Lingua latina mortua est?

You know things are bad when Latin is fading away even within the Catholic Church:

One of the world's foremost scholars in Latin has said he believes the language is dying out.

Father Reginald Foster, who was appointed the papal Latinist 38 years ago, says Latin is almost extinct.

He says priests are no longer compelled to study it at seminaries and find it impossible to read important theological texts.

Father Foster has also condemned the loss of Latin teaching in schools across most of Europe.

In Italy, most schoolchildren are still taught Latin for at least four hours a week until they are 18.

Posted by David on February 1, 2007 10:21 PM