Catholic means in communion with the Holy See. There are distinctions between different groups of Catholics within this but I wouldn’t say they matter a lot… I am personally a Roman Catholic, hi!

They’re not pointless for the laity at all. Latin is a beautiful language which a lot of traditional Catholics find more reverent than, for example, English.

I myself prefer a good reverent Novus Ordo mass to a Tridentine one, but if I understood Latin well I would likely prefer the Tridentine.