Learning Latin resources

[justjeff]

I tried DuoLingo a couple of years or so ago and felt like I was learning the simple things pretty quickly, but then things seemed to escalate pretty quickly with lists to memorize. It started to dawn on me how different Latin is compared to English. Declensions, memorizing genders of words and so on looks like it will be difficult or take a long time.

I also noticed that DuoLingo wasn't going to be teaching me the ecclesiastical words and a main reason I wanted to learn (some?) Latin was to be able to read along in the missal without having to go back and forth with the English translation.

Of course being able to read encyclicals and historical documents like the writings from the Fathers of the Church would also be awesome, but it sounds like reading the early Church Fathers, like Augustine is much more complex and difficult than what was typical Church Latin in the Middle Ages.

In any event, I searched around and found links to what look like good resources that I saved. Fr. William Most apparently put together some useful resources for teaching his students ecclesiastical Latin, including some audio for pronunciation. I haven't tried any of these yet, but I hope to do so. I'll share the links in case they are of use to anyone else. The list isn't ordered very well, just some links I saved as I searched. Perhaps others can provide some useful insight and I can delete some that are now broken links, or duplicates or when better resources are available.

Learn Latin

Ecclesiastical Latin

https://learnchurchlatin.com/
https://www.churchlatin.com/biblia-sacra-latin-course
https://www.churchlatin.com/liturgical-latin

Latin by the Natural Method (Vol. 1), Fr. William Most
https://learnchurchlatin.com/2019/06/21/latin-by-the-natural-method-vol-1-fr-william-most/

Church Latin Links Master List
https://learnchurchlatin.com/2021/03/11/church-latin-links-master-list/

Latin vs. English: The Big Difference
https://learnchurchlatin.com/2019/06/14/latin-vs-english-the-big-difference/
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Learn Church Latin for Free
https://stcatherinecenter.wordpress.com/2014/04/08/learn-church-latin-for-free/

Conquer Latin: 3 Tips
https://stcatherinecenter.wordpress.com/2019/03/08/conquer-latin-3-tips/
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the new saint andrew bible missal
by missal commission - Publication date 1964
https://archive.org/details/newsaintandrewbi0000miss/page/n7/mode/2up

The missal in Latin and English, being the text of the Missale romanum with English rubrics and a new translation
by Catholic Church - Publication date 1949
https://archive.org/details/missalinlatineng0000cath

The Mantrina: A Latin Primer Especially Adapted to the Missal and Brevairy - no log in required - can download
by Cora Ilione Townsend - Publication date 1891
https://archive.org/details/mantrinaalatinp00towngoog/page/n5/mode/1up?q=missal

Missale Romanum Mediolani, 1474 - no log in required - can download
by Catholic Church - Publication date 1899
https://archive.org/details/missaleromanumm01churgoog/page/n28/mode/1up

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Dr Ed Peters - resources for Learning Latin
https://www.canonlaw.info/catholicissues_ecclatin.htm

Latin prayers etc. Dr. Edward Peters
http://www.canonlaw.info/latin_canticles.htm

Prayers etc in Latin
https://www.canonlaw.info/catholicissues_ecclatin.htm

A Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin (recommended by Dr Edward Peters)
by John F. Collins
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0813206677/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=ednpejdjcd-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0813206677&adid=0NW043AEDHE4ASJEQNQ3

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Learn a new language for free: Latin!
https://thecatholicspirit.com/faith/focus-on-faith/practicing-catholic/learn-a-new-language-for-free-latin/

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Learn a new language for free: Latin! - Deacon Nathan Allen
https://thecatholicspirit.com/faith/focus-on-faith/practicing-catholic/learn-a-new-language-for-free-latin/

Latin I, taught by Deacon Nathan Allen podcast
https://soundcloud.com/churchofsaintagnes/sets/latin-i

Latin Class II is taught by Dr. James May. These lessons presuppose familiarity with the rudiments of Latin grammar, specifically Units 1-13 in "A Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin" by John F. Collins. The course will begin with Unit 14: "Third Declension Nouns," and proceed to cover the remaining grammatical concepts in the Collins book.
https://soundcloud.com/churchofsaintagnes/sets/latin-ii

Latin Class III is taught by Dr. James May. These lessons presuppose familiarity with the rudiments of Latin grammar, specifically the first units in "A Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin" by John F. Collins. The course continues and will begin with Unit 25, covering the remaining grammatical concepts in the Collins book.
https://soundcloud.com/churchofsaintagnes/sets/latin-iii

Search learn ecclesiastical latin
https://www.google.com/search?client=avast-a-1&tbm=vid&sxsrf=ALiCzsaTbYaejY3GH8WfvRx1qF5WKvNkdQ:1660147870514&q=learn+ecclesiastical+latin&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiZy-Lg1Lz5AhWzKH0KHR3BBJIQ8ccDegQIOBAH
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Classical Latin

DuoLingo
https://www.duolingo.com/enroll/la/en/Learn-Latin

Lingua Latina per se illustrata : pars 1: Familia romana
by Oerberg, Hans H. (Hans Henning), 1920-2010
https://archive.org/details/lingualatinapers0000oerb/mode/1up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_Hm6HpnN5k

Lingua Latina Familia Romana Collection (11 vols.)
https://www.logos.com/product/36369/lingua-latina-familia-romana-collection

Your Catholic language; Latin from the missal (Log in to borrow)
by Ryan, Mary Perkins, 1912-1993
https://archive.org/details/yourcatholiclang0000unse/page/n1/mode/2up

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Liturgical Latin Resources
https://www.romanitaspress.com/liturgical-latin-resources

Training Guide for Teaching the Latin Responses of Mass
https://769053fd-c0ab-470f-b1ea-064c35f37234.filesusr.com/ugd/2c712b_2699e8cb243c43a1bb043927e7abab3e.pdf

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THE LITURGIA LATINA PROJECT
http://liturgialatina.org/

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Learn Biblical Latin by reading the Vulgata
https://learnlangs.com/biblelatin/

Learn Biblical Latin by reading the Vulgata
Supplementary material
https://learnlangs.com/biblelatin/books.htm


Latin resources
https://www.latin-online-translation.com/links

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Dreamt of learning Latin? Here's how you'll finally do it
By Thomas V. Mirus ( bio - articles - email ) | Jan 29, 2025
https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/dreamt-learning-latin-heres-how-youll-finally-do-it/

[Young men] should realize that this quotation from Cicero applies in a certain sense to them:
"It is not...so great a distinction to know Latin as it is a disgrace not to know it."
 Pope St. John Paul II, 1978

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[Geremia]

Fr. William Most apparently put together some useful resources for teaching his students ecclesiastical Latin

His method is the best I've seen, emphasizing both passive and active mastery.
Fr. Most's 📚 are already in the library.

[Geremia]

reading the early Church Fathers, like Augustine is much more complex and difficult than what was typical Church Latin in the Middle Ages.

Yes, St. Augustine's Latin is more similar to classical Latin than the ecclesiastical Latin that St. Jerome initiated. St. Thomas Aquinas's Latin is actually the easiest; cf. Dr. Jeremy Holmes reading St. Thomas Aquinas's Compendium in Latin and explaining its grammar ex tempore in Latin.
You'd be interested in Latinist Christine Mohrman's Liturgical Latin: Its Origins and Character: Three Lectures.

a main reason I wanted to learn (some?) Latin was to be able to read along in the missal without having to go back and forth with the English translation.

For that purpose, I used Byrne, Simplicissimus Ecclesiastical Latin Course.

[justjeff]

Thank you very much for all of the information and, of course, the resources.

a main reason I wanted to learn (some?) Latin was to be able to read along in the missal without having to go back and forth with the English translation.

For that purpose, I used Byrne, Simplicissimus Ecclesiastical Latin Course.

I have been asked to fill in as an altar server this weekend for a friend who went into the hospital. Fortunately, his operation went well & hopefully he will be out of the ICU today.

I'm thinking that I will be needing a little bit of a crash course on Latin pronunciation for the responses at Mass. Do you think I would be better off with Fr. Most's audio for that, or perhaps the Simplicissimus Ecclesiastical Latin Course or something else?

[Geremia]

I'm thinking that I will be needing a little bit of a crash course on Latin pronunciation for the responses at Mass.

PHONETICA LATINÆ - How to pronounce Latin by Ray Cui is a good resource; it has Ecclesiastical (and "Classical" 🤮) pronunciations.

[justjeff]

I'm thinking that I will be needing a little bit of a crash course on Latin pronunciation for the responses at Mass.

PHONETICA LATINÆ - How to pronounce Latin by Ray Cui is a good resource; it has Ecclesiastical (and "Classical" 🤮) pronunciations.

That looks very helpful. Thank you very much!