READERS, at least Catholic readers, are probably aware of the recent action of “Pope” Francis to suppress (a revised form of) the ancient Latin Mass. His “Apostolic Letter” Traditionis Custodes has shaken deeply those who attend various chapels around the world. These often articulate and pious people seemed in recent years to have escaped the modernist novelties that came in the 1960s and they have been extremely glad of it. They have existed in a religious comfort zone ever since Benedict 16 permitted these “Latin Mass” oases.

The decree by Francis is of little interest to the majority in local parishes who are content with things as they are. It also has had very little effect yet in limiting “Latin Mass” chapels (as you can see here), but it may lead to the end of this worship (as revised by John 23 in 1962) in parishes and chapels under the auspices of the Vatican. No new priests will likely be prepared in Vatican-approved seminaries.

This decree will change nothing at that much smaller number of “traditionalist” chapels that have totally or partially broken with Rome, except perhaps to draw more people to them.

I’d like to offer just a few quick words on this action by Francis and the sea of confusion and outrage it has caused:

What Francis has done is entirely reasonable. The Latin Mass and many Catholic beliefs are a threat to the unity of the institution he governs. (At least he believes in unity!!) In fact, as his health fails, it would have been surprising if Francis had not taken this step. He has long made his contempt for those who think and worship as Catholics did for almost 2,000 years very clear.

Faithful Catholics should not be disturbed by this decree.

For one, Francis was never a validly elected pope of the Catholic Church so it really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things what he does.

And secondly, celebration of the Catholic Mass was formally ended by Paul VI, arguably the Anti-Christ, in the 1960s. As far as the eye can see, there are no valid Masses. Catholics have no choice but to pray at home. The Mass is still their birthright. They can still honor it and believe in it and treasure it and pray it. They may receive the graces long promised to those who pray at home when a Mass is unavailable. But they should avoid the new rite and the old rite as offered by “traditionalists” priests and chapels that have defied Rome. The latter are not in communion with an acting pontiff, bring untold division, and — I know this will offend many — are as much a novelty and aberration as the clown masses and “kiss of peace” of Vatican II.

Perhaps good will come from Francis’s latest action. It may cause a few to reach the logical conclusions, which is not easy for any of us given all the confusion.

This ending of the Holy Sacrifice more than 50 years ago is in keeping with scriptural prophecies. (Read more here and here.) Only Jesus Himself, who remains the true head of his Church, the only Church, can restore the Mass. We have enough to worry us without taking anything but detached interest in this latest misleading controversy.

We continue to have untold treasures. We have much to be thankful for despite this painful and apocalyptic loss of the highest form of public prayer, the very center of Catholic life, and we have much to correct and atone for in ourselves.

We await God’s next move. We are helpless to do anything else. And this powerlessness — the ultimate chastisement —  has much sense to it.

— Comments —

Barbara W. writes:

Thank you for this article. I for one am not offended by your observation about the novelty of traditionalist clergy and chapels, though I might have been a few years ago. Church catastrophes do not grant us license to play fast and loose with ecclesiology and just start making stuff up.

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