The Catholic bulletin., 1916-07-29
THE LANGUAGE OF UNIVERSALLY
LATIN MAY BECOME THE LAM
GUAGE OF DIPLo LoMAcY-ITS USE
IN THE CHURCH DEFENDED BY
LLoYD-GEoRGE.

1t seems that Latin may again be-
come the language of diplomacy and
state occasions. Reports from Vienna
have it that at a recent gathering of
notables from various parts of the
polyglot empire, French was the only
tongue common to all. The repulsion
which it caused could have been
avoided had the official language of
the Catholic Church been taught in the
schools and universities. 1t is now
urged that after the war conferences
of the great powers be conducted in
the Latin tongue, which being dead
tongue can wound no national or racial
sensibilities.
beautiful and expressive Latin tongue
was the vehicle of science and art and
diplomacy 1t was the language of
the scholar and no man was thought
educated who was not familiar with
the language of Virgil and Horace In
Latin the great doctors wrote their
apologies and Christian poets sang the
glories of God. Even the common peo.
| pie could follow the services of the
Church, which were conducted in the
language that spoke of universality.
Latin has always been the official
language of the Church, 1t bears wit.
ness to the origin of the faith of West.
ern Christendom in Rome, the great
| converter of nations. The Church was
| founded when the Roman empire was
supreme and she naturally adopted in
her liturgy the language of the people
Catholic missionaries kept the Ian
guage of Rome in the divine service
even when they had to preach in the
yernacular. A Universal Church must
have universal language. Business
men have endeavored to establish
some common means of communica
tion and medical men are even now
discussing the advisability of adopt
ing some common language in theil
] congresses. The Catholic people fee
at home everywhere in the universal
bond of common language at theil
Sunday Mass. To have a common
tongue means that the Bishops from
all parts of the world can meet and
confer together in general councils. II
! facilitates the communication which
must constantly be going on between
the central government of the Church
of Rome and the many dioceses
throughout the world. BY the use oi
Latin the liturgy of the Church reads
the same and means the same today
that it did since it's institution. 1t not
only escapes corruption, but 1t is uni
form throughout the world. The Of
fetal language of the Catholic Church
| speaks her origin, her universally an(
her unity.
One would rarely expect to hear {
defense of the use of Latin by the
Church from a Protestant statesman
addressing a congregation OF British
Calvinists. The man Of the hour ii
England, David Lloyd George, recently
made the following remarkable utter
ance:
| Sometimes we criticize the Roman
Catholic Church very severely, bu
there is no Church that has made /
surer and deeper search into human
/ nature. The Roman Catholic Church
the greatest religious organization ii
the world, conducts its worship in
common language. The Roman Catho
lies conduct their worship in a Ian
guage of worship. Their church util
ICES every means of taking people out
side everyday interests and seeks t
induce them to forget what Is outside
Thus the language Of commerce. o
everyday occupations is left outsid
and the people are taught the lar
guage of worship"
j The return of Latin as world lar
guage will be welcomed by scholars
J It will not only open TO more genera
use Q wealth ot learning but VIII brin