They like the sound of it, the vocabulary, the grammar, what have you. There are many reasons.
Latin has associations, and the Latin Mass has particular associations. Whether they should exist is a separate issue. Many Catholics feel a connection with their Catholic forebears when they attend Mass in Latin.
Some people like Latin Mass, some people can’t stand it. There is no “universal language” that everyone loves or understands.
I don’t think that God has “a language”, but the Church does. You see there are 6,000 languages spoken in the world today. So, if we (the Church) did not have our own language,we would have to translate every memo, every encyclical every motu proprio, into 6 THOUSAND different languages. .
Aah, so when someone walks into a Gothic cathedral, They feel a kind of connection with the Catholics of the past -so similarly when Catholics attend a Latin Mass, they are connecting in a way with other Catholics of the past. So it’s like fellowship with the dead… In a way. This could possibly even provoke the thought that one day we will be dead, just the same, and hopefully with God and His Church that is in heaven.
That’s a perfectly valid way of looking at it, and can be equally applied to any rite’s traditions, language, and architectural style. It’s truly a beautiful thing.
Surely most Latin Rite Catholics are not of Italian descent, so that’s not one of the main associations although it could be for some.
I agree. I’ve never thought of this before, but I think it’s good. I think now my picture of the Sedlec Ossuary makes more sense than ever…
. 
.Going by my own personal experience, people revere it so because the Latin Mass provides a deeply solemn, ancient, edifying and sublime experience in relation to the great mystery of the Eucharist and exhibits a deeply, culturally-satisfying mystical experience that taps into the Western soul in a way that is not entirely explainable or dissect-able. The lay participants know and understand everything happening even if they do not know Latin, and the mystique in the reverence of the Latin is very fulfilling in its edification of the importance of what’s happening right then and there on the altar. So in a way it is indeed it’s “oldness” that draws people, but not for the shallow reason of an appeal to antiquity, which doesn’t apply to Christ’s Church. It is because it is part of the Western patrimony and succinctly uplifts the Western soul with its ancient, transcendental beauty that perfectly punctuates the truly astonishing and wondrous occurrence upon the altar and the Cross.
Not always nearly so ancient as we often imagine. For one, the music of the Tridentine Mass has changed considerably from the 1500s to today.
You bring up some interesting points. But IMO we have to be careful we don’t return to paganism altogether. As I’ve pointed out, Latin and Greek at one time also served a pagan purpose and from what I understand early liturgies were styled in that fashion, but I could be wrong. What we do know, however, is that Latin, Greek, and Hebrew identify the crucified and resurrected Christ which we follow; the Church has made its mission to preserve these languages (Latin in the form of Ecclesiastical Latin) so we don’t lose track of that. However, you can also make a case that Old Church Slavonic or Aramaic belong to the Church as well. I won’t go as far as calling any one of them “God’s” languages because I don’t think God selects anything. But we are the ones who make use of His creation. All my opinion, of course.
All languages have served pagan purposes. Latin was the language of Nero as well as the Church. I’m pretty sure one could be pretty crude in Latin, in the day.
As do I, but I think I’d stick with Veterum Sapientia for at least the unchanging parts of the Mass.
I think you are referring to the “Communion of the saints”.
Rubbish.
An old man walks into the University Offices and says “I’d like to enrol for a Latin course.” The Dean looks at him and asks rather coyly, “How old are you, Sir?” “Ninety-three” is the reply. “Then why do you want to learn Latin, at your time in life?” “Well” the man explains “I realize I haven’t got long for this world, but if I go to Heaven I’d like to be able to speak to God and the Angels in their own language, and I’d feel more comfortable if I knew some Latin.” The Dean thinks, and then asks “But what if you don’t go to Heaven but go to — you know — the other place?” “That’s all right, I can already speak American.”
Rubbish x2. Please stop trolling the threads on this forum. Please read the forum rules before posting.
I’m not trolling, what makes you say that?
