Go-To Latin Phrases You Need to Know

The Latin Mass is often called “the closest thing to heaven on earth. Rich in history with a language that most closely resembles the spirit of the Gospels, the Latin Mass is considered, by many, to most accurately reflect the mystery of the presence of Christ at the altar. After decades of Novus Ordo (Latin for “New Order” is the 1969 Mass of Pope Paul VI in which the Mass was offered in English with additional changes such as the priest facing the congregation instead of the altar), there is a renewed interest in the Latin Mass. Indeed, with Benedict’s 2007 interest in revising the Latin Mass, many Catholics have been introduced to the beauty of the Latin language for the first time while others are recalling their great love for Latin.

Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina is Latin for Divine Reading. It is an invitation into the reading of Scripture wherein we enter the heart of God and he enters ours. It is a slow inhalation of as little as a word or as much as a paragraph that takes root in the soul of a reader. Lectio divina requires we let go of the world and let God, through the Holy Spirit, speak his sacred word divinely into our heart and soul. Oratio Ignita is Latin for Fiery Prayer. No longer satisfied with a mundane prayer life, a believer who enters into a more intimate union with God often finds that his or her prayer takes on a “fiery” or even a somewhat heightened aspect of communing with God. Erupting from the depths of the heart, oratio ignita reflects a deeper understanding of God’s will and desire to be in obedience.