Latin Mass Appeal

March 15, 2007 12:00am | Herald-Sun | www.news.com.au

POPE Benedict, who last week told the world he does not care much for Bob Dylan, said yesterday that he would like Gregorian chant to make a comeback.

The 79-year-old Pope said the Catholic faithful should learn more of the chanting traditionally sung in Latin by choirs of monks since the Middle Ages.

"The better-known prayers of the church's tradition should be recited in Latin and, if possible, selections of Gregorian chant should be sung," he said.

He lamented that Latin, the church's official language, was disappearing and said he wanted priests to study Latin.

"Nor should we forget that the faithful can be taught to recite the more common prayers in Latin, and also to sing parts of the liturgy in Gregorian chant," he said.