The memories are still vivid, even though it was a long time ago. Having been born in 1956, I’m just old enough to remember the confusing and tumultuous era of “the changes” that came after the Second Vatican Council, particularly regarding the Mass. One elderly couple in my neighborhood mused aloud to my teenaged self that it was like the father not being home and the children playing however they liked.
It should come as no surprise, then, that the full gamut of Church teaching, from morality to the exercise of authority to dogmatic truths of the faith, were doubted and even outright denied—and religious vocations plummeted. The old maxim lex orandi, lex credendi (to which some have added lex vivendi) proves itself true all the time. The era of the “liturgy wars” was not about rearranging ornamentation; at a time of confusion and dissent in all areas of Church life, it was foundational to all that happened.
We seemed at one point in the recent past to have come to a peaceful coexistence with what Pope Benedict referred to as the two forms of the Roman Rite, after he issued his motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. However, after Traditionis Custodes and then the even more severe restrictions from the Dicastery for Divine Worship on the celebration of the Roman Rite according to the 1962 Missal, the liturgy wars have been revived. While liturgy was not a focus of the cardinals in the conclave that elected Pope Francis after the resignation of Pope Benedict, it will undoubtedly be a central focus in this upcoming one.
With all of the issues facing the Church at this time, none is more important than how we worship. God created us for worshipping him. Divine worship, if it is truly to deserve the name “divine,” relies on a sense of the sacred, which in turn springs from the sacramental vision of reality: Physical reality mediates and makes present the spiritual, transcendent reality lying beyond it. If we lose this, we lose everything.
And there have been losses. There can be no argument that the very visible loss of the sense of the sacred in the way we worship is a fundamental cause (even if not the only one) of the massive disaffiliation of young people from the Church. According to a 2015 Pew Research study, 40 percent of adults who say they were raised Catholic have left the Church. And it is not getting better. A 2023 survey of 5600 people found that “Catholics have experienced the largest decline in affiliation of any religious group.”
Clearly not enough young people are meeting Jesus in the Eucharist; otherwise, they would not be abandoning him for other religious experiences or losing faith in God altogether. And just as clearly, the hunger for tradition among the next generation of Catholics who do remain is palpable.
As Francis X. Rocca wrote on April 9 in The Atlantic:
“In 2023, Cranney and Stephen Bullivant, a sociologist of religion, surveyed Catholics and found that half expressed interest in attending a Latin Mass…. Perhaps counterintuitively, this return to tradition seems to be led by young Catholics, who make up a disproportionate share of Latin Mass devotees. According to a recent survey… 44 percent of Catholics who attended the old rite at least once a month were under the age of 45, compared with only 20 percent of other members of those parishes.
This rings true to me. Most of the devout young Catholics I meet grow up with the typical parish fare on Sundays, only later discovering the beauty of our authentic Catholic liturgical patrimony. Their reaction? Wonder, mixed with anger. They tell me — and this is a literal, word-for-word quote — “I’ve been deprived of my Catholic birthright.”
Pope Francis’s purpose in issuing Traditionis Custodes was to unite the Church in one form of worship. It has to be admitted that having two forms of the Mass for the universal Church is anomalous in the history of the Church. In reality, though, there are not simply two “forms” of the Mass, but a whole variety of forms due to priests taking liberties to do things their own way in violation of the liturgical norms — a clear vulnerability of the ordering of the Mass currently in force, and one that risks bringing great harm to souls.
This points to what Pope Benedict foresaw when we allow the two forms to co-exist: a process of true mutual enrichment, in which each form influences the other. And, in my own personal experience, I see how this is already beginning to happen. For example, preaching at a Traditional Latin Mass — a least for priests who celebrate both forms — will typically center on the readings. Before the Council, however, preaching was seen as more of an extra-liturgical action, and so something added onto the Mass and, therefore, not necessarily related to the liturgical texts. It was Vatican II that saw the homily as being integral to the liturgy and so exhorted preachers to preach from the Scriptural and liturgical texts of the particular Mass being celebrated. I also notice that, at celebrations of the Traditional Latin Mass, more and more people in the pews pray their parts of the Mass and sing the responses and the chants of the Mass Ordinary in Latin….
Summorum Pontificum largely put an end to the liturgy wars in the lived experience of United States Catholics, a process that Pope Benedict XVI foresaw as continuing: “The most sure guarantee that the Missal of Paul VI can unite parish communities and be loved by them consists in its being celebrated with great reverence in harmony with the liturgical directives. This will bring out the spiritual richness and the theological depth of this Missal….”
Because the need is so urgent, I invited select cardinals and brother bishops along with prominent theologians and lay leaders to contribute to the Fons et Culmen Liturgy Summit, which will take place July 1-4 at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, California. Cardinal Sarah, a shining light among prelates who understand the importance of recovering the sacred in our liturgical practices, will be there. So will Seán Cardinal O’Malley, whom I invited to speak about how important the order and beauty of Mass can be to the souls and psyches of the poor, whose environments are so often marked by chaos and ugliness. Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has long been a leader in urging Pope Benedict’s vision and will offer valuable insights on his understanding of actuosa participatio (active participation).
From First Things
AB Cordileone is right that liturgical abuse needs to stop and that the Novus Ordo should be celebrated more reverently. He is wrong that the TLM should still be celebrated. Registration must not be going well for his conference. Hence this commercial disguised as an article.
“He is wrong that the TLM should still be celebrated.” And what if the next pope thinks more like Benedict XVI than Francis? Would you then change your outlook?
Why do some get their panties in a bunch whenever some bishops follow the late-Pope Francis’s advice and spend time with their sheep and consider their pastoral needs? Also, Pope Francis allowed the TLM to be celebrated in communities related to the TLM, just not in typical parishes. What do you think will happen if a small percentage of people worship at the TLM? As long as they acknowledge the validity of the Ordinary Form, what’s the problem?
The holy Tridentine Latin Mass of 1500+ years is huge– an extremely valuable part of our true Catholic heritage. Modernist innovations are not authentically Catholic, they are more secular, worldly– more emphasis on humanism and “me”– poor at worship and reverence of God. Devout, well-educated Catholic clergy, seminarians and laymen will appreciate this influential Fons et Culmen Sacred Liturgy Summit, who will understand it, and will be well-prepared to participate in it. Registration for the entire Summit costs only $550, but is limited, due to space in the seminary Chapel.
$550 for registration, add to that travel and lodging and some meals, which puts you close to $2,000 for only four days.
There are Orthodox churches in union with Rome, whose congregants have probably never attended a Novus Ordo Mass — so what? Everyone should choose a parish and Mass to worship God, that they feel is best. The Novus Ordo Mass has suffered many blasphemous abuses in its short history. And ecclesiastical authorities in Rome have threatened and forced Catholic clergy and laity into its acceptance– a tragic political move. No choice.
The cost of $550 covers all meals and lodging for the Fons et Culmen Sacred Liturgy Summit. All you need to pay for is travel expenses. Very reasonable for an outstanding conference like this. St. Patrick’s Seminary, and its Chapel, is very holy and prayerful, just perfect for this conference.
The poster “Reply to 2000” is wrong. Look at the conference page, which says what is and isn’t included in the 550 fee…
https://liturgysummit.org/hospitality-travel/
Reply to conference fee– oh, sorry, you are right! I live in the area, so I was not paying close enough attention to the details. You get all lunches and refreshments, included in the $550 registration fee– so that is helpful in your budget.
I attended a Traditional Latin Mass last year, out of curiosity. A poll would not be needed to determine if those in attendance believed in the Real Presence. It was palpable. “Divine worship … relies on a sense of the Sacred”. Thank you, Archbishop Cordileone, for your steadfast defense of our sacred liturgy.
The sacred at liturgy involves much more than the consecration of the hosts and wine. Such sacramental and liturgical reductionism among some Catholics, as if the consecrated host is the only thing that matters at Mass, is unfortunate. That’s one of the things that Vatican II sought to correct to give us a more mature and well-rounded understanding of and celebration of Mass.
I keep point out to people, it is not a question of celebrating the Novus Ordo “more reverently”, but simply celebrating it CORRECTLY according to the rubrics in the Missal. Not one single liturgical abuse that we’ve seen is actually part of the Novus Ordo. They’re all illicit abuses! If every single priest would confine himself to “doing the red words and saying the black words” while celebrating the Novus Ordo there would never be any “clown masses”, “rock masses”, “stand up comedian masses”, “political rally-masses”, “Rainbow masses”, etc., etc. Just celebrate Mass correctly, men!
I agree. And I have always firmly believed that the Catholic religion should be practiced and taught objectively, exactly as given by Christ— no human beings adding on to it their ugly threats, lies, nastiness, and forcing– nothing but the True Faith, exactly as Christ taught it. With guidance to practice the Faith well– and expectations of your maturity to listen and obey Christ.
The first-ever conflict between brothers was about the liturgy, how to worship. See Genesis 4:3-5.
What might we have learned since then?
Reply to well-rounded and all
The Mass is the representation of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary.
The Council of Trent described the Mass as: “the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross, is present and offered in an unbloody manner”
The Vatican Council II documents never said to remove the Latin Mass or move the Tabernacle from the Altar.
It never said to remove statues, or cover stained glass windows.
It never said to install a table and use it instead of the Altar and then to emphasis the “meal” instead of the Sacrifice of Calvary.
It never said for the Priest to face the people.
All are free to look up the Vatican II Documents and show us where any of these things are written.
The Mass is the unbloody representation of Calvary, but it is not only that. It is the celebration of the Paschal Mystery. Pre-conciliarists mistakenly focus on Christ’s sacrifice at the expense of the resurrection. Vatican II’s push for liturgical reform corrected that imbalance in the TLM. The Mass is the source and summit of the Christian life because it is the Paschal Mystery (Christ’s obedient life, death, resurrection, and ascension) sacramentally and anamnetically made present to the worshipping assembly that celebrates the liurgy. The way many Trads write, it’s as if the only thing that matters to them is the consecration and Communion. Post-conciliar liturgical theology is so much richer than that, which is why the post-conciliar Mass is better.
Trent is fine and true. But the Church has developed since Trent, which not many Trads seem to want to accept.
Some of the liturgical norms you mention are in the GIRM, not in Sacrosanctum Concilium. Vatican II established liturgical principles that were later implemented as norms. Post-Trent is right that liturgical theology has a different emphasis now than before.
You are free to look up where Catholics are allowed to ignore or reject an ecumenical council like Vatican II or the liturgical promulgation of popes.
No, the modern Mass of 1969 is not “better.” It is just one form of the Mass, reflecting just the modern era. The Vatican has a propaganda program of forcing this Mass for their own “aggiornamento” purposes. So what? And there should not exist “radicalism” and the leftist “kiddie fad” of “being a trad”— and “trad” name-calling. Ignorant. Why the deviant, immature leftist “radicalism” and “Cancel Culture” of all tremendous historical achievements, before the highly destructive era of the 1960s?
“Sacrosanctum Concilium” was ignored after the Council– and is still ignored. The Vatican does as it pleases. Not all of the Vatican cardinals are holy. Some are wicked pedophiles or have lied about and covered-up filthy, evil sex abuse crimes of criminal clergy– scandalously ignoring poor victims. Some of them may also be among the Cardinal Electors today, electing a new pope. Use your own mind to carefully evaluate material, and form objective opinions.
I’ll be happy when the new pope sets boundaries that establish what’s permissible and what’s not. Gay? Not permissible. Trans? Not permissible. Divorce and remarriage? Not permissible. Rejecting Vatican II? Not permissible. Rejecting the reformed Mass? Not permissible. Preferring the unreformed Mass? Not permissible.
We are one Roman Church with one faith and one liturgy. Or we soon enough will be. We will not be dragged back into the past.
No.We are one Church that believes in and follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. And we have a number of different Masses, all approved by Rome– the Novus Ordo Mass, the Latin Tridentine Mass, and 23 Eastern Rite Catholic Churches. Some priests and prelates are bi-ritual– Ven. Abp. Fulton J. Sheen was bi-ritual in both the Latin Rite Mass and the Byzantine Divine Liturgy. And now we have the new Amazonian Rite Mass– which I personally do not care for.
The Second Vatican Council had 16 documents beautiful documents.
James3, above, is correct in saying that none of the conventions (abuses) that he lists were suggested or authorized by any of these documents.
Also, Extrordinary Communion Ministers (lay) were not authorized.
e.g. Sacrosanctum Concilium praised the Latin Masses but also allowed for vernacular Masses if it helped a community.
It also praised the beautification of Altars, church artwork, holy vestments, and architecture.
A later document, Redemptionis Sacramentum, denounced the abuses and grave liberties taken.
It also noted that Extrordinary Communion Ministers (lay) were acceptable only in an emergency situation,
when Priest, Deacon, or Acolyte were not available or sufficient….
I have always believed something that Pope Benedict also once said– the Holy Spirit can only inspire the Cardinal Electors, in the Conclave, and elsewhere. The Cardinal Electors then can choose to listen to Him and follow Him, or not. God gave mankind the gift of Free Will.
Except nobody really knows what it means to listen to the Holy Spirit. Everyone says that to sound pious but nobody clarifies. I’ve never heard the Holy Spirit tell me anything. Maybe some of you who have can tell us what it sounds like and how you knew it was him. And if you attempt a cop-out backtrack by saying, “Oh, it’s not a literal voice… it’s a feeling or an inner sense.” You still need to clarify how you identify a specific feeling or sense as coming from the Holy Spirit. You can’t just feel that a feeling comes from the Holy Spirit and trust that feeling because we all know feelings can be misleading. So back to square one. What does it mean to listen to the Holy Spirit if you don’t hear a voice and can’t trust a feeling?
You have to be very, very still, very quiet, very prayerful and devout, and very open and patient, and wait for the movement of the Holy Spirit, to communucate something to you, intuitively, to answer your prayer. Everyone experiences this in different ways. For me, it is subtle, delicate, intuitive— but sometimes, very strong, and His Divine Presence is palpable. I try to be very careful, to correctly discern what I seem to be receiving from the Lord. Try it. Ask a priest for guidance.
If what you say is true, then I believe most people who claim to be listening to the Spirit are listening to themselves and don’t hear the Spirit. For them, “the Spirit” is a personification or a projection into divinity of what they already want to do or believe. So the voice of “the Spirit” reinforces their human sin and bias. Some of the loudest people claim to be listening to the Spirit. For example, when James Martin talks about the Holy Spirit leading the church to accepting gay marriage eventually, he hasn’t heard that from the Spirit. He hears that from his own wishful thinking.
To be able to hear, sense, or intuit the voice or action of the Holy Spirit is a gift. To develop a relationship with God and a good prayer life, requires good religious training, study, daily practice, and daily seeking God’s Will in your life, and trying to follow it. Even gifted children, like soon-to-be St. Carlo Acutis, and many ordinary children and teens, learn to do this. It is an essential part of our life in Christ. Just ignore the diabolical imposters. A good priest can help you.
Look at the conference schedule.
https://liturgysummit.org/schedule/
At the beginning of the day on July 2-4 there are “private Masses”.
Then read Canon 906, “Can. 906 Except for a just and reasonable cause, a priest is not to celebrate the eucharistic sacrifice without the participation of at least some member of the faithful.”
The conference is going against canon law.
I have seen “private Masses” or similar phrases posted on the Mass schedule of seminaries or monasteries that meant the Mass was not-public and was only for the Seminarians and staff or for a seminary event. (It may be time-restricted or the homily is related to their formation, or an event: seminarian making promises or vows)
Very happy with American Cardinal Robert Prevost chosen as Pope Leo XIV!
I agree. but there are some websites that are already saying it’s time to go to the SSPX. why can’t they give the man a chance?
When an American, in a stunningly historic turn, becomes pope and doesn’t address the world in English, you all you need to know. And now his anti Trump and Vance tweets are coming out.
This choice was a rebuke to Trump, and you will see lots more evidence, stay tuned.
Well, I am just very happy with this new pope! Love the fact that he is one of us– a Midwestern American, from Chicago! Perhaps it will influence some Americans to become interesred in the Catholic Faith– and bolster Catholicism in America, and in other English-speaking countries. Love his multi-language fluency– very necessary for a pope! It was necessary for him to speak to the crowds in St. Peter’s Square in Italian. And as former Archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru, it was wonderful for him to speak to his Peruvians in Spanish.
I was so thrilled about our new, Midwestern American Pope Leo XIV (former Cardinal Robert Prevost) from Chicago– of a multi-ethnic, “melting pot” heritage! And multi-lingual in English, Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese– plus, he can read German– and, of course, Latin. Does he like the beautiful, holy Latin Tridentine Mass? He is a highly-educated intellectual, with a big heart, too—- and may be well-informed in a great many subjects (unlike the former pope).
Would have been wonderful for him to speak English to the billions that speak it worldwide, especially Americans. A deliberately missed opportunity.
Trump should invite him to the White House and give him beautiful gold vestments, not that they would see the light of day!
“La pace sia con voi!” Loved it! Also loved it when Pope Leo XIV invoked the intercession of Our Lady, and had us all recite the “Hail Mary!” Now, let’s all learn Italian– and fly to Rome, to see the new Pope! Viva il Papa!
This new Pope is highly intelligent and normal, and I think he will be a good Catholic Pope. Our former pope was hopelessly abnornal– bizarre… (he wrongly supported the heretical and immoral, was unnaturally anti-Catholic in many ways, a poor religious leader)— a total loss. But now, I think we have a normal, very intelligent, devout, dedicated Pope.
President Trump heartily congratulated Pope Leo XIV. The only thing, for now, that I want more information on, is the two clerical sex abuse cases that the Pope was accused of mishandling in the past —- how did they both turn out? Was justice done?