There are many such courses and I encourage readers to seek them out. Since they can be done from anyone on the planet, I would like to draw attention to this which has the support of the Latin Mass Society: priests, deacons and seminarians from in based in England and Wales benefit from an 80% discount. Cross-posted from LMSChairman.org
Yes, we are serious about promoting Latin! It is not only the key to the celebration of the ancient Latin Mass: this language is, within the Latin Church, an abundant well-spring of Christian civilisation and a very rich treasure-trove of devotion (Paul VI).
We have even arranged a way for your grasp of Latin to be certified by a senior academic Latinist at a British university: if you need to show anyone you have it.
Details here.
Do you wish you had better Latin — to follow the liturgy, or immerse yourself in the theology and history of the Church?
Since 2020, small groups have been meeting over Zoom to help individuals do just that, with the support of an accomplished ancient linguist Matthew Spencer (MA MSt, Oxford). Now, after "Traditionis Custodes", the Latin of the Roman Canon has become a particular renewed focus for many people. Therefore a special 3-month route, led by him to foster better linguistic understanding of this ancient text, which unites the vetus and novus ordo, has concluded in its first version just before Christmas.
A first repeat of the course (further details here) will begin in the last week of February 2022 for a limited number of people.
'The Latin Mass Society,' as Matthew writes, 'is generously supporting my targetted initiative by offering 80% bursaries to any Catholic priest, monk, nun, religious sister or permanent deacon or seminarian (or other Catholic religious) who has established ties to England or Wales.'
The standard course fee is £600 — reduced to £120 for LMS Bursary holders — and allows you to meet with no more than four others, together with the instructor, for two 1-hour sessions weekly over 12 weeks. (A short break of a few days will ideally occur every four weeks, schedules permitting.)
We meet on the days most convenient for the group.
As a special New Year offer, those who do not qualify for the bursary may take the three 4-week individual modules at a reduced price of £500 for all 3 modules — if they sign up or express an initial interest by 15 January 2022.
Alternatively any one of the 4-week / 8-hour modules may be taken for £200, based on your prior experience of Latin (please write directly to matthewjaspencer@yahoo.com
An independently moderated examination (conducted "viva voce") is now available for those who need, or would like, conformation of their level of Latin for pastoral or liturgical purposes, including episcopal approval.
About the three-month course a Dominican sister writes:
'I have found that by the way you blend actual reading from texts, group exercises and grammar lessons, I have been able to slowly assimilate everything as we have progressed. This has worked well for me.'
Please write for further details to: matthewjaspencer@yahoo.com
