For the fifth year in a row, volunteers are offering four levels of Latin at the downtown San Diego parish of Our Lady of the Rosary – at no charge.
Classes include children from second grade through high school and “even a few adults, who asked to be included,” according to one of the volunteer teachers.
The two first levels use The Phenomenon of Language, second edition; the upper two levels use Jenney’s First Year Latin, 1990 edition. “Phenomenon of Language, in spite of its unfriendly title, is the best way to introduce Latin to young students. There is clever sense of humor and easy to understand repetition of key grammatical points,” said one of the teachers at Our Lady of the Rosary.
Students come from a wide variety of Catholic families from San Diego and suburbs. A number of evangelicals have joined in. “Evangelicals seem to be catching on to the importance of the classics. One of our Evangelical students has gone on to study Greek,” added a parent who has observed the program.
Classes are held every Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon in back of the church, in the classrooms attached to the Italian Community Center at State and Date streets.
(Adults with even some Latin background welcome to join the volunteer teaching staff.)
This year’s classes begin on Wednesday, September 5.
For more information, email materdomo@aol.com or call (619) 235-3000, ext. 222).
Sounds great. How fortunate for the families around SanDiego. I’ve been trying to learn some basics on St.Michael’s tv that offers some excellent lessons that one can go at on one’s own schedule. We’re never too old to learn…or too young!
“I’m not interested in your dopey religious cult.” – Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione.
this would be a very helpful phrase to know when someone comes to your door promoting some sect…
I have a sign, Max, that is a little more charitable about the whole situation in my window, but then very few “cult” people could read the Latin anyway, so I doubt they would be insulted. After I put up the small sign, no one knocks on my door trying to sell me flyers that tell me I belong to “the whore of Babylon”. That is really quite refreshing.
Regarding my last post, for those who do not know some of the Jehovah’s Winess literature that is sold from door to door refers to the Catholic Church and other relgions in those terms taken from the Book of Revelations. Of course, that book was not talking about the Catholic Church but the more promiscious pagan religions of the Roman Empire.
ANNE T., love your sign!!! :)
My sign, Max, has a picture of Our Lady on it and merely states that we are Catholic and no literature of other religions is needed. It is polite and works. Occasionally, though, someone sticks a brochure on our doormat, but they never bother to knock.
Just the kind of good thing one would expect at Our Lady of the Rosary, and oasis in a pretty dark field.
When the GOP Convention was in Sad Diego, I asked the now deceased saintly Msgr. Andreatta where I should go to Mass. Yep he recommended Our Lady of the Rosary.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Similar thing is being offered in San Dimas (Eastern Los Angeles County). Four levels of Latin offered to homeschoolers (since 2006). From 5th grade to 12th grade using Latina Christiana and Henle 1st & 2nd Year.
For info contact ebinerloyola@gmail.com. Classes start in early September.
I have a Holy Water vessel and a scary metal sculpture my husband made rather like you see on the roof of Notre Dame Cath. among other things. We live remote…not even tricker treaters come begging. Just friends and family . The lady down the road is a Witness but they rarely try to convert neighbors apparently. She wouldn’t even let a neighbor borrow her phone when theirs was out.. some witness. A local student placed fourth in the US in a Latin test /competitionthis spring. They teach it through high school and then work w/local univ. for college level. My son had French 6 by the time he was a senior…he rode 2500 mi on his Schwin 10 spd across Europe and the French thought he was at least a Swede or German haha. Very important to learn Latin,though!