05 September 2021

American Trys To Find Latin Speakers at the Vatican

I'm reminded of a story I saw a few years ago. A priest in Africa, who spoke no English, wanted to ask for missionary aid from the US. He wrote to the Chancery of a major US Archdiocese. I forget which one, but I vaguely remember it was in the Northeast. Having no English, he wrote in the universal language of the Church, Latin.

Upon receipt of the letter, no one in the Chancery could read it. Worse, they didn't even recognise what language it was written in. Someone at least recognised that it was a Romance language, so they took it to the appropriate department in a local university. There they were told it was in Latin and directed to someone who could translate it for them.

In closing, I draw your attention to Canon 249 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law (my emphasis):

Can. 249 The program of priestly formation is to provide that students not only are carefully taught their native language but also understand Latin well and have a suitable understanding of those foreign languages which seem necessary or useful for their formation or for the exercise of pastoral ministry.

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