Why The Traditional Latin Mass, Part 1

FatFather Martin von Cochem gives us the answer why the Mass must remain in the official language of the Church,
Latin. In his book, " The Incredible Catholic Mass", which carries the imprimatur, Father says, "The Holy Mass is not a sermon, it is not intended for the instruction of the people; it is the offering for them of the Sacrifice of the New Testament." Father goes on, " If the Mass were said in one of the living languages, there would be great risk that, as
the meaning of the words changed, the original significance of the formulas would change also, and against this danger the Church must guard. As the integral part of the religion cannot be altered, so the language of the religion must ever be the same. The unity of the doctrine in the Catholic Church throughout the world is beautifully illustrated
by the identity of the language she employs."

We note this book was originally published in 1704. Let us now see what has happened when the New Mass began being said in the vernacular.

     If we look at the New Mass and compare it with the Traditional Latin Mass we will notice that anything that is truly Catholic has been suppressed, if it is there at all. Starting at the beginning:

     " I will go in unto the Altar of God".  This no longer appears in the New Mass. Altar implies sacrifice and only the Catholic Church has sacrifice so this has been removed.

     The next thing removed was Psalm 42. " Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from the nation that is not holy: deliver me from the  unjust and deceitful man." Why was this removed? Is there no more deceitful men ? Are all nations holy and pleasing to God? This obviously refers to those outside the Church and therefore must be removed.

     In the Confiteor from the Traditional Latin Mass, we see: " I confess to almighty God, to the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist ,"etc. In the New Mass if the prayer is even said we see: "  I confess to almighty God and to you my brothers and sisters." After which the names of the Saints have been
removed. But what is more bothersome is the fact that Catholics do not confess to each other! We confess to God through the Priest.

     Next we see removed: " We beseech Thee O Lord, by the merits of the Thy Saints, whose relics are here, and of all the Saints, that Thou would vouchsafe to forgive me all my sins." Of course with the Altar now a table there are no relics and  we no longer want to mentions Saints as this is not pleasing to those outside the one true Church.

     Next in the Gloria of the Traditional Latin Mass we see: " Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace to men of good will." In the New Mass we see: " Glory to God in the high and peace to His people on earth." We see the New Mass implies that all men have good will.

     In the Credo in the Traditional Latin Mass we read, " I believe" Credo in Latin means I believe. In the New Mass we see, " We believe". We will be judged as individuals and not as a group. The Credo is a personal profession of faith.

     In the offertory of the Traditional Latin Mass we read, " Accept , O Holy Father, almighty and eternal God , this unspotted host. Which I , Thy unworthy servant, offer unto Thee, my living and true God, for my innumerable sins, offenses, and negligence's, and for all here present: as also for all faithful Christians, both LIVING AND DEAD, that it
may avail both me and them for salvation unto lifer everlasting." In the New Mass we see nothing mentioned about the dead. We know that Luther was an enemy of praying for the dead. Again we see the New Mass being made more acceptable for those outside the Church. Translation you say ? No an obvious omitting of Catholic doctrine.

     We notice that Ps. 25 6-12 has been left out of the New Mass.  I guess because the priest says, " I will wash my hands among the innocent: and I will compass Thine altar, O Lord." There goes that altar word again.

     In the Orate Fratres there is no longer any distinction between the priest's sacrifice and that of the people. In the Traditional Latin Mass we have, " Brethren, pray that my Sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God the almighty."
 Notice the distinction.  However in the New Mass we see, " Pray brethren that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father." Notice there is no longer a distinction between the priest's sacrifice and the people's sacrifice thus reducing the role of the priest. As we know Protestants do not believe in the priesthood. It is important
at this point to note what the dogmatic Council of Trent states as the role of the priest. " The priest is also one and the same, Christ the Lord; for the ministers who offer Sacrifice, consecrate the holy mysteries, not in their own person, but that in that of Christ, as the words of the consecration itself show , for the priest does not say, This is the body of Christ, but this is my body, and thus acting in the person of Christ the Lord, he changes the substance of the bread and wine into the true substance of His Body and Blood." So we see there must be a distinction between the priest's Sacrifice and the people's.  Are all of these items and bad translations just a coincidence that point to a more Protestant pleasing Mass? I think not.