Latin is a beautiful language, spoken, chanted and heard, there is no doubt about it. There’s also no doubt that it can be painfully difficult to actually learn it. So how do you teach your kids without losing the good, the true, and the beautiful contained within this universal language of the Church? A new children’s book has arrived as a possible solution for parents asking the same question.
Two gorgeous picture books are among TAN Books’ new releases, and are the perfect thing to teach and instill the mystery and beauty of Latin Prayers and The Latin Mass.
It brings images of incense rising and alter boys reverently serving, stained glass and candles. All five senses are fully engaged as you flip through the pages of these books. Let’s take a sneak peak to see what you will find in their pages!
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus
The subtitle describes it as “An Introductory Latin Missal” yes, but I find myself reaching for this book happy for the help as an adult leading children as I learn alongside.
First off, the illustrations by Adele Hude are nothing short of stunning. Every time I flip through the book more details stand out. Like on the Eucharist is Christ Crucified. The wounds are on Jesus’ hands. The images for the gospel writers. Angels and saints. Christ dressed as our priest, to show us the reality of Christ Personified through our priests in the sacrifice of the mass. And this is just what I have found so far on the front cover!
However in simple explanations, the illustrations are kept simple and easy to understand. I love the harken to children’s book illustrations from a few generations back, this classic look draws you in both to admire the lovely but also makes you careful not to miss a thing.
The format of this missal is so easy to follow, Latin on one side, English on the other.
Or for shorter prayers, Latin and English on one page with full page art depicting what is happening on the alter and in heaven on the other.
A view from the tabernacle. Priest, alter boys, congregation and even the choir in the loft are all lifting up their prayers in one voice. Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us….
Children are lead from the beginning of mass to the end with their own picture book to follow while the adults rustle through their missals with bookmarks moving. Watching many kids, I noticed how included this made them feel as they watched others flipping pages and were able themselves to participate and see what was going on in their pages when we aren’t in the front pews able to see everything. This book is everything and more that I was hoping it would be. In fact, I’m thinking of getting a few more copies to keep just for our own mass bag until the smaller children are ready for missals of their own. While I am wrangling smaller children and learning myself, this will be a great aid! Get your copy by following this link.
Oremus
This book of prayers is great for all young Catholics as it teaches our most common prayers. You’ll be able to join along in any mass with the knowledge of these prayers committed to memory.
How many of these prayers do we say without pondering what we are really saying? Seeing the Latin and English in an interlinear (side by side) form reminds me to slow down and not simply get lost in the cantor’s hauntingly beautiful rhythm and pace, but to reverently pray them from the heart.
How perfect is this? Hosanna in the highest as Christ rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. Mother with a child in the front of the crowd. Bring these children to Jesus, the picture seems to beacon.
Powerful image that will have kids asking questions. As they rightly should! Be ready with answers and when they catch you off guard with a particularly interesting question, don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know and go in search of the answer with them. Click this link to add this lovely book to your collection!
Hopefully these two books will open up the Latin Mass to you and your children as beautifully as they have me and mine. Add them to your parish and the mass bags of the children in your lives today!