[Wonder Warthog]

Thanks for the scholarly summary of the reasons Vatican II decided on increased use of the vernacular in the Mass. I simply have never understood the logic behind the fixation on Latin. Christ never used Latin. If we were pursuing a "historically exact" language for Mass use, we should be using Aramaic.

[vox_freedom]

I would not call it a fixation, nor a preference for the "language" unless one recognizes it as the "official language of the Church" which it has been and continues to be. It is a matter of tradition, a heightened sense of the sacred in the Latin liturgy, and a recognition the unique benefits which are provided in the unchangable reverence contained in the Latin Mass liturgy. BTW, I've never heard a traditionalist Catholic suggest that Christ spoke Latin. Why that is raised as a reason to deny the 1,500 years of Latin tradition in the liturgy since Christ's death on the cross doesn't confront the true and basic issues here. To borrow a few words:

What is the Traditional Latin Mass?
For nearly 1,400 years, the traditional Latin Mass was the Liturgy of the Roman Catholic world. This is the Mass at which every Pope, and Saint and Christian of the West worshipped from 600 A.D. to 1970 A.D. This is the Mass Catholic martyrs gave their blood to preserve during the Protestant Reformation. This is the Mass that unites Christians across Continents and across centuries. The traditional Latin mass has been described as “the most beautiful thing this side of heaven.”

What happened to the Latin Mass?
At the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), the Catholic Church dramatically changed the way Mass was celebrated. The Church’s goal was to make the Mass more accessible to the modern world. These changes resulted, for the most part, in the replacement of the Latin Mass with the new Mass, which most Roman Catholics of today are familiar. Many Catholic priests, however, such as Saint (Padre) Pio, continued, and still continue to celebrate the Latin Mass.

Why has the Latin Mass returned? With the crises both in the world and in the Church today, more and more people (young people, especially) seek an alternative to the “modern world.” They are returning in droves to the wisdom of the ages, to things tested and timeless. For many young Catholics and converts to the Catholic Faith, this has included a return to the Latin Mass.

What has Pope John Paul II said about the Latin Mass?
His Holiness Pope John Paul II called for the “wide and generous” availability of the traditional Latin Mass. He praised the Latin Mass for capturing a “sense of the sacred.”
Latin is the official language of the Church, and Pope John Paul II called for the greater use of Latin in the liturgy. Across the centuries, Latin has helped unify Roman Catholics from different countries and backgrounds. Because Latin is not an “evolving” language, the meaning of the prayers said at the Latin Mass do not change over time, but remain fixed. What is more, it is fitting to worship God in a special, sacred language reserved for this purpose alone.

If rumors become reality, perhaps Pope Benedict XVI will issue a motu proprio which recognizes the "pride of place" which was put forward in Vatican II for the Latin language and specifically Gregorian Chant music. We will see if that happens. We do know that Pope Benedict has strong views on preserving elements of our Faith's traditions, including that represented in the Mass of Ages and Latin.