Why Latin?
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"A primary place must surely be given to that language which had its origins in Latium, and later proved so admirable a means for the spreading of Christianity throughout the West."
Veterum Sapientia
Sacrosanctum Concilium, The document on the Liturgy from the Second Vatican Council, states that "The use of Latin is to be preserved in the Latin rites." (p. 36) The Church allows for Mass to be said in the vernacular, but even the Novus Ordo (the New Mass) can be said in Latin.The nature of Latin
Of its very nature, Latin is most suitable for promoting every form of culture among peoples. It gives rise to no jealousies. It does not favor any one nation but presents itself with equal impartiality to all and is equally acceptable to all. Nor must we overlook the characteristic nobility of Latin for mal structure. Its “concise, varied, and harmonious style, full of majesty and dignity” 4 makes for singular clarity and impressiveness of expression.
Universal
A common language provides uniformity in the liturgy regardless of time and place. Latin provides a bond of unity between Catholics across the globe. In addition, the Latin language “can be called truly Catholic.” It has been consecrated through constant use by the Apostolic See, the mother and teacher of all Churches, and must be esteemed “a treasure … of incomparable worth.” It is a general passport to the proper understanding of the Christian writers of antiquity and the documents of the Church’s teaching. It is also a most effective bond, binding the Church of today with that of the past and of the future in wonderful continuity.
Immutable
Furthermore, the Church’s language must be not only universal but also immutable. Modern languages are liable to change, and no single one of them is superior to the others in authority. Thus if the truths of the Catholic Church were entrusted to an unspecified number of them, the meaning of these truths, varied as they are, would not be manifested to everyone with sufficient clarity and precision. There would, moreover, be no language that could serve as a common and constant norm by which to gauge the exact meaning of other renderings.
Dead Language? But Latin is indeed such a language. It is set and unchanging. It has long since ceased to be affected by those alterations in the meaning of words which are the normal result of daily, popular use. Certain Latin words, it is true, acquired new meanings as Christian teaching developed and needed to be explained and defended. Still, these new meanings have long since become accepted and firmly established.Non-vernacular
Finally, the Catholic Church has a dignity far surpassing that of every merely human society, for it was founded by Christ the Lord. Therefore, it is altogether fitting that the language it uses should be noble, majestic, and non-vernacular. Since the early days of the Church, Latin has been the official language of the Church. The use of Latin allows us to establish continuity with a language that Christ would have known.
Redacted from the encyclical Veterum Sapientia