Five Traditional Pontifical Liturgies to Be Celebrated in Rome and the US.
The liturgies are being celebrated over the next month at a time when Pope Leo XIV is weighing up whether to continue restrictions imposed by Pope Francis’ 2021 apostolic letter ‘Traditionis Custodes.’
Despite continuing suppression of the traditional liturgy — which appears to be concentrated in some dioceses of the United States — four cardinals and an archbishop are to celebrate five traditional pontifical liturgies in Rome and the U.S. over the next month.
At 3 p.m. this coming Saturday, Cardinal Raymond Burke will celebrate a pontifical Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica as part of the annual “Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage” attended by traditional Catholics from around the world. The cardinal last celebrated a pontifical Mass for the same event in the basilica in 2014.
The Mass had become an annual tradition since the pilgrimage began in 2012 but was suspended in 2022 following Pope Francis’ apostolic letter Traditionis Custodes (Guardians of the Tradition), which had led to sweeping restrictions of the traditional Roman Rite in the preceding year. From then on, only the Office of Sext (midday prayer) was allowed to be sung.
The decision to allow the Mass to go ahead appears to have come from the top. “Clearly, [it was] because the Pope said: ‘Let them do it,’” Msgr. Marco Agostini, a papal master of ceremonies and a leading advocate of the traditional Mass in Rome, told The Washington Post Oct. 19.
As part of the pilgrimage, on Oct. 24 Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna will celebrate pontifical vespers in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Rome. The cardinal, who is sympathetic to the traditional Roman Rite but does not celebrate it regularly, last celebrated pontifical vespers for the pilgrims in the Pantheon in 2022.
Now in its 14th year, the Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage brings people ad Petri Sedem (“to the See of Peter”) to give “testimony of the attachment that binds numerous faithful throughout the whole world to the traditional liturgy.”
Joseph Shaw, president of Una Voce International, publicly thanked Pope Leo XIV for his “pastoral response” in allowing Cardinal Burke to celebrate a pontifical Mass in the basilica, calling it a “major breakthrough for the pilgrimage.” He added that he hoped it would foster “unity with the Holy Father” among Catholics attached to the missal used before the liturgical reforms of 1970.
At noon on Nov. 1, the Solemnity of All Saints, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone will celebrate a solemn pontifical Mass — the most complete and elaborate form of the traditional Mass — at Star of the Sea Parish in San Francisco. The Mass will be part of a Eucharistic Rosary Congress, an initiative to help parishes begin seven days of adoration and hourly Rosaries before the Blessed Sacrament.
The following day, at 5 p.m., the prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Gerhard Müller, will celebrate a pontifical Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes parish church in Philadelphia. The Mass, sponsored by the International Institute for Culture, a nonprofit inspired by Pope St. John Paul II’s call for the reevangelization of culture, will feature a “special program of sacred music.”
“This is a rare opportunity to participate in a traditional liturgy of great beauty and to meet one of the Church’s most distinguished theologians and leaders in person,” the institute’s website states, adding that local chivalric orders will also be taking part in the Mass. Faithful wishing to attend are asked to register beforehand due to the expected shortage of seating.
Lastly, on Nov. 21, the prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Cardinal Robert Sarah, will celebrate pontifical vespers at the Cathedral-Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia. The liturgy will coincide with the launch of a book called The Song of the Lamb — a conversation on sacred music between Cardinal Sarah and Peter Carter, founder and director of the Catholic Sacred Music Project, an organization aiming to lead a renewal of sacred music. Two book launch events are scheduled: the first on Nov. 21, at 3 p.m., at the University of Pennsylvania; and the second, on Nov. 22, at 2 p.m. at Princeton University.
The pontifical liturgies come at a time when Pope Leo XIV must decide whether to continue restricting some liturgies in the traditional Roman Rite in accordance with Traditionis Custodes or allow the freedom to celebrate them more in accordance with Pope Benedict XVI’s apostolic letter Summorum Pontificum.
The credibility of Traditionis Custodes was severely undermined over the summer when it emerged that the original justification for implementing its restrictions had been based on misrepresented data about bishops’ opinions.
How the Pope might decide on the issue remains unclear, although curial figures such as Cardinal Kurt Koch of Switzerland, the president of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, said in August it would “certainly be desirable to open the now-closed door more again.”
Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, a former president of the Italian bishops’ conference, also indicated that he favored a relaxation of the restrictions on the traditional Latin Mass, saying he saw “neither risks nor dangers if things are done peacefully and with everyone’s goodwill.”
Currently, national bishops’ conferences and local ordinaries remain the decisive authorities, and some continue to execute new restrictions, especially in the United States. “This seems to be something unique to America,” Shaw told Raymond Arroyo on EWTN’s The World Over program Oct. 16. “I haven’t heard about this coming from Italy; France; or England, where I am. In fact, the bishops in England seem more relaxed than they were six months ago about the traditional Mass, so this is a real puzzle.”
In recent months, the dioceses of Charlotte, North Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Detroit have suppressed the traditional liturgy, resulting in considerable backlash from the faithful.
From the National Catholic Register
The story’s last sentence is false: there has not been considerable backlash from the faithful in response to discontinuing TLMs. Most Catholics don’t care. Fewer than 0.5% of all Catholics attend a TLM. There has been a loud, strident backlash from several tendentious internet personalities, grossly disproportionate to their number and influence, but so what?
No, you have no idea in the world what has been going on! There has been a huge and totally justifiable backlash of whole great big congregations of big Catholic families, ousted from Tridentine Latin Mass churches! Entire big congregations, of large Catholic families, with lots of kids! The leftist news reporters do not report much on them. And the Catholic Church has tried to suppress this growing movement. On the other hand– many regular Catholic churches are dying out, being closed, deconsecrated– and sold off by diocesan bishops.
The traditional Latin Mass has roots dating back to the earliest days of Christianity, with core prayers of its Canon being established by the 4th Century. It was codified by Pope Pius V in 1570. In 2007 Pope Benedict the XVI granted greater freedom for priests to celebrate the Tridentine Mass.
Looking forward to these beautiful and holy five traditional Pontifical liturgies! For those who are unfamiliar with them, it is a good opportunity to learn more about our holy Catholic Faith and its history. Either one can attend in person, or else watch what may be televised. There is a rich bounty of graces in the older Mass and liturgies.
America Magazine today published a great article titled “Pope Leo and the Latin Mass Problem”. It states that Pope Leo is going to have to settle this liturgical dispute once and for all, and it proposes that Pope Leo confirm that Pope Francis was right to suppress the TLM. It further proposes that Pope Leo should promote a celebration of the reformed Mass that accords more with the Church’s preconciliar liturgical tradition.
That would be a win-win.
No, that is ridiculous. “America” magazine is a deviant publication of heretical Jesuits, and its main editor is Fr. James Martin, an immoral and heretical gay rights activist. He is trying to change the Catholic Church to accept the gay “lifestyle” and gay “marriage” and adoptions. He was involved in the recent desecration of St. Peter’s Basilica, when the immoral LGBT activists swarmed it, bearing the Rainbow Cross, pretending to be Jubilee Year “pilgrims.” Evil. The true solution for the authentic Catholic Church is Pope Benedict’s “Summorum Pontificum.” You cannot lawfully abrogate nor suppress the authentically-Catholic, Latin Tridentine Mass– its authentically-Catholic history, 1500+-years-old, goes all the way back to the beginnings of the Christian religion. It is evil to force a false “unity” according to the ignorant, childish whims of a deviant, anti-authentic Catholic, religious “dictator.”
If Father James Martin wants me to dislike the Latin Mass, then he should cause the Latin Mass to be associated with sodomy. Then I will not like the Latin Mass.
Reply to Win Win: America Magazine is lose lose!
God has been at work– thousands of young people have been starting to return to religious practice– especially, young men. This has been happening all over the Western world. Huge numbers of young people are joining the Catholic Church. Thousands of copies of the Bible are now being sold– especially since the Charlie Kirk assassination– Bible sales have skyrocketed! Many Catholics who are older, and have not gone to church in years, say they have returned to Mass and Confession, and regular practice of the Faith, since Charlie Kirk’s assassination. And many Catholics are unhappy with the Novus Ordo Mass, and have changed to attend the Tridentine Latin Mass.
If God is so great and “at work” why wasn’t he “at work” by preventing people from leaving in the first place? I think you’re reading into things, like seeing faces in the clouds when they aren’t faces; they’re just clouds.
These movements are very new, and have to do with very young people, who were recently born and raised. God has been at work, calling them to love and worship Him! These new young people grew up in a tragically deviant, abnormal society, shockingly deprived of God and traditional, normal circumstances. Many are marrying and raising large, traditional families, with good Christian family values. They need good and decent, traditional cities, neighborhoods, schools, churches, and everything completely normal, that good, traditional societies normally provide, so that they and their children may succeed and flourish. These young people may eventually help change the evil, immoral, leftist-radicalized, Godless Western societies– and reform them, in Christ’s teachings. God moves silently all the time, knocking on the doors of our hearts. But who will hear Him– and open the door, and answer His Divine Call?
Pope Benedict allowed the Extraordinary Form of the Mass to be celebrated widely. Pope Francis largely suppressed it. Now, Pope Leo will make the call.
Will those who pushed for the enforcement of Pope Francis’s TC support Pope Leo if he leads in another direction?
Time will tell.
Some think it must be eliminated while others think it’s the only proper form of the Mass. Maybe there is some truth in between.
We wouldn’t be in this mess if JPII hadn’t authorized the celebration of the TLM by indult in oder to prevent some traditionalists from going to SSPX chapels after Lefevbre broke from the Church to celebrate only the TLM. JPII thought he was doing a good thing. He created this mess. He should have resisted and let them go.
I decided to attend a Latin Mass last month at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in San Diego, because I wanted to find out for myself what it was all about. The church was packed with young families and many young adults. Granted, most people had driven quite far from their home parishes (as did I) to attend the Mass, but I was thinking they had made an extra effort to be there. I watched and admired the young parents who had dressed their children in their Sunday best, and probably had to wake them up really early to arrive on time Something else I noticed — apart from the gorgeous Gregorian chant and the priest reciting the prayers in Latin facing the altar, there was a solemn silence. I have to believe that for those attending, this reverence was a tangible connection to the richness and depth of Catholic tradition.
I contrast this experience with Mass at my own parish where, in spite of our excellent priests, there are few parents with young children and mostly no young adults in attendance each week. I can only come to the conclusion that the young families and others that I observed at St. Anne’s are seeking something more profound and intangible, and that the traditional Mass is somehow a fulfillment of that spiritual void.
I pray that Pope Leo will reverse restrictions on this venerable form of Catholic tradition.
Solstice, you found out the truth! Good for you! I dread the next move of the Vatican, with the upcoming implementation, worldwide, of the teachings of the Synod on Synodality. Pope Francis wanted people at Catholic churches to listen to each other, and for the clergy to listen to parishioners. But is anyone prayerfully listening to God?
“The credibility of Traditionis Custodes was severely undermined over the summer when it emerged that the original justification for implementing its restrictions had been based on misrepresented data about bishops’ opinions.” Diane Montagna reported as much early on and the way this article states this as fact leads me to believe she has been vindicated. Is this so? And if so, it makes sense as Pope Francis displayed an enormous animus toward traditionalists whom he regarded as impeding his vision of the synodal church. Therefore he would have a strong motive to prevaricate on the data (at least that is my take on the matter).
How many statues of Mary does a church need?
I don’t think any are technically needed/required in the Roman Church. Yet, an image (icon or statue) of the Mother of God is an ancient practice, most highly recommended, seemingly virtually required. I’m pretty sure all bishops would require such. As the Second Vatican Council teaches, “The practice of placing sacred images in churches so that they may be venerated by the faithful is to be maintained. Nevertheless, their number should be moderate and their relative positions should reflect right order. For otherwise they may create confusion among the Christian people and foster devotion of doubtful orthodoxy.” (Sacrosanctum Concilium 125) The Council goes on, “There should usually be only one image of any given Saint.” (SC 318)
(Icons of the Theotokos and Christ our God are “required” in our Greek Catholic churches. And, the Conciliar Liturgical directives do not apply to us, so we usually have many icons. Of course, they should be placed in proper order, as noted by the Council.)
If a knowledgeable Latin Catholic wants to share liturgical norms for the Western Church, I’d be interested.
What’s the carbon footprint for keeping all the lights on in that pictured hallway that seems to be empty a lot.
Pope Leo announced on his inauguration mass he wanted unity. Fully restore the TLM and show the that you truly meant unity. This is the mass of the ages
Rey, as much as you appreciate it, can you refrain from your polemic of calling the Mass of 1962 “the Mass of the ages?” It simply isn’t. It isn’t even entirely the Mass of the Council of Trent. You would be more credible and persuasive if you spoke with historical accuracy. Do you want to persuade others of the truth and beauty of the TLM or do you just want to make a point?
Similarly, readers here who want to suppress the TLM entirely, can you take a deep breath, relax and trust the popes and bishops?
Celebrating the Extraordinary Form of the Mass will not save the Church or the world nor will suppressing it.
We all may have preferences (and reasons for them). Yet, the Church’s worship is not ours to decide. We’re not Protestants, with “make it up as we go” worship.
Rey is correct in calling the holy Latin Tridentine Mass “the Mass of the Ages”– a common term for our holy Latin Tridentine Mass, that goes all the way back in history to the early Christians, 1500+ years, to the date it was codified by Pope St. Gregory the Great. The Council of Trent made few changes to the Mass. The 1969 Novus Ordo Missae– now nearly 60 years old– was a very radical– and controversial– new type of modernist Mass, deliberately stripped of many traditional Catholic elements. Yes, our Church has undergone a radical revolution, similar to the Protestant Reformation– and is falling to pieces… not much one can do. Many are upset. Finances are failing, churches are closing, with many bankruptcies due to clerical sex abuse.. etc.
Those who want the Latin Mass do not want division and conflict. They want Holiness and Sanctity. Many in the Church are slandering those who want the Latin Mass.
Pope Leo, are you serious about unity as a true shepherd should be? Restore the TLM.