Learn Latin Prayers
Chapter 7 - Prayers & Responses During the Traditional Latin Mass

9. Preface Dialogue Responses (Dominus Vobiscum – Et Cum Spiritu Tuo)

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The Sacred Exchange Between Priest and Faithful

The Preface Dialogue Responses—beginning with Dóminus vobíscum and answered by the faithful with Et cum spíritu tuo—form one of the most ancient and sacred liturgical exchanges in the Roman Rite. This dialogue immediately precedes the Canon of the Mass, calling the faithful to lift their hearts to God as the priest enters into the most holy moment of sacrifice.

From a true Catholic and sedevacantist perspective, this brief but profound exchange reaffirms the sacredness of the priesthood and the hierarchical nature of the Church. The correct response, “Et cum spíritu tuo” (“And with thy spirit”), is a recognition of the indelible character of Holy Orders and Christ acting through the ordained priest.

Yet, in the Vatican II pseudo-church, this sacred phrase has been deliberately mistranslated as “And also with you,” a modernist attempt to erase the distinction between priest and people, consistent with its agenda of destroying Catholic tradition and replacing it with a man-centered liturgy. The very structure and reverence of this dialogue is thus undermined in the New Mass (Novus Ordo), reducing it to a horizontal, casual interaction rather than a solemn spiritual exchange.

To preserve and pray this traditional Latin dialogue is to defend the integrity of the priesthood, affirm the sacrificial nature of the Mass, and resist the heretical innovations of the Vatican II sect.

1. Dominus Vobiscum – Et Cum Spiritu Tuo

Latin:

℣. Dóminus vobíscum.
℟. Et cum spíritu tuo.

℣. Sursum corda.
℟. Habémus ad Dóminum.

℣. Grátias agámus Dómino Deo nostro.
℟. Dignum et justum est.

English Translation:

℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.

℣. Lift up your hearts.
℟. We have lifted them up to the Lord.

℣. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
℟. It is meet and just.

📌 Key Notes:

  1. “Et cum spiritu tuo” Affirms the Priest’s Sacred Ordination – The correct response does not simply wish well-being to the priest, but acknowledges that he acts in persona Christi through the grace of Holy Orders.

  2. The Call to Lift Up the Heart Is a Preparation for the Sacrifice – Sursum corda calls the faithful to detach from earthly concerns and focus on the divine mysteries about to unfold in the Canon.

  3. A Declaration of the Mass as Thanksgiving – The priest’s invitation “Grátias agámus” reminds us that the Holy Sacrifice is the highest act of thanksgiving (Eucharistia means thanksgiving).

  4. An Ancient Formula Found in All Rites – These responses are so sacred and universal that they are used in the Eastern Divine Liturgies, the Gallican Rite, and the Roman Rite, reinforcing the unchanging nature of true Catholic worship.

  5. A Counter to the Protestantization of the Novus Ordo – The modernist mistranslation of “Et cum spiritu tuo” is a deliberate Protestant rejection of the Catholic theology of the priesthood. By preserving the correct formula, we affirm the divine institution of the priesthood and the necessity of apostolic succession.

2. Pronunciation Guide

Here is a word-by-word pronunciation breakdown using Ecclesiastical Latin:

Preface Dialogue - Pronunciation Guide

Preface Dialogue - Pronunciation Guide

Latin Phrase Phonetic Pronunciation Meaning
Dóminus vobíscumDOH-mee-noos voh-BEES-koomThe Lord be with you
Et cum spíritu tuoEt koom SPEE-ree-too TOO-ohAnd with thy spirit
Sursum cordaSOOR-soom KOR-dahLift up your hearts
Habémus ad Dóminumhah-BEH-moos ahd DOH-mee-noomWe have lifted them up to the Lord
Grátias agámus Dómino Deo nostroGRAH-tee-ahs ah-GAH-moos DOH-mee-noh DAY-o NOHS-trohLet us give thanks to the Lord our God
Dignum et iustum estDEEG-noom et YOO-stoom estIt is meet and just

📌 Key Pronunciation Notes:

  1. Dóminus – DOH-mee-noos

    • "o" is long (DOH), not short.

    • Stress on first syllable.

  2. Vobíscum – voh-BEES-koom

    • "sc" before "u" is pronounced "sk", not "sh".

    • "í" is long and stressed: BEES.

  3. Et cum – et koom

    • Straightforward pronunciation.

    • "cum" is always pronounced koom, never "kum" as in English.

  4. Spíritu – SPEE-ree-too

    • "i" is long (SPEE), not short.

    • Each syllable is clearly pronounced.

  5. Tuo – TOO-oh

    • Two syllables: TOO and oh, not blended into "twoh".

  6. Sursum – SOOR-soom

    • Both "u" sounds are pronounced "oo".

    • Stress on the first syllable.

  7. Corda – KOR-dah

    • "c" is always hard (k), even before "o".

    • Clear two syllables.

  8. Habémus – hah-BEH-moos

    • Stress on second syllable (BEH).

    • "h" is always pronounced in Latin (hah, not silent).

  9. Ad Dóminum – ahd DOH-mee-noom

    • "d" is soft, not harsh.

    • DOH-mee-noom repeats the same pronunciation as Dóminus.

  10. Grátias – GRAH-tee-ahs

    • "ti" before a vowel becomes "tee", not "tsee".

    • "ia" is two syllables: ee-ah.

  11. Agámus – ah-GAH-moos

    • Stress on second syllable.

    • All vowels clearly vocalized.

  12. Deo – DAY-oh

    • "e" is long (DAY), not "dee".

  13. Nostro – NOHS-troh

    • Stress on first syllable.

    • "o" is long: NOHS, not "naws".

  14. Dignum – DEEG-noom

    • "gn" is like ny in "canyon": DEEG-nyoom.

    • In speech, it's often softened to DEEG-noom in ecclesiastical Latin.

  15. Iustum – YOO-stoom

    • "i" at the beginning before a vowel = "y" sound.

    • Not "ee-oo", but "YOO".

3. Videos

LATIN: ℣. Dóminus vobíscum. ℟. Et cum spíritu tuo. ℣. Sursum corda. ℟. Habémus ad Dóminum. ℣. Grátias agámus Dómino Deo nostro. ℟. Dignum et justum est.

PHONETIC: ℣. DOH-mee-noos voh-BEES-koom ℟. Et koom SPEE-ree-too TOO-oh ℣. SOOR-soom KOR-dah ℟. hah-BEH-moos ahd DOH-mee-noom ℣. GRAH-tee-ahs ah-GAH-moos DOH-mee-noh DAY-o NOHS-troh ℟. DEEG-noom et YOO-stoom est

LATIN: ℣. Dóminus vobíscum. ℟. Et cum spíritu tuo. ℣. Sursum corda. ℟. Habémus ad Dóminum. ℣. Grátias agámus Dómino Deo nostro. ℟. Dignum et justum est. PHONETIC: ℣. DOH-mee-noos voh-BEES-koom ℟. Et koom SPEE-ree-too TOO-oh ℣. SOOR-soom KOR-dah ℟. hah-BEH-moos ahd DOH-mee-noom ℣. GRAH-tee-ahs ah-GAH-moos DOH-mee-noh DAY-o NOHS-troh ℟. DEEG-noom et YOO-stoom est

4. How to Integrate the Prayer Into Daily Prayer

  1. Respond to the Priest With Devotion at Mass – These responses should be spoken quietly and reverently, recognizing their spiritual significance.

  2. Pray "Sursum Corda" as a Morning Offering – Before starting the day, lift up your heart to the Lord as an act of preparation for your duties and prayers.

  3. Use "Grátias Agámus" in Personal Thanksgiving – When thanking God for blessings, adopt the liturgical phrasing of the Mass to sanctify everyday gratitude.

  4. Recite "Et Cum Spiritu Tuo" as a Prayer for Priests – This phrase acknowledges the spiritual authority of the priesthood. It can be used as a simple prayer for faithful priests who uphold tradition.

  5. Meditate on the Ancient Nature of the Responses – Knowing that these words have been prayed for centuries deepens their meaning and helps strengthen Catholic identity.

📌 When Reciting the Dominus Vobiscum – Et Cum Spiritu Tuo, Show Reverence and Devotion By:

  1. Standing with Attention and Stillness
    This exchange is sacred and ancient—stand upright, attentive, and composed to show your readiness to enter into the most solemn part of the Mass.

  2. Responding Clearly and Reverently
    When saying “Et cum spíritu tuo”, speak slowly and devoutly, understanding that you are acknowledging the priest's sacred office and the presence of Christ acting through him.

  3. Focusing Interiorly on the Mystery of the Mass
    These words mark the beginning of the Preface and Canon, the heart of the Holy Sacrifice. Fix your heart and mind on the altar and prepare your soul to enter into union with Christ’s eternal offering.

  4. Recalling the Biblical and Apostolic Origin
    Recognize that this exchange comes from apostolic tradition, and has been passed down through centuries in both East and West. It is a link to the Church of the Fathers and Saints.

  5. Rejecting Modernist Reinterpretations
    Say the response with intention—as a rejection of the Novus Ordo mistranslation (“And also with you”)—affirming instead the theological truth of the ordained priesthood through “Et cum spíritu tuo.”

  6. Unite Yourself with the Heavenly Liturgy
    These brief words echo what is spoken in heaven: a dialogue of grace between God and His people. Say them as though you stand before the throne of God.

5. Lesson Summary

This sacred liturgical exchange calls the faithful to lift their hearts and unite with the priest as he prepares to offer the Holy Sacrifice. The traditional response, Et cum spíritu tuo, recognizes the unique grace of the priesthood—something the Vatican II sect denies through mistranslation. Preserving this prayer is a defense of Catholic truth and liturgical tradition.

6. Final Thought – Why Does This Prayer Matter?

This brief but powerful exchange encapsulates the very heart of Catholic liturgy: reverent, hierarchical, and centered on God. It affirms the truth that the priest offers the Mass not as a mere “presider,” but as Christ Himself, acting through the sacred character imprinted on his soul at ordination. When the faithful respond with “Et cum spíritu tuo”, they are not simply offering a pleasantry—they are acknowledging this reality of divine mediation.

But the Vatican II revolution—born in rebellion and nurtured by modernism—replaced this sacred exchange with a deliberate mistranslation: “And also with you.” This was not a linguistic accident; it was a theological attack meant to obscure the unique role of the priest and conform the Mass to Protestant sensibilities. By erasing the distinction between priest and laity, the Novus Ordo liturgy reflects the false doctrines of the new religion: a religion of man, no longer of God.

This is why Dominus vobiscum – Et cum spíritu tuo matters so deeply. It is a line in the sand—a dividing line between the Catholic Faith and the counterfeit church that has usurped the structures of Rome. To speak these words in Latin, with understanding and faith, is to stand with the saints, to resist the modernist heresy, and to honor the unbroken tradition of the True Church.

“℣. Dóminus vobíscum. ℟. Et cum spíritu tuo….”

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