Father Perricone describes the beauty of Latin in the Mass while answering a question during one of his lectures:

I simply want to say that Latin was never a problem for the faithful who attended that Mass before the Second Vatican Council. 

That’s when our churches were absolutely packed. Packed. Why? You’re right, 99% of Roman Catholics didn’t speak Latin, most priests did not. But you see, Latin was not there so much to be understood word-for-word. It was there to convey the mood of the sacred. It was there to convey the mood of the great mystery of the holy sacrifice of the Mass. That was its language. The language of the transcendent. The language of the ineffable. The language of the majesty of Christ's crucifixion.

So even someone like my grandmother who went to the third grade. And only the third grade. Would be able to go to the Latin Mass and become a saint. Which she was. Because she understood the Mass perfectly. Because of the Latin language that was conveying to her the truth that she needed to know as a Catholic. The truth that she needed to know as a Catholic to become a saint.

That there was something happening here that was different than anything in the cosmos. Anything in the cosmos. And the very, very alien form of the language became a magnet to help us understand we have left world, with all its languages that can be spoken and understood and we have entered a realm of heaven. Where not only is a different language being used. because there is a different kind of mystery here present before us. But, also because we are stepping into a wholly different world.

Oh no, the Latin language, you're right, no one understood it!  But they understood by virtue of the Latin something far more important. A sense of mystery, and transcendent, and the ineffable love of the Blessed Trinity for mankind. And that I was to be transformed.

I may say to you, that if a Catholic wanted to follow the Latin words, they have their missal with exquisite translations into all the major languages. And that's still available to anyone who goes to the Latin Mass.

But there would be times when, and I tell this to Catholics, just go to the Latin Mass and look. Look at the priest. Look at the motions he's making and you'll be swept up into heaven. And the Latin language is going to be that ladder up to heaven.

Yes, if you want to read the beautiful translations, of course read them. And that will also help you to rise higher. But even without that, the pure motions of the priest have such a beauty, and have such a strength, and have such a force, that you are left with your heart rent.

Okay. Thank you.

Catechism Lecture / March 2024