Konvertitens möte med det liturgiska latinet Upplevelsen av latin som liturgiskt medium och konfessionell identitetsmarkör i en katolsk församling i Sverige

Sammanfattning

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how former and prospective converts perceive the use of liturgical Latin within the Roman Rite in a local Swedish context. The case study focuses on the significance attributed to the language in personal religious practice and its contribution to the Catholic religious identity. The collected data is contrasted with common arguments for and against the use of Latin in the liturgy, as well as arguments concerning the significance of language for confessional identity. I primarily take as my point of departure directives from the magisterium of the Catholic Church, with particular consideration given to statements issued by the Holy See, and I subsequently highlight the common arguments advanced in support of these positions. Regarding the role of language in confessional identity formation, I also rely on non-ecclesiastical theorists, particularly prominent linguists.The case study comprises fifteen individuals from a Catholic parish in Sweden. Two of these are priests who converted from other Christian denominations. I combined qualitative and quantitative methods in the hope of maximizing the number of participants. All respondents completed a survey, and five of them later participated in interviews.My hypothesis was that Latin serves a dual function: firstly, as a cornerstone of personal religious practice and confessional identity formation, and secondly as a means of shifting focus from the secular to the sacred. Of my fifteen respondents, only two expressed ideas consistent with the complete formulation of my hypothesis, although all respondents agreed with certain aspects of it.In summary, the study demonstrates that Latin elements are appreciated within the liturgy in this Catholic parish, and that Latin is regarded as an important component of Catholic identity, even though most respondents do not experience Latin as facilitating contact with the heavenly realm.