At the Seminary
Sunday, October 9, was a working Sunday in China. I've mentioned these before, and they either come before or after a week-long holiday, like Spring Festival or National Day. Because of this, many from our parish's regular choir were probably unable to attend Mass. As I watched about twenty of the seminarians file into the choir's place, I wondered if we few there might be treated to chant from the Seminary's Schola.
We were. And they were fantastic.
Not the entire Mass was chanted, but several parts were. The Kyrie was in Greek, and the Gloria, the Sanctus, and the Agnus Dei were all in Latin. As is his usual custom, the celebrant chanted the preface to the Eucharistic prayer in Mandarin. I could listen to him chant the entire Mass if he would in any language.
I don't have a strong opinion either way about the language of the Mass, but this was a great experience. I wonder, though, how Latin would work in a country where the languages do not have some root in Latin. Of course, in Mandarin, many of the transliterations, like 耶稣基督, Yesu Jidu, and 阿肋路亚, a le lu ya, are based on the Latin. But does Latin underscore the foreignness of the Catholic Church in China, more than it does the liturgical unity with the rest of the world? And I know I have linked to this many times before, but I think it is important to note that at one time, about 30 years ago, the Chinese government opposed Mass in the vernacular, and a very brave Fr. Zen sprung it on them at the Sheshan Seminary one morning.
Later in the week, on Wednesday, October 12, the seminary celebrated the 30th anniversary of the government re-opening. We did not make it to the Mass, but we still got to enjoy some of the continued celebration on Sunday. The church and seminary grounds were still beautifully decorated.
There were also posters outside the church with pictures from the past thirty years.
After Mass the surviving balloons from Wednesday were distributed to the kids. Seriously, they even had balloons.
We were. And they were fantastic.
Not the entire Mass was chanted, but several parts were. The Kyrie was in Greek, and the Gloria, the Sanctus, and the Agnus Dei were all in Latin. As is his usual custom, the celebrant chanted the preface to the Eucharistic prayer in Mandarin. I could listen to him chant the entire Mass if he would in any language.
I don't have a strong opinion either way about the language of the Mass, but this was a great experience. I wonder, though, how Latin would work in a country where the languages do not have some root in Latin. Of course, in Mandarin, many of the transliterations, like 耶稣基督, Yesu Jidu, and 阿肋路亚, a le lu ya, are based on the Latin. But does Latin underscore the foreignness of the Catholic Church in China, more than it does the liturgical unity with the rest of the world? And I know I have linked to this many times before, but I think it is important to note that at one time, about 30 years ago, the Chinese government opposed Mass in the vernacular, and a very brave Fr. Zen sprung it on them at the Sheshan Seminary one morning.
Later in the week, on Wednesday, October 12, the seminary celebrated the 30th anniversary of the government re-opening. We did not make it to the Mass, but we still got to enjoy some of the continued celebration on Sunday. The church and seminary grounds were still beautifully decorated.
There were also posters outside the church with pictures from the past thirty years.
After Mass the surviving balloons from Wednesday were distributed to the kids. Seriously, they even had balloons.
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