Roman report

Under pressure

Alberto Carosa on the anti-traditionalist lobby in the Vatican and the surge in attendance at Traditional Masses throughout the World

One of the most striking and extraordinary stories of "conversion" to the Vetus Ordo is undoubtedly that of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States.

It is interesting to note how, on several occasions, the archbishop has touched on the theme of the liturgy, not hiding his joy at having rediscovered the treasures of the ancient rite. But he has also spoken with great concern about the possibility that the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum could soon be modified, if not abrogated.

As the author of a 2010 study on the enemies of Summorum Pontificum, I never imagined that I would hear rumours from the Vatican of moves to prepare to decree its demise, at least legally.

As rightly observed by Mgr Viganò, in 2007 Benedict XVI recognized the full right of the Tridentine liturgy, giving it back that legitimacy it had been denied for fifty years. In his Motu Proprio, Summorum Pontificum he declared:

“It is therefore permitted to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass following the typical edition of the Roman Missal, which was promulgated by Blessed John XXIII in 1962 and never abrogated, as an extraordinary form of the Church’s Liturgy. […] For such a celebration with either Missal, the priest needs no permission from the Apostolic See or from his own Ordinary.”

In reality, Mgr Viganò continues, “the letter of the Motu Proprio and of the implementing documents was never fully applied and the cœtusfidelium that today celebrate in the Apostolic rite continue to turn to their bishop for permission, essentially applying the dictate of the indult of the previous Motu Proprio, Ecclesia Deiof John Paul II”.

Unfortunately, the bishops' response is usually still negative, especially here in Italy, as I can testify from personal experience. In fact, my parish priest said he was willing to celebrate the Traditional Mass himself, but the Ordinary, in this case that of Avezzano, the capital of the Diocese of Marsi where I live, said no.

There is no doubt the Tridentine Mass did much good, says Mgr Viganò, nourishing the spirituality of millions of people and bringing many souls closer to the Faith who did not find the reformed rite fully suited to their spiritual needs.

According to Mgr Viganò, the antitraditionalist lobby that currently seems to prevail in the Vatican could have continued to tolerate the status quo only if these traditional faithful consisted mostly of small groups of nostalgic elderly people or eccentric aesthetes. But if the Extraordinary Form becomes the norm for thousands of families and young people, and even diocesan priests, then it is a sort of red alert for the enemies of the Old Rite, a situation further aggravated by the consequences of the pandemic, which for various reasons, not least the obligation of communion in the hand, has led to a surge in attendance at Traditional Masses throughout the world.

In a circular letter on the results of the 2020-2021 prayer crusade promoted by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X, its Superior General Don Davide Pagliarani revealed that “inmany placesofworship, thenumberoffaithfulhasevendoubled”.

Some might argue that his testimony is not very convincing, as it is not impartial. But what can we say when the founder and director of the American portal Catholic World News, Phil Lawler, certainly no fan of the Old Mass, speaks of “explosive growth” in attendance at traditionalist parishes, especially by young families?

Mgr Viganò fears that restrictions may affect diocesan priests and Ecclesia Dei institutes, whose members exclusively celebrate the ancient rite, but which in the future could be obliged to that bi-ritualism that the Vatican authorities have tried unsuccessfully to introduce in the past.

He says: “Obviously, those who manoeuvre behind the scenes in the Vatican to eliminate the Catholic Mass see decades of work compromised in the Motu Proprio.” He continues.: “The same priests and bishops who, like me, have rediscovered that inestimable treasure of faith and spirituality – or which by the grace of God they have never abandoned, despite the ferocious persecution of the post-council – are not disposed to renounce it, having found in it the soul of their Priesthood and the nourishment of their supernatural life”. And it is disturbing, he concludes, “that in the face of the good that the Tridentine Mass brings to the Church, there are those who want to ban it or limit its celebration on the basis of specious reasons”.

At the beginning of the liturgical reform, older priests were granted the right to continue celebrating the old rite in private, probably with the hidden hope that once they passed away, the old Mass would gradually and painlessly die out with them. Instead, exactly the opposite is happening: the seminaries and convents where the Novus ordo is in force are increasingly empty, while the Traditionalist Institutes have to reject candidates for the priesthood because they have no place, paradoxically with the risk that in the future the Novus Ordo might cease being celebrated for lack of celebrants. And it is a risk, however remote it may be, that the powerful anti-Vetus Ordo lobby clearly does not intend to run.

The writer’s 2010 study of the enemies of Summorum Pontificum

The writer’s 2010 study of the enemies of Summorum Pontificum