But there is another, deeper reason why'd I'd like to see more Latin in the liturgy. As G.K. Chesterton pointed out over 80 years ago, there is a difference between a dead language and an everlasting language. On a practical level, Latin is immune to the everyday evolution and invention that keep most 'living' languages in a constant state of flux. This is important, because not only does Latin provide a bridge to our brothers and sisters that speak other languages in general conversation, but also provides a bridge both forward and backward in time; a bridge to the entire Latin Rite which has been using Latin in the liturgy since the 4th Century, and a bridge to those using Latin in the liturgy in the future. Latin provides an everlasting language for the Church.
There's an important, more focused reason why I like the use of Latin in the liturgy. Latin provides an important reminder that the Catholic Church of today is the same Church it was before the Vatican II Council. The use of Latin is a reminder of our Communion with the past, and that we can never and should never completely separate ourselves from the past as we face the future. The beauty of Latin should help us live that future.
