The Real Story?

There is an interesting report coming out of the Vatican right now. It might just be a rumor (so I will speak cautiously), but it would be very revealing if it were true. It appears that a reporter has received information that shows that the original implementation of Traditionis Custodes (the document from Pope Francis restricting practice of the Latin Mass) may have been against the wishes of the wide majority of Bishops in spite of the fact that he claimed the opposite. You see, originally Francis asked for Bishops to comment on their experience of the spread of the Latin Mass in their dioceses, and said he would respond according to their input. That might not be the case after all.

The original claim was that a majority of Bishops said it was a problem as it was causing division between Novus Ordo parishioners and Latin Mass parishioners at the same parish. I myself have seen this (more than once), so I do not discount the claim that this occurs (each group seems to get an air of superiority to their actions and they polarize away from each other). This does not mean, however, that it happens all the time, and now it appears that it does not even happen the majority of the time.

The reporter said that it appears honesty about the motivations for Traditionis Custodes were mixed, and that the implementation of it was not actually for the purpose of restoring unity to the Church. (More HERE.) What does that mean for us today, though? There is a good chance that Pope Leo will see this and move back toward the original structure and pattern of Summorum Pontificum (Pope Benedict's clear allowance for the Latin Mass to be practiced quite freely).

Let us pray for our brothers and sisters who appreciate the Latin Mass, that God will work through this situation and grant our Holy Father the wisdom to restore a beautiful and reverent form of the Mass to be fully observed without restriction. Let us also pray that this might possibly lead to a reconciliation for the Society of St. Pius X, as they too need to be restored to full communion with the Church. Let us always pray that God would enable us to worship Him with reverence and awe.