What are the main arguments for using Latin in the Liturgy?

[Dgilomen]

It doesn’t matter if you personally are not a world traveler, what matters is that world travelers, or at least those who are not fluent in English might visit your parish.

The Christian thing, therefore, would be to welcome them and be prepared to worship with them in a common language. Anything less would be rather selfish. It would be pretty much saying to the visitor “So what if you don’t speak our language, we are going to worship in our language alone because we won’t take the time to follow Vatican II and learn the responses in Latin, and if you cannot follow along in our language, tough noggies”

Brendan - Are you suggesting that the parish of 900 families should accomodate the occasional world traveler at every mass, every week of the year? That IS welcoming… I didn’t realize I was being so selfish.

I would wager that those world traveling visitors would rather hear the mass in their own native tongue when they are at home the majority of the time and “suffer” through a mass in a foreign language when they are abroad. If/when I travel, I will gladly attend mass and follow along with the symbolism, as others have suggested, and have a missal in English to keep up.

 

[Brendan]

Brendan - Are you suggesting that the parish of 900 families should accomodate the occasional world traveler at every mass, every week of the year? That IS welcoming… I didn’t realize I was being so selfish.

They should be prepared to, yes. That means, for larger parishes, having one of the Masses be in Latin ( readings in vernacular) and some Latin responses in the others. Smaller parishes should look to have a Latin Mass once a month or every other week.

John Paul II said that should be the case to the US bishops in one of their ad lima visits, and it, of course, corresponds to what Vatican II taught on the matter.

Cardinal Arinze reiterated that in a letter on the use of Latin and Chant in the liturgy

1. What is expected of us?

As we seek to conclude these reflections, we can ask ourselves what is expected of us.

We should do our best to appreciate the language which the Church uses in her liturgy and to join our hearts and voices to them, according as each liturgical rite may indicate. All of us cannot be Latin speakers, but the lay faithful can at least learn the simpler responses in Latin. Priests should give more attention to Latin so that they celebrate Mass in Latin occasionally. In big churches where there are many Masses celebrated on a Sunday or Feast day, why can one of those Masses not be in Latin? In rural parishes a Latin Mass should be possible, say once a month. In international assemblies, Latin becomes even more urgent. It follows that seminaries should discharge carefully their role of preparing and forming priests also in the use of Latin (cf October 2005 Synod of Bishops, Prop. 36).

And there is also Blessed Pope John XXIII Apostolic Constition Veterum Sapientia, which counciled against anyone teaching against the use of Latin in the liturgy

In the exercise of their paternal care they shall be on their guard lest anyone under their jurisdiction, eager for revolutionary changes, writes against the use of Latin in the teaching of the higher sacred studies or in the liturgy, or through prejudice makes light of the Holy Sees will in this regard or interprets it falsely

Considering that this is the very Pope to called Vatican II in the first place, it’s a good indicator of the mind of the Church at the Council.

I would wager that those world traveling visitors would rather hear the mass in their own native tongue when they are at home the majority of the time and “suffer” through a mass in a foreign language when they are abroad.

No, because the Church teaches that the faithful should actively participate, at times interiorly, other time exteriorly. And besides, it not about our personal desires, it’s about what the Church teaches on the matter.

 

[Ace86]

what are the main arguments for using latin in the liturgy instead of the vernacular language?

Because of TRADITION!!!