THE MASS OF VATICAN II IS THE TRADITIONAL CATHOLIC MASS
TRADITIONIS CUSTODES: MOTU PROPRIO, POPE FRANCIS
JULY 16, 2021
JULY 16, 2021
POPE FRANCIS RESTRICTS THE USE OF THE PRE-VATICAN II LATIN MASS
by John R. Connolly
by John R. Connolly
On Friday, July 16, 2021, Pope Francis issued the motu proprio, Traditionis Custodes (Guardians of the Tradition) in which he restricts the use of the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass, 1962.
Traditionis Custodes revokes the privilege given by John Paul II in 1988 and extended by Benedict XVI in 2007 in his motu proprio, Summorum Pontificium, that allowed priests to celebrate Mass in Latin according to the Roman Missal of 1962 without needing the permission of their bishop. The new directive of Pope Francis goes into effect immediately. In a letter accompanying the motu proprio Francis states, “I take the firm decision to abrogate all the norms, instructions, permissions and customs that precede the present motu proprio, and declare that the liturgical books promulgated by the saintly Pontiffs Paul VI and John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of Vatican Council II, constitute the unique expression of the lex orandi (rule of prayer) of the Roman Rite,” Here Francis is clearly affirming that the Vatican II Mass of Paul VI, the Novus Ordo, is now the new and reformed version of the Mass of the Roman Rite. In this version of the reformed Roman Rite the liturgical teaching of the Second Vatican Council developed in Sacrosanctum Concilium, 1963 has been implemented and realized. Key to this theology is the celebration of the Eucharist in the vernacular and the participation of the faithful in the Mass. The first version of the Vatican II reformed liturgy of the Roman Rite was promulgated by Paul VI in the apostolic constitution, Missale Romanum in 1969-70.
In the accompanying letter Francis also points out that John Paul II and Benedict XVI granted permission for priests to celebrate the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass in order to promote unity in the church. Francis goes on to state that unfortunately this has not been the case. Instead, the pope states that “an opportunity offered by St. John Paul II and, with even greater magnanimity, by Benedict XVI, intended to recover the unity of an ecclesial body with diverse liturgical sensibilities, was 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.” Some Catholics, including bishops, priests, and laity, who support the use of the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass are denying the “the validity and the legitimacy of the liturgical reform, dictated by Vatican Council II and the Magisterium of the Supreme Pontiffs.” Some have even gone so far as to deny the legitimacy and validity of the Second Vatican Council itself. Pope Francis states that “I am nonetheless saddened that the instrumental use of the Roman Missal 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.’” Rejecting these claims, Francis, drawing upon the teaching of Vatican II, explains that “the path of the Church must be seen within the dynamic of Tradition ‘which originates from the Apostles and progresses in the Church with the assistance of the Holy Spirit’ (Dei Verbum, 8).” Elaborating further, Pope Francis states that “to doubt the Council is to doubt the intentions of those very Fathers who exercised their collegial power in a solemn manner cum Petro et sub Petro (with Peter and under Peter) in an ecumenical council, and, in the final analysis, to doubt the Holy Spirit himself who guides the Church.”
The new guidelines for granting and receiving permission to celebrate the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass are clearly spelled out in the motu proprio, Traditionis Custodes. The guiding principle of the motu proprio is that “the liturgical books promulgated by Saint Paul VI and Saint John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of the Vatican Council II, are the unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite.” (Traditionis Custodes, TC, Art. 1). Reaffirming the teaching of Vatican II, Francis states that it is the exclusive competence of the diocesan bishop to “authorize the use of the 1962 Roman Missal in his diocese according to the guidelines of the Apostolic See.” (TC, Art. 2). It is also the responsibility of the diocesan bishop to make sure that those who celebrate the Latin Mass accept the validity and legitimacy of the Second Vatican Council and its liturgical reforms. (TC, Art. 3, 1). Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the diocesan bishop to designate the locations where the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass can be celebrated, “not, however in parochial churches and without erecting new personal parishes.” (TC, Art. 3, 2). Also, according to the directives of the motu proprio, the diocesan bishop must verify that the parishes canonically erected to celebrate the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass are effective for the spiritual growth of the faithful involved and to determine whether or not to retain them. (TC, Art. 3, 5). In addition, the bishops are instructed “to take care not to authorize the establishment of new groups.” (TC, Art. 3, 6). The faculty of individual priests to celebrate the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass on their own decision has been significantly restricted. Individual priests ordained after the publication of the motu proprio have to submit a formal request to the diocesan bishop who has to consult the Apostolic See before granting this authorization. (TC, Art. 4). Priests who already celebrate the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass have to request authorization from the diocesan bishop to continue to exercise this faculty. (TC, Art. 5). Finally, the motu proprio states that all “previous norms, instructions, permissions, and customs that do not conform to the provisions of the present Motu Proprio are abrogated.” (TC, Art. 8). The guidelines, stipulations, and procedures of the motu proprio are quite clear. They do not require further study before being implemented.
It is with the purpose of safeguarding the tradition of the Catholic Church as taught in the Second Vatican Council and its liturgical reforms, and with the ultimate objective of maintaining the unity of the church, that inspired Pope Francis to promulgate Traditionis Custodes. He is not adding any new teaching to the Catholic Church. He is simply repeating the teachings of the Second Vatican II and the post-Vatican II reform of the liturgy of the Catholic Roman Rite. Furthermore, for now, he is not forbidding the use of the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass. At the same time, it is clear that the ultimate objective of Pope Francis is the unification of the Latin Rite Church through the universal acceptance of the Vatican II Mass as promulgated by Paul VI in 1969-70. In his accompanying letter Francis says to the bishops, “it is up to you to proceed in such a way as to return to a unitary form of celebration…” Francis adds that in implementing Traditionis Custodes the bishops should follow two principles. On the one hand, they need “to provide for the good of those who are rooted in the previous form of celebration (the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass).” On the other hand, the bishops need to work to return to the reformed Vatican II Latin Rite Mass, first promulgated by Paul VI, 1969-70.
7/24/21
On Friday, July 16, 2021, Pope Francis issued the motu proprio, Traditionis Custodes (Guardians of the Tradition) in which he restricts the use of the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass, 1962.
Traditionis Custodes revokes the privilege given by John Paul II in 1988 and extended by Benedict XVI in 2007 in his motu proprio, Summorum Pontificium, that allowed priests to celebrate Mass in Latin according to the Roman Missal of 1962 without needing the permission of their bishop. The new directive of Pope Francis goes into effect immediately. In a letter accompanying the motu proprio Francis states, “I take the firm decision to abrogate all the norms, instructions, permissions and customs that precede the present motu proprio, and declare that the liturgical books promulgated by the saintly Pontiffs Paul VI and John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of Vatican Council II, constitute the unique expression of the lex orandi (rule of prayer) of the Roman Rite,” Here Francis is clearly affirming that the Vatican II Mass of Paul VI, the Novus Ordo, is now the new and reformed version of the Mass of the Roman Rite. In this version of the reformed Roman Rite the liturgical teaching of the Second Vatican Council developed in Sacrosanctum Concilium, 1963 has been implemented and realized. Key to this theology is the celebration of the Eucharist in the vernacular and the participation of the faithful in the Mass. The first version of the Vatican II reformed liturgy of the Roman Rite was promulgated by Paul VI in the apostolic constitution, Missale Romanum in 1969-70.
In the accompanying letter Francis also points out that John Paul II and Benedict XVI granted permission for priests to celebrate the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass in order to promote unity in the church. Francis goes on to state that unfortunately this has not been the case. Instead, the pope states that “an opportunity offered by St. John Paul II and, with even greater magnanimity, by Benedict XVI, intended to recover the unity of an ecclesial body with diverse liturgical sensibilities, was 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.” Some Catholics, including bishops, priests, and laity, who support the use of the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass are denying the “the validity and the legitimacy of the liturgical reform, dictated by Vatican Council II and the Magisterium of the Supreme Pontiffs.” Some have even gone so far as to deny the legitimacy and validity of the Second Vatican Council itself. Pope Francis states that “I am nonetheless saddened that the instrumental use of the Roman Missal 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.’” Rejecting these claims, Francis, drawing upon the teaching of Vatican II, explains that “the path of the Church must be seen within the dynamic of Tradition ‘which originates from the Apostles and progresses in the Church with the assistance of the Holy Spirit’ (Dei Verbum, 8).” Elaborating further, Pope Francis states that “to doubt the Council is to doubt the intentions of those very Fathers who exercised their collegial power in a solemn manner cum Petro et sub Petro (with Peter and under Peter) in an ecumenical council, and, in the final analysis, to doubt the Holy Spirit himself who guides the Church.”
The new guidelines for granting and receiving permission to celebrate the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass are clearly spelled out in the motu proprio, Traditionis Custodes. The guiding principle of the motu proprio is that “the liturgical books promulgated by Saint Paul VI and Saint John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of the Vatican Council II, are the unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite.” (Traditionis Custodes, TC, Art. 1). Reaffirming the teaching of Vatican II, Francis states that it is the exclusive competence of the diocesan bishop to “authorize the use of the 1962 Roman Missal in his diocese according to the guidelines of the Apostolic See.” (TC, Art. 2). It is also the responsibility of the diocesan bishop to make sure that those who celebrate the Latin Mass accept the validity and legitimacy of the Second Vatican Council and its liturgical reforms. (TC, Art. 3, 1). Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the diocesan bishop to designate the locations where the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass can be celebrated, “not, however in parochial churches and without erecting new personal parishes.” (TC, Art. 3, 2). Also, according to the directives of the motu proprio, the diocesan bishop must verify that the parishes canonically erected to celebrate the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass are effective for the spiritual growth of the faithful involved and to determine whether or not to retain them. (TC, Art. 3, 5). In addition, the bishops are instructed “to take care not to authorize the establishment of new groups.” (TC, Art. 3, 6). The faculty of individual priests to celebrate the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass on their own decision has been significantly restricted. Individual priests ordained after the publication of the motu proprio have to submit a formal request to the diocesan bishop who has to consult the Apostolic See before granting this authorization. (TC, Art. 4). Priests who already celebrate the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass have to request authorization from the diocesan bishop to continue to exercise this faculty. (TC, Art. 5). Finally, the motu proprio states that all “previous norms, instructions, permissions, and customs that do not conform to the provisions of the present Motu Proprio are abrogated.” (TC, Art. 8). The guidelines, stipulations, and procedures of the motu proprio are quite clear. They do not require further study before being implemented.
It is with the purpose of safeguarding the tradition of the Catholic Church as taught in the Second Vatican Council and its liturgical reforms, and with the ultimate objective of maintaining the unity of the church, that inspired Pope Francis to promulgate Traditionis Custodes. He is not adding any new teaching to the Catholic Church. He is simply repeating the teachings of the Second Vatican II and the post-Vatican II reform of the liturgy of the Catholic Roman Rite. Furthermore, for now, he is not forbidding the use of the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass. At the same time, it is clear that the ultimate objective of Pope Francis is the unification of the Latin Rite Church through the universal acceptance of the Vatican II Mass as promulgated by Paul VI in 1969-70. In his accompanying letter Francis says to the bishops, “it is up to you to proceed in such a way as to return to a unitary form of celebration…” Francis adds that in implementing Traditionis Custodes the bishops should follow two principles. On the one hand, they need “to provide for the good of those who are rooted in the previous form of celebration (the Pre-Vatican II Latin Mass).” On the other hand, the bishops need to work to return to the reformed Vatican II Latin Rite Mass, first promulgated by Paul VI, 1969-70.
7/24/21
IN THE NEWS
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by Rita Ferrone
Commonweal Magazine, July 23, 2021
(Access online, permission not available)
by Rita Ferrone
Commonweal Magazine, July 23, 2021
(Access online, permission not available)