Posted on 10/07/2005 6:26:10 PM PDT by NYer
Will Lead Oct. 17 Eucharistic Hour
VATICAN CITY, OCT. 7, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI spoke unexpectedly during the Synod of Bishops, offering a reflection on the sacrificial dimension of the Eucharist.
"The Holy Father wished to contribute to the fraternal spirit" at the end of the session of free interventions on Thursday, according to a news bulletin issued by the synod's General Secretariat.
A synod spokesman, Isidro Catelli, said today that the full contents of the Holy Father's 10-minute, spontaneous intervention would not be published immediately.
Catelli did say that the Pope spoke about the theology of the Eucharist with the knowledge he has as a former university professor.
ZENIT learned that the Pope's talk might be published once the transcription is revised by the Pontiff himself.
Father Giorgio Constantine, spokesman of the synod to Italian-speaking journalists, said in a briefing that "it was a wonderful intervention, of a great theologian, perhaps the first papal intervention in a synod's free discussion."
Adoration
Father Constantine also disclosed that Benedict XVI has decided to propose an hour of Eucharistic adoration in St. Peter's Basilica. The adoration will be led by the Holy Father himself on Monday, Oct. 17, from 5-6 p.m.
Legionary of Christ Father John Bartunek, spokesman for English-speaking journalists, said Thursday the Pope is participating with much attention in the synod's works.
On Thursday he arrived equipped with the working papers in a black briefcase, equal to the one given to all the synod participants.
Benedict XVI sits in the central chair of the synod's new hall, and at times greets the synodal fathers, or thanks them at the beginning and end of each session.
During coffee breaks, the Pope meets with the synod's working groups, which are divided by languages. In past days he spoke with members of the French-speaking groups, and today he spoke with the Spanish-speaking groups.
"More important still, we need to bring back the common theology "
That's the goal, Latin is a part of the means.
Maybe I am wrong, but I heard that even at Vatican I many bishops had a hard time communicating orally in Latin. In the 19th Century the usuall means was French.
"Maybe I am wrong, but I heard that even at Vatican I many bishops had a hard time communicating orally in Latin."
Another means of separating the wheat from the chaff, perhaps.
Agreed. I would like to see Latin reintroduced not at the seminary level, nor even at the High School level, but universally at the Middle School level. Culturally and academically, the restoration of Latin as a real language (and not just a tool for studying Caesar) would be a boon for Western society.
Vivat lingua materna in corde hominum!
Long live the mother tongue in the heart of mankind?
or "The mother tongue lives in the heart of mankind?"
(I have a smattering of a few languages, but the only ones I really speak are English and Japanese.)
Long live the mother tongue in the heart of mankind?
or "The mother tongue lives in the heart of mankind?"
(I have a smattering of a few languages, but the only ones I really speak are English and Japanese.)
Homo, -is is a third declention noun. Hominum is genetive plural.
Ah. Maybe someday I'll have the leisure to put in some serious study.
Newman once commented that the problem was pronunciation. An Englishman could not be really fluent in Latin IF he had to adopt an italianate pronunciation. And if he tried, the Italians would simply sneer. Latin was better as a common written means. sort of like Chinese writing is common currency between northern and southern Chinese.
"As for Latin, a common language would be good to bring all the bishops of the world together. More important still, we need to bring back the common theology that was taught when Latin reigned in the seminaries and universities."
I suspect that most if not all speak latin to varying degrees. The issue is "varying degrees". If you're a Bishop in China, how often do you actually get to converse in latin? I suspect not so much, and probably with an accent that makes it difficult for you to be understood in any case.
And then there is the issue of the eastern churches, some of whom (the Melkites come to mind) might not be willing to speak latin in an official setting such as a synod. Regardless of whether they happen to speak it fluently.
Pope Benedict is a linguist. Switching between languages for him is fairly easy. He's also a scholar and very interested in what people are thinking. Sometimes things are better expressed in one's native tongue than in a second or third language.
Bumping.
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