When Terminology Attacks!
It’s been a good summer for documents, so far. We’ve had: the pope’s letter to Chinese Catholics, Summorum Pontificum, and Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church.
Of course, the media have gotten things just as confused as they always do about these sorts of things. It seems like we’ve been hearing about “the Latin Mass” and “the Tridentine Rite” for ages now. I hope that people know what is meant by these terms, but we still must be careful to use proper terminology in order to avoid misrepresenting the truth.
For instance, where use is made of the provisions outlined in the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, I wonder whether people will begin to refer to “the Latin Mass” (as if the current Missal is not in Latin). Who knows what they would call the ordinary form of the Roman Rite (especially when celebrated in Latin) in such places? “No, not the Latin Mass … the Old Latin Mass … you know what I mean.”
Regarding the document on the Church, there have already been several documents since the Council which have clarified the proper terminology for referring to particular churches not in full communion with the Church or for referring to Christian ecclesial communities. The media, of course, is treating this document as if this is all news that is radically different from what the Church has previously taught.
