“1) Does that mean that if I go to Mass in an ethnic neighborhood and they do a mass in the language of the congregation — and do not provide an interpreter, they are FORBIDDEN because I do not speak that language? I don’t think so.”
The word “forbidden” was probably a poor choice of words. “Not allowed according to the bible” would have been better.
Ethnic neighborhood? Give me a real life example.
If you go to a church in Mexico, it is likely the message will be in Spanish. But, if you started a church in Mexico and you only preached in English, I would say you are not following the teaching in the bible because the expectation is that most people walking in the door will speak Spanish not English.
If you meant like Chinatown and they should preach in Chinese, because the expectation would be that anyone who walks in would understand Chinese.
Would ANYONE walking into your Catholic church understand Latin? How can they hear the gospel if the message is in Latin? Do they have to learn Latin first? Is the mission of the church to speak your own special language (tongue) or to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ so everyone can understand and hear.
“How can they hear the gospel if the message is in Latin?”
The Gospel is read in Latin at the altar and THEN in English or the Lingua franca of the country from the ambo.
The “sermon” as you would call it, we call it the homily, is given in English OR in the Lingua franca of the country.
In what language does preaching occur in a Latin Mass?
In what language is the Gospel proclaimed in a Latin Mass?