Retired Cardinal's Summer Gig

Helping teach Latin.

A lecturer priest says he is pleasantly surprised to see an unexpectedly high number of people enrolling in his summer course in classical Latin at a government-funded university.

"I'm so glad to see so many applicants," said Father Louis Ha Keloon, the course's main instructor. It "reflects a growing interest and cultural quality here that some people are attaching importance to the Latin language when they want to deepen their understanding of Western civilization," he said.

... "Most of [the students] are not Catholics." ...
Due to the large number of participants, Father Ha has sought help from three other instructors.

To arouse the students' interest further, Father Ha has invited Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, retired Bishop of Hong Kong, who has taught Latin and is fond of Gregorian chants, to be the guest speaker at an open lecture on "Latin Chants" and to introduce several medieval Gregorian hymns on Aug. 6-7. The prelate celebrates the Latin Mass occasionally.

Some of the students shared why they want to learn the ancient language: