A NEW PAPAL RESCRIPT AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE LATIN MASS – IS THIS THE TRUTH BEHIND “TRADITIONIS CUSTODES”? – POPE FRANCIS CLARIFIES TWO POINTS OF “TRADITIONIS CUSTODES”

Notwithstanding the issues I am having with bad back pain, a doctor’s order to not work for a week and the continuing search for solutions and tests for my problem, I could not let today pass in silence. I rested most of the day and felt comfortable enough to sit at my computer and prepare this column. By the way, thanks for the many prayers!

I keep up with Vatican news and when I saw today’s papal rescript on the TLM, I knew I had to bring a few things to light. Please, please read this when you have some quality time. Especially leave time for the radio interview with Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, a canon lawyer.

A NEW PAPAL RESCRIPT AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE LATIN MASS

To learn a LOT more about the papal rescript issued today at the Vatican as well as “Traditionis Custodes,” the papal document at the heart of the rescript, from a very knowledgeable and respected canon lawyer, you absolutely must read this piece by JD Flynn to understand the entire question about the Traditional Latin Mass: The rescript, Lent, and prayers for Bishop O’Connell (pillarcatholic.com). Scroll down almost half way and you will find the rescript story.

Please, please only read this when you have the time to digest it all – and pray over the matter, even one Ave Maria.

Pope Francis, as he has done in a number of time in the almost 10 years of his pontificate, single-handedly, once again, changed church law via today’s rescript. This is a new law, not another interpretation of what was written in “Traditionis Custodes,” The Vatican news story says the Pope “clarifies” two points in TC. That is made clear in The Pillar.

This is all very important for our Catholic faith, folks. It regards liturgy, the Eucharist, the Mass. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the Eucharist, i.e., the Sacrifice of the Mass, as “the source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC 1324).

The Traditional Latin Mass is one of two rites in our Church, the other being the novus ordo or Novus Ordo Missae, meaning the “new order of the Mass,” the Mass in modern languages that most of us attend, for example, during the week and on Sundays in our parishes. The novus ordo distinguishes the Mass promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1969 from the Traditional Latin Mass promulgated by Pope Pius V in 1570.

Since 2021, with Pope Francis’ “Traditionis Custodes,” the TLM has been continually restrained and limited by Rome to the point of puzzling, saddening, worrying and even creating anguish for the countless number of faithful who love and faithfully live this Mass, as they love and faithfully live the teachings of the Catholic Church as found in her Magisterium.

Today’s rescript came out as a further restriction on this Mass, actually more of a restriction on bishops and what they can or must do (or cannot or must not do) vis-a-vis the TLM .

And now, let’s look at the behind the scenes, the genesis of “Traditionis Custodes.” It’s all about a survey that Pope Francis asked the then Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith to undertake to get the opinion of the world’s’ bishops on the TLM: Is it OK? Are there problems in their diocese with people attending this Mass? Are TLM attendees faithful Catholics who respect the decrees and teachings of Vatican Council II?

Read on. And please share all you have learned today…

IS THIS THE TRUTH BEHIND “TRADITIONIS CUSTODES”?

This report on “Traditionis custodes” at the Remnant by Diane Montagna, The Remnant Newspaper – TRADITIONIS CUSTODES: Separating Fact from Fiction, is a blockbuster. I can already hear a few intakes of breath as you read that she learns and then shares with us the actual number of the world’s bishops who responded to the CDF survey! TC implies that the document had to be written because so many bishops were opposed to the TLM. Read on…

You will also want to listen to this: an audio interview with Bishop Paprocki of Springfield, a noted canon lawyer. He talks about TC and refers to the Montagna article and statistics at minute 35:48, answering a question: Changes to the Latin Mass | Catholic Answers   I found this here:  News – Latin Mass Directory

POPE FRANCIS CLARIFIES TWO POINTS OF ‘TRADITIONIS CUSTODES’

Pope Francis publishes a rescript related to the motu proprio “Traditionis custodes”, and clarifies that bishops must obtain authorization from the Holy See before granting permission for parish churches to be used for Eucharistic celebrations with the preconciliar rite and before allowing priests ordained after 16 July 2021 to use the 1962 Roman Missal. Pope Francis clarifies two points of ‘Traditionis custodes’ – Vatican News

 

POPE FRANCIS MODIFIES, RESTRICTS NORMS REGULATING TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS

POPE FRANCIS MODIFIES, RESTRICTS NORMS REGULATING TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS

The Motu proprio TRADITIONIS CUSTODES” On the Use of the Roman Liturgy Prior to the Reform of 1970″ was issued today by Pope Francis that modifies in many ways and greatly restricts in others the norms regulating the use of the 1962 missal granted 14 years ago by his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, as the “extraordinary form of the Roman Rite.” The motu was accompanied by a letter to the world’s bishops in which he explains the reasons behind his decision.

The celebration of the TLM, Traditional Latin Mass, was called by Pope Benedict the “extraordinary form of the Roman Rite.”

To understand some of the changes, it is important to read Benedict XVI’s 2007 Apostolic Letter Given Motu Proprio SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM On The Use Of The Roman Liturgy Prior To The Reform Of 1970.

The Pope emeritus wrote: “Given the continued requests of these members of the faithful, long deliberated upon by our predecessor John Paul II, and having listened to the views expressed by the Cardinals present at the Consistory of 23 March 2006, upon mature consideration, having invoked the Holy Spirit and with trust in God’s help, by this Apostolic Letter we decree the following:

“Art 1. The Roman Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI is the ordinary expression of the lex orandi (rule of prayer) of the Catholic Church of the Latin rite. The Roman Missal promulgated by Saint Pius V and revised by Blessed John XXIII is nonetheless to be considered an extraordinary expression of the same lex orandi of the Church and duly honoured for its venerable and ancient usage. These two expressions of the Church’s lex orandi will in no way lead to a division in the Church’s lex credendi (rule of faith); for they are two usages of the one Roman rite.

“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. The conditions for the use of this Missal laid down by the previous documents Quattuor Abhinc Annos and Ecclesia Dei are now replaced as follows: TO CONTINUE: https://www.vatican.va/…/hf_ben-xvi_motu-proprio…

The two documents named in the above paragraph are from St. John Paul.

The conditions set out by Benedict XVI in 2007 are easy to read and succinctly written. When you read these, you will understand the changes in today’s motu proprio.

One of the things that prompted Benedict to write this document was the growing love, in many places a yearning, for what is known as the TLM. What was really notable was that very often the love and appreciation for this rite was growing not among those who grew up with it in the 1960s and earlier but among the young generations who saw it beauty and reverence. So it was not a nostalgic look back for many. It was the desire for a Eucharistic celebration that was marked by beauty, reverence and awe.

Let’s see what happens after today……Oremus!