Second Latin: Preparation for the Reading of Philosophy, Theology and Canon Law

"[Latin is the] language of wondrous spiritual power, transcending the boundaries of the nations . . . from which it is removed." St. Paul VI, Sacrificium Laudis

Latin is the universal patrimony of all Roman Catholics. It is one of the three holy tongues nailed to Christ's Cross, along with Hebrew and Greek. Most of all, it is the native language of the city where the holy First-Enthroned Apostle Peter and the Pre-Eminent Apostle Paul shed their blood for the Lord—that is, Holy Rome. And so, throughout the generations, Latin has become the language of the Western Church, and, in virtue of Rome's being the seat of Apostolic authority, the universal language of the entire Catholic Church. For over 1500 years at least, all Western liturgy was conducted in Latin, as well as canon law, theology, and philosophy. It is the language that when prayed devoutly burns the demons, "the language of the angels," "the speech of the Christian centuries," and "something of priceless worth," as St. Paul VI called it on the eve of its abandonment in the Roman Church's liturgy. Truly, the loss of Latin is the loss of the resonant reminder of the martyrs of ancient Rome, of all the Western Fathers, Doctors, theologians, and philosophers of the Church. But it is making a comeback, and you can partake of this immense heritage once again!

Serving as the second volume of a consummate course in Ecclesiastical Latin, Second Latin contains lessons and readings from the great works of Church history in canon law, philosophy, and theology—the vast majority of all Western Church writing. With 232 pages of vocabulary and reading and a 3000-word Latin-English glossary, this is a fantastic continuation of a course in Church Latin that will expand the horizons of any student. With this textbook in hand, you will be able to acquire the skills needed to participate in the perennial heritage of the Church of Rome and all of her daughters in the West. Truly this tongue is a pearl of great price in the treasure-house of the Church; Second Latin will take you deep into the trove.