Pope Benedict XVI has established a new Pontifical Academy for Latin. The
VIS announcement reads as follows...
Vatican City, 10 November 2012 (VIS) - By the Motu Proprio "Latina lingua"
published today, Benedict XVI has established the Pontifical Academy for
Latin, which will be part of the Pontifical Council for Culture. The new
academy will be directed by a president assisted by a secretary, to be
appointed by the Pope, and will comprise an academic council. It will
supersede the foundation "Latinitas", established by Paul VI with the
Chirograph "Romani Sermonis" of 30 June 1976.
"The Latin language", says the Pope in his Motu Proprio, "has always been
held in high regard by the Catholic Church and the Roman pontiffs, who have
promoted the knowledge and diffusion of the language by making it their own,
able to universally transmit the message of the Gospel, as was
authoritatively confirmed by my predecessor Blessed John XXIII in the
Apostolic Constitution 'Veterum sapientia'.
"Since the Pentecost the Church has spoken and prayed in all languages known
to humanity; however, the Christian communities of the first centuries made
extensive use of Greek and Latin, languages of universal communication in
the world in which they lived, thanks to which the novelty of the Word of
Christ encountered the heritage of Hellenistic-Roman culture. After the fall
of the western Roman empire the Church of Rome not only continued to use
Latin, but in a certain sense also became its custodian and promoter in the
theological and liturgical fields, as well as in education and the
transmission of knowledge.
"In our times too, knowledge of Latin language and culture remains as
necessary as ever for the study of the sources of numerous ecclesiastical
disciplines including, among others, theology, liturgy, Patristics and canon
law, as confirmed by Vatican Council II. Furthermore, the 'editio typica' of
the liturgical books of the Roman Rite, the most important documents of the
pontifical Magisterium and the most solemn Acts of the Roman pontiffs are
written in Latin, precisely to emphasise the universal nature of the Church.
"However, in contemporary culture, within the context of a generalised
deterioration in humanistic studies, we see the danger of an increasingly
superficial knowledge of Latin, which may also be detected in the
philosophical and theological studies of future priests. On the other hand,
in our world in which science and technology are so prominent, we also find
renewed interest in the Latin language and culture, and not only in those
continents with Greco-Roman cultural roots. This interest seems particularly
significant inasmuch as it is present not only in academic and institutional
environments, but also involves young people and scholars from very
different nations and traditions.
"There is therefore an apparent pressing need to encourage commitment to a
greater knowledge and more competent use of Latin, in the ecclesial
environment as well as in the world of culture at large. To give prominence
and resonance to this effort, it is important to adopt teaching methods
adapted to contemporary conditions, and to promote a network of
relationships between academic institutions and among scholars with the aim
of promoting the rich and varied heritage of Latin civilisation".
The Holy Father concludes by saying that, "in order to contribute to the
achievement of these aims, and following in the wake of my venerated
predecessors, with the present Motu Proprio I today establish the Pontifical
Academy for Latin".
By this Motu Proprio the Pope approves the statute of the new academy "ad
experimentum" for a five-year period.
[11/12/12]
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