Guess what? There are old books that were specifically written to teach the Latin texts found in the Traditional Divine Office.
Textbooks for Learning the Latin Divine Office
VTF: Medieval and Late Latin Selections
This just in! Newly in the Public Domain in the USA as of 2021, Medieval and Late Latin Selections (for the Use of College Students) by Charles Upson Clark and Josiah Bethea Game. My waiting to share this treasure is finally over!
Dictionaries for Church Latinists
No matter how good the glossary is in the back of your Latin textbook, it can only take you so far. Everybody needs a Latin dictionary, and if your particular interest is Church Latin, you need a specialized Latin dictionary. Here are some suggestions: Print Dictionaries A Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin by Fr. Leo F.... Continue Reading →
Vintage Textbook Find: A Primer of Medieval Latin
After your first year or year-and-a-half of Latin , particularly if you have used Fr. Most's books, you will be ready for a Latin Reader supplement. An excellent choice for visitors to this site would be Charles Beeson's A Primer of Medieval Latin from 1925 which is now out of copyright and available, scanned and... Continue Reading →
Latin by the Natural Method (Vol. 1), Fr. William Most
Latin by the Natural Method, Vol. 1, by Fr. William Most (1960, 2015 Mediatrix Press) 308pp. This is a wonderful first-year book for learning Ecclesiastical Latin. It's got students reading Latin stories from the very first lesson! Of course many of these, naturally, are taken from Roman legends and history and the Old Testament. But... Continue Reading →
Latin Grammar by Cora Scanlon and Charles Scanlon
Latin Grammar for the Reading of the Missal and the Breviary by Cora Carroll Scanlon, A.M., and Charles L. Scanlon, A.M. (1944, 1976) 334pp. "This Latin grammar is intended for students who are entering seminaries or religious novitiates without previous study of Latin..." says the first sentence of the preface. However, the authors of these... Continue Reading →
A Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin by John F. Collins
First off: NOT FOR LATIN NEWBIES! This is a very fast-paced course. If you have no previous Latin experience, you should start with another text. It's called a Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin, and technically it is, but it is not good for use as a primer for learning Latin--so caveat emptor!
