“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues ... each one one heard them speaking ins own language.” (Acts 2:3-4) Throughout the world on this Pentecost Sunday nearly 100,000,000 Catholics will share the Eucharist in English. In Malta where the official religion is Roman Catholic, nearly 350,000 will speak Maltese on this Pentecost Sunday. Between Portugal and Brazil, nearly 150,000,000 Catholics will be sharing in the liturgy, speaking Portuguese. Surprisingly, the country with the highest percentage of Catholics, of total population, is the island country of East Timor (located north of Australia). They too worship in Portuguese. There are over 7,000 languages in the world, ninety percent of which are spoken by 100,000 individuals or less. 

From the early centuries of our Church Latin was the official language due to the influence of the Roman Empire. As Christianity took hold and began to grow throughout the Empire, the early fathers chose Latin, used by the Romans in their correspondence and official documents. In 1397 the Council of Carthage declared Latin as the official language of the Church and decreed the authenticity of the Old and New Testament written in Hebrew and Greek, respectively. As the Church spread beyond the Empire Latin kept the liturgies, teachings and practices unified. So much so that all the liturgical texts and documents of the Church were written and communicated in Latin through the centuries. As the use of Latin decreased throughout the world and in official parlance, the Bishops of the Church gathered for the Second Vatican Council, studied and discussed the possibility of vernacular within liturgies. From the Council came permission for dioceses to use the vernacular within certain parts of the liturgy.

An interesting viewpoint comes from a woman who lives in Montreal and sometimes attends Mass in nearby churches where the liturgy is in French or Italian. “I highly recommend attending Mass in a different language if the opportunity arises, perhaps while traveling or if there is a local parish that celebrates Mass in another language. A change from the familiar, a switch from the routine, can be a valuable blessing to heighten one’s focus or reduce distractions during the Mass and to develop or renew one’s awe and appreciation of the various rites.

To sum up, the Church is indeed universal. Participating in the Mass, in whichever language, is a powerful sign of the unity that connects Catholics around the globe. Each time we gather around the Eucharistic table for the fulfilling nourishment that only Christ can provide, we partake with others worldwide who are receiving the same sacrament.” (Sara Gagliano Tuliun) Pentecost stands as a major feast for our Christian Church, celebrating the beginning of our calling: While staying with them, Jesus ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father...for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5). Always falling fifty days after Easter, the word Pentecost has its root in the Greek word, ‘five’, and is prevalent in Judaism as it signifies the harvest festival of Shavuot. Within our understanding of the Holy Spirit, the name ‘Paraclete’ stands out as descriptive of this third person of Trinity, meaning educator, intercessor, teacher, helper, comforter. Without our full understanding of its grace and presence, it is the ‘Paraclete’ guiding our Church, reminding us of what Christ Jesus taught and exemplified. 

As we celebrate Pentecost, the Spirit-filled Church, an interesting thought to consider: “Bethlehem was God with us; Calvary was God for us; and Pentecost is God in us.”

 God Bless, Fr. Tim

FYI: “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” (Mark Twain)