful editorials, your Catholic news and your many photographs made it a good source of Catholicity for young and old.
