At Catholic Gentleman we find an interview with “Mixed Martial Arts” fighter, Bas Rutten. Biretta tip to a reader – o{]:¬)
In the interview we find:
14. You say frequently, “Deo gratias!” This is Latin for “Thanks be to God.” Just curious: Do you happen to go to a Mass that is in Latin?
Yes, I do. I also do my rosary in Latin and learned a whole bunch of other prayers in Latin as well. It’s the language demons fear the most, and the universal language of the Church. I find it more reverent and a higher form of prayer.
The more I pray, the more I see everything in my life as getting better, not only in regards to the Faith, but also for myself and automatically my family and friends. The more prayers I memorize the more it develops my brain, the easier it becomes for me to memorize scripts, whether it’s for movies, TV or commentating jobs. YES, it takes time to memorize, but it will help me with a whole bunch of other things as well.
Many people only train their bodies; not realizing you can train your brain and your soul as well. Our biggest fights are not with mortal flesh but with the fallen angels. Another great fighter once said something to that effect…
Do I hear an “Amen!”?
Memorize prayers in Latin.
Promote the study of Latin.
Support sacred liturgical worship in Latin.
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How very inspiring! I love this. God bless this man. How does someone become such an independent thinker, going against the cultural tide which is so strong. It’s really admirable. All you people out there who persevere no matter what, always following God, staying the course, are heroes in your own way.
For awhile now, I’ve been praying most of my rosary in Latin, the Pater, Ave Maria and Gloria. My resolutions for 2017 are to memorize more Latin prayers. I’m starting with the Apostles Creed, reading it as I begin the rosary. I try to say the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin daily (not always managing to do all the Hours), and while I would sometimes recite in Latin, most of the time it was in English. My other resolution is to say it only in Latin. I’m in my 80s, but I still can memorize. Even during the day, at odd times, I find myself mentally praying, usually the Ave, and now almost always it is in Latin. My voice fades out easily these days, so most of my prayers are mentally recited. I try to chant the hymns, however.
A helpful link to learn traditional Catholic prayers in Latin is HERE
Thank you acardinal! I think I have the Ave Maria down, but want to learn more of them.
Among the Orthodox, Greek and Slavonic and Arabic and Romanian are used more than other languages. But I’m doing my best to balance it out a bit, saying my offices and reading the Bible in Latin. Pulcherrima lingua!
Thank you, acardnal! The site you linked to is exactly what I needed!
I am pleased that some readers here are finding the link I provided helpful.
N.B. The audio is said first in English and then in Latin, very slowly, to assist in memorization and pronunciation.
At one of our local Catholic stores, I asked for an Our Father prayer card, in Latin, for my daughter who is in a Latin class in high school. The clerk looked flummoxed and irritated, and replied “in Latin?! Spanish maybe.” A year earlier, the same clerk seemed horrified and confused when I went there and asked to see their chapel veils. Now I go in there just to irritate them with my requests! : )
Every time I try to translate something from English into Latin, I realize how vague English can be. Some words and verbal combinations are particularly testing, such as:
challenge (provocatio, difficultas?)
concrete reality (veritas?)
information (certitudo, nuntius?)
environment (natura, orbis, circumjecta vicinitas?)
human rights (jus, justitia, lex, privilegium?)
minority (?)
globalized culture (diffusio morum?)
social dialogue (disquisitio publica?)
The list goes on. Words become slogans. Linguistic structure begins to totter. We read statements such as:
“Globalization rightly stirs a keen desire for personalism and interiority. Today, the balance between unity and pluralism is considered a major value.” (Synod of Bishops, Instrumentum Laboris, 2001; No. 26) Or this: “The Bishop concretely expresses his responsibility in society, where he lives in a global village of communications as a participant in the life of the entire planet.” (Ibid. No. 32).
Ah, great to hear this post! I was actually writing about such a subject… There’s a nice website thesaurus out there.. feel free to check that out! https://gardefoilangueloi.wordpress.com/thesaurus-precum-latinarum/
Andrew, rem quandam gravem pontifex maximus declaravisse solet dicens tempus maius esse quam spatium. Quamquam lingua antiqua exactaque scriptum est sensuum defectui.
Andrew’s comment above captures (accurately, alas) the spirit of this age, which is to say the spirit of Saruman: “The words of this wizard stand on their heads.”
Here in South Dakota lately, highs in single digits and voernight lows below zero have been rightly stirring a keen desire for a lot of interiority!
Bas Rutten’s plain straight forward honesty is refreshing to hear. God bless him!
Thank you, ACardinal! My 10 year old recently asked to be taught the prayers of the rosary in Latin. So we were just getting out the Henle to begin formal instruction on Monday for all the children…but it’s been a looong time since I took Latin. We are fairly isolated and this will help our pronunciation immensely.
Thank you, Matthieu, for the thesaurus link!
Kerry-Don’t forget to add wind chill to those digits…It looks so sunny and inviting outside. It’s difficult to comprehend how such a gorgeous day can be so very cold!
Thanks for the link acardnal, great resource.
Fr. Z: Amen!