Keeping Up the Faith

Latin and Music. These were two things I have learned from Mommy Rosie. I learned Latin from her not because she was an expert in that dead language, but she had a missal which was in vogue years ago (even before I was born) when the Mass was said in Latin. So words like “Dominus vobiscum” and “Deo gratias” come to mind. Furthermore, some prayers that she would say were in Latin such as the Requiem Aeternam (“Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord…”) and the Gloria Patri (“Glory to the Father…”). My appreciation of Latin was enriched further through the songs she would either sing or teach others to sing. You see, Mommy was the Cantora Mayor in St Mary Magdalene Parish in Kawit, Cavite years ago. As such, she would train the singers (acting as Virgin Mary, St Joseph, or angels) during the Christmas or Holy Week celebration. Songs such as the Hosanna Filio David (“Hosanna to the Son of David”), being sung during Palm Sunday (in many variations); Regina Caeli (“Queen of Heaven”), during the Salubong; or Salve Regina (“Hail Holy Queen”), during the Flores de Mayo all come to mind. I might have told you, in one previous article perhaps, that one Salubong, I joined my voice to those girls dressed as angels as they sang the Regina Caeli!

There is something in Latin that I like. It could be its elegance, its sacredness, its ability perhaps to lift up one’s heart! Whatever the reason, I’m happy that Mommy gave me a glimpse of how things were when the Mass wasn’t yet in the vernacular and how that language has survived in liturgical celebrations of the Church in spite of the changes brought about by Vatican II.

And yet, sadly our hierarchy has decided to amend once again the translation of the English Mass by making it more faithful to the Latin text. I don’t see any problem with that, but please not at the expense of making the vernacular sound horrible. Until now I am struggling to say “And with your spirit” or “consubtantial with the Father”. Apart from controversial, these changes ignored that each language has its own nuances and if you literally translate one from the other, you won’t be able to impart clearly the message from the original language.

I’ll make a detour now before I go on and on with my ranting (Baka magalit sa akin si Mommy!)

Mommy, as far as I’m concerned, was such a great member of the Church because of how she used her skills and talent in singing and in participating at Mass – first in Latin and then in the vernacular – for God’s glory and the good of His people. Her good example is an inspiration for us to keep up the faith especially in these trying times.

Happy 75th birthday, Mommy Rosie! May God bless your kind soul! We love you!