and all, civilized or uncivilized, to whom its
voice reaches, can learn its doctrines, receive its Sacraments, and
practice its devotions.

It has converted all the pagan nations that have ever been converted,
and the title catholic belongs to the Roman Catholic Church alone. All
Protestant churches that claim this title do so unjustly. They are not
universal in time, and cannot be called the Church of all ages, because
they were established only three hundred or four hundred or less years
ago. They are not catholic in place, because they are mostly confined to
particular countries. They are not universal in doctrine, because what
they teach in one country they reject in another; and even in the same
country, what they teach at one time they reject at another. Wherever it
is possible for civilized people to go, there you will find a priest
saying Mass in just the same way you see him saying it here. It is a
great consolation for one in a strange country to enter a church and
hear Mass, perceiving no difference in the vestments, ceremonies, or
language of the priest. A little altar boy from the United States could
serve Mass in any part of the world. See, therefore, the great advantage
the Church has in using the Latin language instead of the vernacular or
ordinary language of the people. If the Church used the usual language
of the people, the Mass would seem different in every country; while
natives would understand the words of the priest, strangers would not.

The Latin language is now what we call a dead language; that is, it is
not the common language of any country; and because it is a dead
language does not change: another reason why the Church uses it, that
nothing may change in its divine service. The prayers used in the Church
are exactly the same today as they were when they were written many
centuries ago. The living languages--that is, those in use, such as
English, French, German, etc., are always changing a little--new words
are being added, and the meaning of old ones changed. The Church uses
the same language all over the world to show that it is not the Church
of any particular country, but the true Church of all men everywhere.

Again, using only one language, the Church can hold its great councils,
call together all the bishops of the world, that they may condemn errors
or make wise laws. When the Holy Father addresses them in Latin they can
all understand and answer him. If, therefore, the Church