The Books
Guides to the language of the Mass
Workbook-clear, reverent, and built for long reading — Richard Moore's books open the Latin of the liturgy to anyone willing to learn, pronounce, understand, and pray it.
Cover art: the Sacred Heart, by Norman Faucheaux
Novus Ordo: Rite of the Mass
Learn · Pronounce · Understand · Pray
A practical, workbook-style guide that opens up the Latin of both the older (Extraordinary) and the newer (Ordinary) forms of the Mass — pronunciation, where to place the accents, the grammar that holds it together, and the vocabulary that recurs, with selections from the Psalms and the traditional hymns.
Inside this book you'll find
- The Latin texts of the Novus Ordo and the Rite of the Mass
- Easy-to-follow pronunciation guides
- Proper accent placement and speaking tips
- Helpful Latin vocabulary references
- Selections from the Psalms and traditional hymns
- A straightforward introduction to Latin grammar
For priests, seminarians, choir members, Latin students, and any of the faithful seeking a richer appreciation of the Mass.
Look inside
The Consecration, in Latin and English
A single passage from the book, set as the book sets it: the words of consecration in parallel — the Latin of the Mass beside a faithful English reading, the stage directions kept small in the margin, as a missal would have them.
Consecratio Panis
The Consecration of the Bread
Qui prídie quam paterétur,
Who, the day before he suffered,
Accipit panem, eumque parum elevátum super altáre tenens, prosequitur: He takes the bread and, holding it slightly raised above the altar, continues:
accépit panem in sanctas ac venerábiles manus suas,
he took bread into his holy and venerable hands,
Elevat óculos. He raises his eyes.
et elevátis óculis in caelum ad te Deum Patrem suum omnipoténtem, tibi grátias agens benedíxit, fregit,
and with eyes raised to heaven to you, O God, his almighty Father, giving you thanks he blessed, broke,
Parum se inclínat. He bows slightly.
dedítque discípulis suis, dicens:
and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Accípite et manducáte ex hoc omnes:
Take this, all of you, and eat of it:
hoc est enim Corpus meum, quod pro vobis tradétur.
for this is my Body, which will be given up for you.
Hóstiam consecrátam osténdit pópulo, repónit super paténam, et genuflexus adórat. He shows the consecrated host to the people, places it on the paten, and genuflects in adoration.
Consecratio Vini
The Consecration of the Wine
Símili modo, postquam coenátum est,
In a similar way, when supper was ended,
Accipit cálicem, eúmque parum elevátum super altáre tenens, prosequitur: He takes the chalice and, holding it slightly raised above the altar, continues:
accípiens et hunc praeclárum cálicem in sanctas ac venerábiles manus suas,
taking also this noble chalice into his holy and venerable hands,
item tibi grátias agens benedíxit, dedítque discípulis suis, dicens:
once more giving you thanks he blessed, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Accípite et bíbite ex eo omnes:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it:
hic est enim calix Sánguinis mei, novi et aetérni testaménti,
for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant,
mystérium fídei,
the mystery of faith,
qui pro vobis et pro multis effundétur in remissiónem peccatórum.
which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Cálicem osténdit pópulo, depónit super corporále, et genuflexus adórat. He shows the chalice to the people, sets it on the corporal, and genuflects in adoration.
The book pairs passages like this with pronunciation, accent placement, vocabulary, and grammar.
The Psalms
Cover design in progress
Cover art: King David, the Psalmist, by Elizabeth Moore
Forthcoming
The Psalms
A translation built on a teacher's conviction: that one can learn the whole of the Latin language by learning the Psalms — and that David, who wrote them, foretold the very words Christ would speak from the cross.
King David, crowned and haloed on the cover, was painted by Elizabeth Moore — the shepherd-king who wrote the songs the Church still prays. See the original painting →