Young Catholics Show Interest in Latin Mass

Catholics show fresh interest in Latin mass

By JACQUELINE SALMON
THE WASHINGTON POST
December 7, 2007 - 9:15PM

WASHINGTON - Parts of it are 1,500 years old, it’s difficult to understand, and it’s even more challenging to watch. And it’s catching on among young Catholics.

It’s the traditional Latin Mass, a formal worship service making a comeback after more than 40 years of moldering in the Vatican basement.

In September, Pope Benedict XVI relaxed restrictions on celebrating Latin Mass, frequently called the Tridentine Mass, citing “a new and renewed” interest in the ancient Latin liturgy, especially among younger Catholics.

Spoken or sung entirely in Latin by priests who face the altar instead of the congregation, it is a radical departure for most Catholics, who grew up attending a more informal Mass celebrated in their native tongue.

And it is a hit with younger priests and their parishioners.

Here's the one that stood out with me because thats how I feel...

For some, the popularity of the service represents the gap between older Catholics, who grew up in the more liberal, post-Vatican II era, and their younger counterparts, who say they feel as if they missed out on a tradition jettisoned in the move to modernize.