We continue Vatican II’s examination of liturgical norms with the first of four sections devoted to “adapting the Liturgy to the culture and traditions of peoples.”
Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community; rather does she respect and foster the genius and talents of the various races and peoples. Anything in these peoples’ way of life which is not indissolubly bound up with superstition and error she studies with sympathy and, if possible, preserves intact. Sometimes in fact she admits such things into the liturgy itself, so long as they harmonize with its true and authentic spirit.
For us Americans (for example) the question is often raised: does this apply to us? Good question. In a way, we are more strongly derived from European sensibility. Some would say we’re just Europeans on a different continent. Australians, too, I guess. But does this “new” continent possess for us something that has substantially developed our culture of ancestry to the point where we’re essentially experiencing something totally new? I leave it to the commentariat to take it fromt here, if you care.
Not as much as American exceptionalism would like to think. There are exceptions, but for your average American parish, not much.
Quick idea on a Latin entrance hymn:
The most famous perhaps being Adeste Fidelis. I’ve been in a number of parishes that interpolate the Latin verses with the English. Works wonderfully. That’s one Latin carol text that is fairly well known, as it is broadcast a lot. Leverage that.
For the Easter and Pentecost sequences (especially the latter, the Latin for which is supernally beautiful), consider singing one language with the other as well. That’s done in a lot of places, the order varying.