It's really amazing that none of the apparent "Catholics" have anything to say about the substance of their "mass", only how beautiful it looks and how the devil hates Latin? What?

This will be good for the Catholic Church as it will again keep people in the dark as to what the church is speaking about. Martin Luther liberated Catholics over 400 years ago as to what was in the Bible. Seems like the liberation is ending. The sheep are heading to the slaughter.

J Gable, Concord , California

I am not aware that there has been any "ban" on the Mass in Latin. The Missal of Pope Paul VI (1962) is the basis for Masses in Latin which may, I understand, be celebrated without specific authority. The wider authorisation of the "Tridentine Mass" (which is said in Latin) and is based on the Missal current prior to the Vatican Council, is the issue herte. It is misleading and frustrating when the media quite wrongly refer to the reintroductuion of the Mass in Latin - the cuurent Missal is used for the Mass in Latin and, of course and more commonly, a whole range of vernacular languages including English! I agree with Mary's view that the more frequent celebration of the New Order in Latin is to be welcomed ( the Sung latin mass on most weekdays at 530 pm in Westminster Cathedral is a wonderful example), but I would not like to see any diminution of the use of the new rite in the home language.

peter Bush, Northampton, England

Another nail in the coffin of the Catholic church, keep it up. The lessons of Martin Luther have not been learned.

GMO, Glasgow, UK

Once again, thank God, I shall be able to reply to - 'Introibo ad altare deum' - with ' Ad deum qui laetificat juventutum meum' .Did we have to be so criticised for wishing to say our rayers in Latin? I am sure Our Lord wouldn't mind; so what else matters/

Phil Caff., Camborne, U.K.

I am delighted that we will be able to celebrate Mass in Latin once again but hopefully in the New Order as I have no wish to return to the Tridentine version. It is a particularly appropriate way to celebrate Mass at international gatherings and emphasises the universality of the church. If each parish had Mass in Latin say once a month people would very soon become familiar with the responses.Latin is after all the root of many English words. People in continental Europe have no problem switching between two and three languages, surely we are not so linguistically inadequate? Priests could immediately reintroduce the beautiful phrase 'Corpus Christi' at Communion.
I am really looking forward to it.

Mary, Belfast, N Ireland

Once again,thank God,I shall be able to reply to 'Introibo ad altare deum' with 'Ad deum qui laetificat juventutum meum'.Did lovers of the Tridentine Mass have to be so criricised? All we ever wanted to do and still want to do,is to pray. I cannot believe that the Almighty will reject and condemn our Latin prayers.

Phil Caff., Camborne, U.K.

Nice irony that this should come the same day the BBC attacks Imams in the UK for not preaching in English.

With Williams so keen to follow the Catholic lead on many issues, perhaps the Anglican Church will now attempt to reach out to its absent young congregation by preaching in Anglo-Saxon.

Giulio Napolitani, Ealing, London, UK

Concerns that the Catholic Church is spending time in bringing back the Latin Mass instead of concentrating on the injustices prevalent in the world today, is typical of the selective mindset of the liberals who changed it in the first place.
Perhaps a list of all the injustices that were occuring during the three years of Vatican Council 2 where these drastic and unwarranted changes were made may balance that particular offensive arguement.

Sam, London, UK

The big disadvantage with the Latin Mass is that most people do not speak Latin and will not be able to join in the sacrifice of the Mass, they will be able to watch it which isn't quite the same thing. Latin is a pleasant sounding language, rather like Italian, but if you don't speak Latin or Italian you are missing out badly attending a Mass in a foreign language. It really doesn't matter how pretty it is, what matters is can you join in or just watch.

Frindon

Frindon, Kings Lynn, UK

If you want to understand what this is all about I would urge you to read a very even-handed treatment of this whole issue in a book call: The History and Future of the Roman Liturgy by Denis Crouan STD. Ignatius Press ISBN 1-58617-015-5.
Whichever camp you belong to you will learn something.

DixitDominus, London,

The current Mass can be said in Latin without permission from anybody. What is being discussed is the Mass as it was in 1962 before Vatican II. It is the old rite and is very different from the current Mass even when said in Latin.

By the way, what is coming is not an "indult" - that is what is now in place. What is coming is a "motu proprio" - an action by the Pope under his own authority personally and on his own initiative.

The objectional prayers which are claimed to be "anti-Semitic" were removed before 1962 and are not part of the Mass under discussion.

Julia, Belleville , USA Illinois

The Latin Mass is constant. It is Mass as it that has been celebrated for centuries. It is Catholic, in that it is celebrated in the same language worldwide..
The Latin Liturgy is constant and not subject to the weekly interpretations of ever more performing priests. It cannot be changed to suit the politics of the celebrant.
It is beautiful and should never have been changed as a sop to progressives who believe that the Liturgy of the Saints througout the centuries is wrong.

Sam, London, UK

It is not clear to me why they do not simply authorize a simultaneous universal usage of the Tridentine Rite in the vernacular so that the majority of worshippers can 'pray with understanding.' The gentleman who spoke of the liturgy being in Greek from the beginning clearly does not know that a) the old Roman rite is very ancient; and b) that the Byzantine liturgy has changed massively over the centuries as can be seen in the work of its pre-eminent specialist, Robert Taft, s.j.

Brandon, Oxford, UK

This news is a major defeat for the Bishops in the UK who have been 'dumbing down' the Mass for years. It's now like going to a Supermarket, whilst listening to 'Bubblegum Music'. Mass should be as different from everyday life as it possibly could be. Reverence should be returned, with prayer as the main theme, instead of the continual jumping up and down in the services, as we see today.

C McGinn, Bath, UK

Throughout the period since Vatican II, Latin has remained the official language of the Latin rite of the Roman Catholic Church. The issue is not the use of Latin, but rather the reversion to a rite which has been superseded (and quite successfully so). Pope John XXIII saw fit to emove "perfidious Jews" from the Good Friday service. The current prayer for the Jews acknowledges the covenant between God and the Jewish people -- and, as the Vatican II Declaration on Non-Christian Religions has made clear, God never revokes his covenant.

Fr Kevin Laughery, Auburn, Illinois, USA

Welcome to the 16th century.

Jim, Massapequa, NY

This issue of the Tridentine rite is not simply a question of liturgical preference or aesthetics. It is much deeper - this rite fully expresses Catholic doctrine in a very clear way especially the importance of propitiary sacrifice of Our Lord on the Cross. Those who favour this rite need to be taken seriously within the Church;

Marie, Brussels, Belgium

I am delighted, especially because the occasional use of the Latin Mass should remind both clergy and laity of the Immutability of the Mass and serve to preserve its form even in living languages. Sadly, vernacular Masses in the new rite have been subject to ego trips and perversions that have, and do, threaten the whole purpose of its foundation, intention and form.

Vincent Howard, Winchester, UK

I suspect that the unpopularity of the Novus Ordo has much to do with the way in which it is celebrated in too many English churches - sloppily, informally and without reverence or ceremony. Where this happens there is no sense of mystery and, to quote Thomas Hardy, if there is no mystery there is no God. This need not be the case as anyone familiar with Solemn Mass at Westminster Cathedral will know. Moreover the Novus Ordo can be celebrated in Latin as is done at, for example, the London churches of Farm Street, Saint Mary's Cadogan Street and the Brompton Oratory, in the latter case with all the traditional ritual of the Tridentine Mass including the eastward position. At all four places the Novus Ordo provides a suitable setting for the very best of the Church's musical heritage.

Jon, London, UK

The immoral war in Iraq continues to rage out of control; millions of people around the world lack the basics of food, clothing, and shelter; quality health care is reserved for those who can pay for it; human rights are increasingly violated under the guise of national security, and my church decides that what it really needs to do is bring back the Latin Mass. May God have mercy on us all.

Andie, Fort Wayne, IN, USA

The UK Hierarchies, almost to a man, hate the Old Mass - cinfirming that it must be right.

Michael, Bridgwater, Somerset

Small PS
While I believe for ecclesiological rather than intrinsic reasons that the new Mass is valid, it is a demonstration of the mess that the Catholic Church has got itself into on matters liturgical that they promulgated a form of Mass in the 1960s that was even putatively invalid.

Christopher Gillibrand, Brussels, Belgium/ Europe

Patrick writes "the Novus Ordo (is) an ecumenical farce and heretical in places"
Although I am just as keen as anyone to see the return of the Tridentine mass, I think it is highly inadvisable for supporters of the traditional rite to demonstrate their rejection of the new mass in such strong terms. This is just putting ammunition into the hands of the opposition who will be only too quick to point out that one of the basic conditions for allowing the old rite to return is a clear acceptance of the legitimacy of the novus ordo. Just let us be thankful for the MP.

Paul , Bremen, Germany

Latin? Attend a Greek Orthodox service my friend, and get the liturgy as it's been since the beginning!

Chris, Cockeysville, MD

As the Vatican exorcist said, the devil hates Latin,

Christopher Gillibrand, Brussels, Belgium/ Europe

I am a Roman Catholic living just outside London. I am also a traditionalist Catholic and find it inconvenient having to travel 20 miles on a Monday evening just to attend the Mass that should never have been set aside. We believe that the so-called 'Tridentine' Rite of the Mass is the authentic and organic form of the Roman Rite, the Novus Ordo being an ecumenical farce and heretical in places. I'd like to go to a church in my local area instead of having to be put out, and preferably on a Sunday morning instead of weekday evenings. I for one welcome the Motu Proprio.

Patrick, Bexley, England

I am a Roman Catholic living in California, and think it will be nice to have the Tridentine Mass. I have only seen Latin Mass on television, but it seems very artistic and inspiring.

ken, Lodi, Callifornia, USA

How is the traditional Mass "antiSemitic"??? Is it wrong to pray for people's conversion?

Ken, Alexandria, USA/VA

Satan's defeat is imminent. Widespread Latin Mass will be a major blow to the Satanic domain on earth. They killed the Mass, but it will be resurrected. No wonder satan's fans are alarmed.

Marlon, Paris, France

Who cares. It is all Mumbo-Jumbo anyway.

Hippie, Somewhere,