Ossa Latinitatis Sola Ad Mentem Reginaldi Rationemque: The Mere Bones of Latin According to the Thought and System of Reginald

From the first encounter with the Latin language to its full presentation, the objective of Ossa Latinitatis Sola is to get people into immediate contact with and understanding of genuine Latin authors, and for these encounters to grow into a love and use of the entire language in all its literary types and periods of time and authors of the past 2,300 years. By eliminating terminology and complicated introductions to the language, we emphasize what things mean, not what they are called, how the language functions, not artificial rules, so that people may have immediate access to real solid, natural Latin which they can then imitate and use. Reginald Foster’s method of teaching the Latin language is the result of over forty years of helping people in Rome to grow fast and solidly in the knowledge, use and appreciation of Latin by anticipating their questions and preempting their future problems. The complications and obscurities of certain other methods are hereby necessarily avoided. Outsiders will discover that Latin is supremely teachable and loveable and that every fear and terror about the so called insurmountable difficulties of Latin are non-existent and that its destination for only whiz-kids is sheer nonsense. Students will find clear explanations given in narrative form to be grasped and absorbed even in the comfort of a beach chair. Teachers will find the logical reasons why Latin functions as it does and consequently a ready instrument for teaching and a fresh method for communicating with students, supporting everyone in the learning process.

About the Author :
Reginaldus Thomas Foster is an American Catholic priest and friar of the Order of Discalced Carmelites. He formerly worked in the “Latin Letters” section of the Secretariat of State in the Vatican and was the ‘Papal Latinist’ from 1969–2009. Hecontinues to teach summer classes in Latin at the University of Milwaukee, USA. Daniel Patricius McCarthy, a student of Foster’s, is a monk at St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison, Kansas, USA and teaches Latin in London and Rome.

Review :
"Inspirational educator, the Rev. Reginald Foster is a master classicist who has devoted his life to saving Latin from extinction." - The New York Times "One of the world's foremost scholars in Latin." - BBC News "Foster is the Vatican's leading expert on Latin - expert enough to be charged with the official translation of papal documents into what was until 40 years ago the official language of the church." - USA Today "Father Reginald Foster, considered by many the worlds finest Latinist . . . and one of the Vatican's most colorful characters." - Catholic News Service