TRADITIONIS CUSTODES
Traditionis Custodes and the accompanying Letter to Bishops By Joseph Shaw
O
n Friday 16 July Pope Francis issued an Apostolic Letter ‘motu propio’ entitled Traditionis Custodes, accompanied by a lengthy Letter to Bishops giving his reasons for it. These document have potentially grave implications for the celebration of the ancient Latin Mass all over the world. Key points from Traditionis Custodes
The terminology of ‘Ordinary’ and ‘Extraordinary’ ‘Forms’ of the Roman Rite is replaced by the ‘1962 Missal’ or ‘former Missal’, and the ‘reformed Mass’. Bishops are to regulate the celebration of the 1962 Missal, determining where, when, and by whom, it is to be celebrated. They are prevented from setting up new ‘personal parishes’ for the celebration of the EF, or (perhaps equivalently) to establish new ‘groups’ attached to it. They are also directed to move celebrations for existing ‘groups’ away from parish churches, something which would be quite easy in Italian dioceses, but impractical in this country and many others. Groups attached to it should be respectful of the ‘legitimacy of the liturgical reform.’ The Epistle and Gospel are to be read in the vernacular (presumably, as well as in Latin). (Articles 3 and 4.) We have been advised that the provisions of Article 3 pertain to ‘groups’, such as those granted rights under Summorum Pontificum. The Apostolic Letter does not, therefore, prevent priests simply celebrating the ancient Mass in their parish churches, and people attending it. In general, the faithful are not impeded from attending celebrations
8
of the 1962 Missal, and no mention is made of pilgrimages, funerals, the other sacraments, blessings, the Office, and so on. Since restrictive regulations must be interpreted narrowly (Canon 18), this implies that these remain permitted. Similarly, the right of priests to celebrate privately is not removed. Priests ordained after the promulgation of Traditionis Custodes are to be permitted to celebrate the Traditional Mass with the approval of the bishop ‘who shall consult the Apostolic See before granting this authorisation’ (Article 4). The role of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in regulating matters in relation to the Old Mass is transferred to the Congregations for Religious and for Divine Worship (Article 7). Key points from the Letter to Bishops The Letter argues that the unity of the Church is expressed by liturgical uniformity: ‘a single and identical prayer’, and it is towards a situation of uniformity that Pope Francis wishes to move. This contrasts with the view of Vatican II’s Unitatis Redintegratio (4): Let all, according to the gifts they have received enjoy a proper freedom, in their various forms of spiritual life and discipline, in their different liturgical rites, and even in their theological elaborations of revealed truth. In all things let charity prevail. If they are true to this course of action, they will be giving ever better expression to the authentic catholicity and apostolicity of the Church.
Added to this, the Letter claims that the results of the Survey of Bishops on the implementation of Summorum Pontificum indicated a clear desire among the episcopate that the Traditional Mass be entirely suppressed. This is very surprising, since those who have had sight of the reports have consistently told enquirers that the results were broadly positive. The bishops of France produced a summary report, which found its way into the public domain, and while it contains some quite hostile assessments it stops far short of demanding a complete end to the ancient Mass, and indeed they have responded to the Apostolic Letter with a statement which reassures Catholics attached to the 1962 Mass of the bishops’ continuing ‘esteem’. We can be sure that many bishops in North America, England and Wales, Poland, and other countries where Summorum Pontificum has been more warmly received, will have been positive about its results. The final plank of the Letter’s justification for suppressing the Traditional Mass is the claim that those attached to it are characterised by ‘the rejection of the Church and her institutions in the name of what is called the “true Church.”’ While troubled and extreme individuals can be found in every area of life, the claim that such an attitude is somehow representative of the typical Traditional Mass congregation is puzzling, to say the least, since people with attitudes of this kind generally shun celebrations organised under the bishops.
AUTUMN 2021
