Res Latinae

All things Latin are coming back into vogue with the restoration of the Usus Antiquior to a place of honour in the Church. Our Pontifex Maximus having given us this great gift, many people are now looking for accessible Latin texts. Besides the celebrant's Missal (Altar Missal forthcoming from PCP, God bless them) there are also bilingual Missals available from various places. (The second bilingual link leads to Angelus Press, an SSPX operation; I don't agree with SSPX/Angelus generally but their Missal has larger print than Baronius and is easier to read especially for the older Mass-goer.)

As well as a Missal for full and actual participation in the Mass itself, one of the most important books for a Christian is the Bible. So is it available in Latin? Yes, as I explained here. I've since discovered that a combined Vulgate & Douai-Reims New Testament is available here, from Loreto Publications, the same firm that reprinted Deferrari & Barry's Lexicon of St Thomas Aquinas. (Though buying D&B from PCP might make more sense, as it's almost $20 cheaper!) Remember that the Douai-Reims-Challoner is as close and literal a translation of the Sixto-Clementine Vulgate as you're likely to get, so you'll always have a crib ready-to-hand for when you get stuck!

Finally, what if you have no Latin at all but would like to learn? There are two options for the Irish would-be Latinist. Firstly, set aside 8 weeks and approximately €2,5000 and do it in University College Cork. Alternatively, and more modestly, you can download a complete, absolute beginners Missal-based course in Latin from the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales. (Not to be confused with our own LMSI.) The LMSEW site seems to be down at the moment but this link will take you to an archived version of the page. It has the whole course in discrete .PDF modules or as a single .ZIP file, and is available for free download. So for all those budding Latinists, there is hope yet!

Their site is back up again, so Simplicissimus is available here too!

Apparently, I should play the harp! (I can't even play chopsticks!)

You Should Play the Harp

You are a sensitive soul, with a great admiration for beauty. You definitely have what it takes to make beautiful music, but most instruments are too harsh for you. You are subtle, shy, and even a bit spoiled. You're very picky about most aspects of your life. It's just your style to play an eccentric, hard to transport instrument like the harp that few people consider. Overall, you have the relaxed demeanor of a leisurely upper class person, and your music would reflect that. Your calm yet soulful harp playing would be sure to help people forget their troubles for a while. Your dominant personality characteristic: your zen-ness Your secondary personality characteristic: your quiet independence

What Musical Instrument Should You Play?

Calling all Thomists ...

Two things of interest to the Aquinas fan in your life. One I am simultaneously delighted and bitter about. Preserving Christian Publications (whom Fr Z seems to like a little) have the incomparable Aquinas Lexicon (by Deferrari and Barry) for $70! When I got mine, six months ago, I paid almost $100. But then after it got translated into Monopoly Money, it wasn't so bad. Anyway for those living in Euro or Sterling land, this is a bargain not to be missed.

Also if you're around Maynooth, Co Kildare in three weeks time, specifically on the 25th of October (that's a Thursday) at 7.00pm the Cairde Thomáis Naofa are having a seminar in Renehan Hall, St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth.

It opens with Gaven Kerr, Queen’s University, Belfast on The Limitation of Infinite Esse and the Self-Revelation of Being. (Gaven is an old friend, and a very good philosopher indeed.) At 8.00 p.m. then Professor Enrique Martinez, University of Navarre, Spain is going to talk about "Thomas Aquinas and the Incommunicability of Personal Being: A Consideration of Some Personalist Criticisms".

Well worth going, if you're at all philosophically minded.

Tagged by Therese

I've been tagged by Therese. Since she's a friend of my intended I'd better respond.

1. Do you attend the Traditional Latin Mass or the Novus Ordo?

TLM all the way! It's in St Audoen's on Sundays and NOW in St Kevin's, Harrington St on weekdays.

2. If you attend the TLM, how far do you drive to get there?

40 minute bus ride

3. If you had to apply a Catholic label to yourself, what would it be?

Just Catholic, actually

4. Are you a comment junkie?

So-so, it depends how interesting the topic is ...

5. Do you go back to read the comments on the blogs you’ve commented on?

Often but not always

6. Have you ever left an anonymous comment on another blog?

Once, by accident. I went back and claimed it though, as soon as I realised.

7. Which blogroll would you most like to be on?

The Dawn Patrol, since I'm already on Lowdenclear's!

8. Which blog is the first one you check?

The Curt Jester

9. Have you met any other bloggers in person?

TWO. Dawn Eden when she was last in Dublin. I've met Lowdenclear (I proposed marriage to her, in fact) but that was before I read her blog or she mine.

10. What are you reading?

PHECC Training Standards! Not exciting but it's for a report due tomorrow! Also, IaIIae for a course of lectures I'm giving. Oh and Jesus of Nazareth, by the Holy Father.

Bonus Question! Has your site been banned by Spirit of Vatican II?

Sadly, no but one day, hopefully!

I think I'm supposed to tag FIVE bloggers!! I don't know five bloggers but as this was an exercise designed to get to my fiancée, I'll just tag her instead.