The pope, on February 20, ordered the Dicastery for the Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (DDWDS) to publish a rescript that says bishops must get Vatican approval before they allow priests in their dioceses to celebrate the Old Latin Mass.

The new rescript and a DDWDS letter to bishops in December 2021 were issued to help clarify and properly implement Traditionis custodes, the "motu proprio" Francis published in July 2021.

That text reversed Summorum Pontificum, a "motu proprio" from 2007 in which Benedict XVI invented the novel idea that there could actually be "two forms of the one Roman Rite" — one called extraordinary (pre-Vatican II) and the other ordinary (post-Vatican II). This theo-linguistical sleight of hand basically allowed for the perpetuation of a rite that had been completely re-ordered and reformed.

Stomping on the authority of local bishops?

When Traditionis custodes came out, traditionalists were furious with the current pope and now they are even angrier with him over the new rescript.

They and certain commentators who continue to look for any opportunity to discredit him have accused Francis of stomping on the rightful authority that local bishops have to regulate the liturgy in their respective dioceses.

Such accusations have no merit whatsoever.

In fact, it was Benedict XVI who took such authority away from the bishops when he issued Summorum Pontificum, which stipulated that a priest required "no permission from the Apostolic See or his own ordinary" to celebrate in the Tridentine Rite.

Moreover, the late pope put the now-defunct Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei" in charge of regulating — and, it turned out, "promoting" — use of the Old Rite everywhere throughout the world.

This commission was established in 1988 to facilitate a return of traditionalists who had followed the late Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre into schism.

Thankfully, Pope Francis disbanded the "Ecclesia Dei" Commission in 2019.

Andrea Grillo, professor at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute at Sant'Anselmo in Rome, went even further to debunk the ideas that Francis had curtailed the authority of local bishops.

He noted that such authority is to regulate the Church's liturgy (ritual) in their territories.

But that ritual is only the current reformed Mass. Traditionis custodes, Grillo explained, abolished the fictitious ritual dualism of the so-called extraordinary and ordinary forms.

"The Council Fathers perceived the urgent need for a reform"

Thus, there is only one rite.

Anything that deviates from that — which is what the Tridentine Mass does — is an exception and that is why it must be approved by the Apostolic See.

Its use should also be rare, as Paul VI (and most bishops at Vatican II) envisioned when the late pope begrudgingly conceded to requests immediately following the liturgical reform that elderly priests be allowed to continue celebrating with the last (1962) edition of the unreformed Roman Rite.

The bishops who attended Vatican Council II voted overwhelmingly in support of the constitution on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, which begins with these words:

This sacred Council has several aims in view: it desires to impart an ever-increasing vigour to the Christian life of the faithful; to adapt more suitably to the needs of our own times those institutions which are subject to change; to foster whatever can promote union among all who believe in Christ; to strengthen whatever can help to call the whole of mankind into the household of the Church. The Council, therefore, sees particularly cogent reasons for undertaking the reform and promotion of the liturgy (SC, 1).

Cardinal Arthur Roche, the DDWDS prefect, reiterated this in his December 2021 letter to bishops around the world.

"One fact is undeniable," he said.

"The Council Fathers perceived the urgent need for a reform so that the truth of the faith as celebrated might appear ever more in all its beauty, and the People of God might grow in full, active, conscious participation in the liturgical celebration," the cardinal stated, making specific reference to Sacrosanctum Concilium, 14.

Not all the bishops — indeed not all Catholics — were pleased with how the liturgical reform turned out in the end.

But no one could have imagined that 50 years later, a Roman Pontiff would allow a tiny group of people — Catholics with fundamental disagreements over the general thrust of Vatican II and even specific reforms stemming from it — to live in a parallel liturgical (and ecclesiological) universe within the Church, and even allow them to promote its further spread.

Thankfully, another Roman Pontiff has moved to phase out this anomaly completely. Because, pure and simple, it was never the intention of Vatican Council II that it exist in the first place.

• Robert Mickens is LCI Editor in Chief.
• First published in La-Croix International. Republished with permission.

"We cannot minimise the attack that this document represents on what we love most in this life; or — better to say — something we hold most dear that we long to give to someone we love most.

"But neither can we permit anxiety, bitterness, or resentment to enter in and poison the interior life. Remain at peace and with a loving confidence in Christ our King, who may permit us to suffer, but will never abandon us."

Writing in his parish newsletter Fr Antony Sumich, FSSP (pictured) says it is important to "remember that our duty today is the same as it was yesterday: to watch and to pray, to fast and to give alms, to conform ourselves more and more, not to the world, but the heart of our beloved Redeemer".

As a result of Francis' Traditionis Custodes, those already offering the Tridentine Mass must ask the diocesan bishop permission to continue.

According to the Latin Mass directory, the Tridentine Mass is offered at twelve venues throughout the week, not always on a Sunday.

The Traditional Latin Mass is also live-streamed.

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, National Communications Office says it has received two replies seeking clarification from New Zealand bishops.

Cardinal Dew said that of late there have been no Tridentine Masses celebrated in the Archdiocese mostly because the Archdiocese does not have priests who are available and who are able to celebrate that Mass.

Bishop Dooley said that the Dunedin diocese has one Latin Mass celebrated regularly on a Sunday morning in the Cathedral chapel and he will approve a request to continue its celebration.

In his 25 July Newsletter Sumich reports that after a meeting with Bishop Dunn it is "business as usual" in the Auckland diocese.

Sumich writes that Bishop Dunn "was very happy with the Latin Mass Chaplaincy and the work of the FSSP.

"His belief is that the relationship between the Diocese and the FSSP will not be affected by this Motu Proprio, as the articles have very little to do with us (FSSP) or our mission"

Sumich reports that Traditionis Custodes came as a "great surprise" to Bishop Dunn who as yet has not spoken with the diocese's Canon Lawyer as to the meaning of a 'few points'.

Calling Traditionis Custodes a 'restrictive decree' Sumich believes that while it is currently business as usual he personally think the parish has not heard the last of the matter.

Internationally ripples are spreading the world following the pope's motu proprio restricting the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass.

On July 19, Washington DC cardinal, Wilton Gregory wrote to his priests saying he would prayerfully reflect on Traditionis Custodes to ensure he fully understood the Holy Father's intentions and how they might be realised.

He added that priests using the traditional liturgy had permission to continue using it.

However, on Thursday, reports began circulating that Gregory has withdrawn permission for a solemn pontifical Mass scheduled for next month's Feast of the Assumption.

The solemn pontifical Mass was scheduled for the vigil of the Solemnity of the Assumption and was to take place at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

In the letter to the world's bishops accompanying the motu proprio, Francis says his motivations are the unity of the Church saying that concessions granted by his predecessors relating to using the 1962 Roman Missal were "motivated by the desire to foster the healing of the schism with the movement of Mons Lefebvre" and "the ecclesial intention of restoring the unity of the Church."

Despite these aims, the concessions were "exploited to widen the gaps, reinforce the divergences and encourage disagreements that injure the church, block her path and expose her to the peril of division," he explained.

Source

• Catholic News Agency
• Catholic Culture
• Auckland Latin Mass Chaplaincy newsletter - 18 July
• Auckland Latin Mass Chaplaincy newsletter - 25 July
• Image: Wikimedia Commons

Apostolic See guidelines say it is the bishop's exclusive responsibility as the moderator of his diocese's liturgical life to authorise the 1962 Roman Missal's use.

In a motu proprio Traditionis Custodes (Guardians of the Tradition) published on Friday, Francis restored limits on the celebration of the Missal in use before the Second Vatican Council for the sake of church unity.

His decision overturns or restricts permissions St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI had given to celebrate the Tridentine-rite Mass.

Francis said the bishop must verify that those attending the pre-Vatican liturgy "do not deny the validity and the legitimacy of the liturgical reform, dictated by Vatican Council II and the Magisterium of the Supreme Pontiffs".

The motu proprio says:

Masses celebrated according to the 1962 Missal are not to take place in parishes.

Bishops must establish where and when the Mass will be celebrated.

The readings must be proclaimed "in the vernacular language", using the translations approved by local episcopal conferences.

The bishop will delegate the celebrant.

The bishop must evaluate the Mass to see "effectiveness for spiritual growth" and "to take care not to authorize the establishment of new groups".

Priests ordained after this motu proprio wanting to celebrate the Tridentine Mass "should submit a formal request to the diocesan Bishop who shall consult the Apostolic See before granting this authorization".

Those already doing so may ask permission to continue.

In a letter to the world's bishops accompanying the motu proprio, Francis says concessions granted by his predecessors relating to using the 1962 Roman Missal were "motivated by the desire to foster the healing of the schism with the movement of Mons. Lefebvre" and "the ecclesial intention of restoring the unity of the Church".

Despite these aims, the concessions were "exploited to widen the gaps, reinforce the divergences and encourage disagreements that injure the church, block her path and expose her to the peril of division," Francis said.

"Indications about how to proceed in your dioceses are chiefly dictated by two principles," he continued.

"On the one hand, to provide for the good of those who are rooted in the previous form of celebration and need to return in due time to the Roman Rite promulgated by Saints Paul VI and John Paul II.

"And, on the other hand, to discontinue the erection of new personal parishes tied more to the desire and wishes of individual priests than to the real need of the 'holy People of God',"

Francis is "saddened by abuses in the celebration of the liturgy on all sides" and deplores the fact that the "instrumental use of Missale Romanum of 1962 is often characterized by a rejection not only of the liturgical reform, but of the Vatican Council II itself, claiming, with unfounded and unsustainable assertions, that it betrayed the Tradition and the 'true Church'".

To doubt the Council "is ... in the final analysis, to doubt the Holy Spirit himself who guides the Church," Francis said.

As well as the Moto Proprio, Francis wrote to all bishops.

Source

• La Croix
• Catholic News Service
• La Croix
• Image: Quora