Archbishop Arthur Roche, 73, from Great Britain, successor since May 2021 of Cardinal Robert Sarah as the head (Prefect) of the Vatican office for the liturgy, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (CDW), making him the highest-ranking British official in the Roman Curia. This morning in Rome — one week before Christmas — he released a series of generally restrictive decisions in regard to the old liturgy of the Catholic Church (link)
“At the solemn closing of the second session of the [Vatican II] Council (4 December 1963), St Paul VI said (n. 11): ‘The difficult, complex debates have had rich results. They have brought one topic to a conclusion, the sacred liturgy. Treated before all others, in a sense it has priority over all others for its intrinsic dignity and importance to the life of the Church and today we will solemnly promulgate the document on the liturgy. Our spirit, therefore, exults with true joy, for in the way things have gone we note respect for a right scale of values and duties. God must hold first place; prayer to him is our first duty. The liturgy is the first source of the divine communion in which God shares His own life with us. It is also the first school of the spiritual life.‘”—Archbishop Arthur Roche, in a “Responsa ad dubia” (“Response to doubts expressed,” released today, December 18, regarding a number provisions of the July 16, 2021, decree Traditionis custodes (“Of Tradition the Protectors”) of Pope Francis, which called for restriuctions on the celebration of the old liturgy. Note, however, that this citation of Paul VI by Roche, which is introduced to give the support of the canonized Pope Paul to the work of the liturgical reform which led to the “new Mass,” is a citation from December 1963, almost six years before the promulgation of the “new” liturgy in 1969. Why os this important? Because the fundamental issue, which has been much discussed ever since, is not what the Council itself said, but whether and to what extent what the Council said was faithfully followed during those six years of rewriting the liturgy (1964-1969), and so whether what was produced (the “Novus Ordo” Mass) was actually what was envisioned and called for by the bishops of the Council when they promulgated the decree on the sacred liturgy. For example, the Council decree calls for the preservation of Latin in the liturgy (at least in some parts). Has that been followed? We all know it has not. So, St. Paul VI rightly says that the topic of the liturgy was “brought to a conclusion” during 1962 and 1963, and Archbishop Roche has a right to cite this statement. But this citation begs the question of whether the work of the liturgical commission from 1964-1969 was carried out in such a way as to reflect full fidelity to what the Council decreed. Whether this was so, whether the work of the Commission was faithful or unfaithful to the Council, and to the Council Fathers, has remained a matter of legitimate discussion among thoughtful Catholics until the present day, and should remain so
“I am of the opinion, to be sure, that the old rite should be granted much more generously to all those who desire it. It’s impossible to see what could be dangerous or unacceptable about that. A community is calling its very being into question when it suddenly declares that what until now was its holiest and highest possession is strictly forbidden and when it makes the longing for it seem downright indecent.” —Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI), Salt of the Earth, 1997 (link)
“In reality what happened was that an unprecedented clericalization came on the scene. Now the priest — the ‘presider,’ as they now prefer to call him — becomes the real point of reference for the whole Liturgy. Everything depends on him. We have to see him, to respond to him, to be involved in what he is doing. His creativity sustains the whole thing… Not surprisingly, people try to reduce this newly created role by assigning all kinds of liturgical functions to different individuals and entrusting the ‘creative’ planning of the Liturgy to groups of people who like to, and are supposed to, ‘make a contribution of their own.’ Less and less is God in the picture.” —Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Spirit of the Liturgy, Ignatius Press, 2000
“For fostering a true consciousness in liturgical matters, it is also important that the proscription against the form of liturgy in valid use up to 1970 [the older Latin Mass] should be lifted. Anyone who nowadays advocates the continuing existence of this liturgy or takes part in it is treated like a leper; all tolerance ends here. There has never been anything like this in history; in doing this we are despising and proscribing the Church’s whole past. How can one trust her at present if things are that way?”—Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, in the same work, which was published in the year 2000 (underlining added)
Letter #181, 2021, Saturday, December 18: Roche
A day of a certain sadness, a few days before Christmas.
Today in Rome, a week before the great holy day commemorating the Lord’s incarnation, which began to unwind and overcome the frustration of all human life under the weight and sorrow of the fall of Adam and Eve, a document was released which further tightens already strict restrictions on the “old Mass” and “old sacraments” (for the wording of each of the sacraments was also revised in the post-conciliar reform of the 1960s).
Here below is: 1) an article by Vaticanist Hannah Brockhaus of Catholic News Agency, then 2) the actual text of the document released by the Vatican, then 3) an interpretation of the document from the traditionalist website, Rorate Caeli.
All best wishes for Advent and Christmas.—RM
***
The Vatican of today “contra Benedictum” (“against Benedict”)
The sadness, even during the joy of Advent, comes from a sense that the valuable and true thoughts and insights of a venerable old man — Pope Benedict — are being treated in a cavalier and superficial way.
The sadness, even during the joy of Advent, is due to a perception that, in the current debate over the liturgy, the present authorities in Rome, have made up their minds in direct contradiction to many of the insights and counsels of Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI (who is still alive).
The sadness, even during the joy of Advent, is due to the sense that the profound convictions — the religious consciences — of many tens of thousands are being cruelly mischaracterized and nonchalantly disregarded by a group of powerful men who could be and ought to be more charitable — as Pope Benedict was, and is.
In Rome today, some truths that need to be considered, truths that were considered and reflected upon by Pope Benedict XVI when he published his own “compromise” decree in 2007, Summorum pontificum, are not being considered.
I do recognize the danger of making any liturgy — which is a ceremony of thanksgiving to God for gifts and graces given, and of worship of God for His intrinsic goodness and holiness — into a sort of “externalized” and “externalizing” cold and dark “cage of rigid forms” inside of which worshippers may slip, regrettably, into formalism, perhaps credulity, perhaps even forms of superstition.
But… but… it must be recognized — as Pope Benedict recognized, after years of thought — that there is also the danger of horizontalizing and secularizing the liturgy, of diminishing the degree of reverence for the Almighty, All-Holy God.
Benedict wrote, in his explanatory letter accompanying Summorum Pontificum in 2007, 14 years ago: “In the history of the liturgy there is growth and progress, but no rupture. What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful.” (link, italic and underline emphasis both added)
The experience of 50 and more years (1970-2021) has now shown us the possibility of both of these dangers becoming real: too much rigorism, or too much laxism.
Let us pray for wisdom and charity in these times, that these wounds may find healing, through the Lord’s mercy.
***
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Traditionis custodes: Vatican further tightens restrictions on Traditional Latin Mass
Catholic News Agency, Vatican City, Dec 18, 2021 / 04:36 am
The Vatican issued Saturday further strict guidelines on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass, in response to questions about the motu proprio Traditionis custodes.
The explanatory document, which bans confirmations and ordinations according to pre-Vatican II Roman Missals, was published Dec. 18 with Pope Francis’ approval, the Vatican’s liturgy office said.
Traditionis custodes is a July 16 motu proprio in which Pope Francis placed sweeping restrictions on the celebration of Mass using the 1962 Roman Missal, known variously as the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite, the Tridentine Mass, and the Traditional Latin Mass. (You can read a further explanation of the document here.)
His predecessor Benedict XVI had issued a 2007 apostolic letter called Summorum Pontificum, which acknowledged the right of all priests to say Mass using the Roman Missal of 1962, which is in Latin.
The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Vatican office responsible for matters related to the sacred liturgy, said it had received “several requests for clarification” on the correct application of Traditionis custodes.
The congregation published Dec. 18 a “responsa ad dubia” (“answers to doubts”), with one-word replies — either “negative” or “afffirmative” — to 11 specific questions, followed by brief explanations.
Archbishop Arthur Roche, prefect of the liturgy congregation, also wrote a letter to the presidents of bishops’ conferences, in which he said that the primary aim of the new restrictions was to foster ecclesial communion.
Ecclesial communion, he said, is expressed by recognizing that the liturgical books promulgated in conformity with the decrees of the Second Vatican Council are “the unique expression” of the prayer of the Roman Rite.
“This is the direction in which we wish to move, and this is the meaning of the responses we publish here,” Roche said.
In one of the responses, the Divine Worship congregation said that according to Traditionis custodes, sacraments cannot be celebrated using the liturgical books Rituale Romanum and the Pontificale Romanum promulgated prior to the Vatican II reforms.
The Pontificale Romanum contains the rites and ceremonies usually performed by bishops and the Rituale Romanum is one of the official ritual books used by a priest or deacon for rites not found in the Roman Missal, which is used for Mass.
The Vatican congregation clarified that a diocesan bishop can authorize the use of the 1952 edition of the Rituale Romanum, but not the Pontificale Romanum, “only to those canonically erected personal parishes which, according to the provisions of the Motu Proprio Traditionis custodes, celebrate using the Missale Romanum [Roman Missal] of 1962.”
This restriction is intended “to re-establish in the whole Church of the Roman Rite a single and identical prayer expressing its unity,” the liturgy office said.
“In implementing these provisions, care should be taken to accompany all those rooted in the previous form of celebration towards a full understanding of the value of the celebration in the ritual form given to us by the reform of the Second Vatican Council,” the document said.
“This should take place through an appropriate formation that makes it possible to discover how the reformed liturgy is the witness to an unchanged faith, the expression of a renewed ecclesiology, and the primary source of spirituality for Christian life.”
One of the changes Pope Francis’ motu proprio introduced to the Traditional Latin Mass was the obligation for it to be celebrated only in non-parish churches, oratories, or chapels.
The Vatican said Saturday that bishops can ask the Congregation for Divine Worship for a dispensation from this obligation “if it is established that it is impossible to use another church, oratory or chapel.”
The congregation went on to say that if the dispensation is given for a community to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass in a parish, “such a celebration should not be included in the parish Mass schedule, since it is attended only by the faithful who are members of the said group” and “it should not be held at the same time as the pastoral activities of the parish community.”
“It is to be understood that when another venue becomes available, this permission will be withdrawn,” the liturgy office said.
The note also explained that the reason for the provision that the Traditional Latin Mass not be celebrated in parish churches is “intended to affirm that the celebration of the Eucharist according to the previous rite, being a concession limited to these groups, is not part of the ordinary life of the parish community.”
“There is no intention in these provisions to marginalize the faithful who are rooted in the previous form of celebration: they are only meant to remind them that this is a concession to provide for their good (in view of the common use of the one lex orandi [law of prayer] of the Roman Rite) and not an opportunity to promote the previous rite,” it added.
Another response emphasized that at Traditional Latin Masses, “it possible to use the full text of the Bible for the readings.”
The document noted that “Traditionis custodes states that the readings are to be proclaimed in the vernacular language, using translations of Sacred Scripture for liturgical use, approved by the respective episcopal conferences.”
It added: “No vernacular lectionaries may be published that reproduce the cycle of readings of the previous rite.”
In his letter to the presidents of bishops’ conferences, Roche said that a continuous formation regarded the liturgy is needed for priests and lay Catholics.
“As pastors we must not lend ourselves to sterile polemics, capable only of creating division, in which the ritual itself is often exploited by ideological viewpoints,” he said.
“Rather, we are all called to rediscover the value of the liturgical reform by preserving the truth and beauty of the Rite that it has given us,” he said.
“For this to happen, we are aware that a renewed and continuous liturgical formation is necessary both for priests and for the lay faithful.”
The new guidelines also explained certain regulations for priests who celebrate Traditional Latin Masses and ministers who assist them.
The diocesan bishop must seek the authorization of the Vatican to permit priests ordained after the publication of Traditionis custodes to celebrate the Mass according to the 1962 Roman Missal.
Deacons and other instituted ministries participating in the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass need to have the permission of their bishop.
The Vatican said it wanted to ensure that priests who wish to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass “share the desire of the Holy Father” that the Vatican II reform of the liturgy is recognized “as the unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite.”
Under the new restrictions, the Divine Worship congregation also banned priests who offer the Traditional Latin Mass from “bination,” or celebrating Mass twice on the same day.
It explained that priests granted permission to offer the Traditional Latin Mass may not offer more than one Old Rite Mass each day, or offer both the older Mass and the ordinary form Mass on the same day.
“It is not possible to grant bination on the grounds that there is no ‘just cause’ or ‘pastoral necessity’ as required by canon 905 §2: the right of the faithful to the celebration of the Eucharist is in no way denied, since they are offered the possibility of participating in the Eucharist in its current ritual form,” the document stated.
The congregation also offered guidance for bishops on how to respond to priests who do not accept the validity of the act of concelebration of the Mass — that is, when two or more priests or bishops celebrate Mass together — in particular, priests who refuse to concelebrate the Chrism Mass with their bishop.
According to the Vatican, these priests should have their permission to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass revoked.
The congregation went on to say that before permission is removed, however, the bishop should “establish a fraternal dialogue” with the priest and “accompany him towards an understanding of the value of concelebration.”
“The explicit refusal not to take part in concelebration, particularly at the Chrism Mass, seems to express a lack of acceptance of the liturgical reform and a lack of ecclesial communion with the bishop,” the note said.
***
Here is the official text of the document released today. It opens with an explanatory introduction by Archbishop Roche, followed by the text containing the various questions (“dubia“) raised, with each answer given, and explained:
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
RESPONSA AD DUBIA
on certain provisions of the
Apostolic Letter
TRADITIONIS CUSTODES
issued “Motu Proprio” by the Supreme Pontiff
FRANCIS
TO THE PRESIDENTS
OF THE CONFERENCES OF BISHOPS
Your Eminence / Your Excellency,
Following the publication by Pope Francis of the Apostolic Letter “Motu Proprio data” Traditionis custodes on the use of the liturgical books from prior to the reform of the Second Vatican Council, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, which exercises the authority of the Apostolic See for material within its competence (cf. Traditionis custodes, n. 7), received several requests for clarification on its correct application. Some questions have been raised from several quarters and with greater frequency. Therefore, after having carefully considered them, having informed the Holy Father and having received his assent, the responses to the most recurrent questions are published herewith.
The text of the Motu Proprio and the accompanying Letter to the Bishops of the whole world clearly express the reasons for the decisions taken by Pope Francis. The first aim is to continue “in the constant search for ecclesial communion” (Traditionis custodes, Preamble) which is expressed by recognising in the liturgical books promulgated by the Popes Saint Paul VI and Saint John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of the Second Vatican Council, the unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite (cf. Traditionis custodes, n. 1). This is the direction in which we wish to move, and this is the meaning of the responses we publish here. Every prescribed norm has always the sole purpose of preserving the gift of ecclesial communion by walking together, with conviction of mind and heart, in the direction indicated by the Holy Father.
It is sad to see how the deepest bond of unity, the sharing in the one Bread broken which is His Body offered so that all may be one (cf. Jhn 17:21), becomes a cause for division. It is the duty of the Bishops, cum Petro et sub Petro, to safeguard communion, which, as the Apostle Paul reminds us (cf. 1 Cor 11:17-34), is a necessary condition for being able to participate at the Eucharistic table.
One fact is undeniable: The Council Fathers perceived the urgent need for a reform so that the truth of the faith as celebrated might appear ever more in all its beauty, and the People of God might grow in full, active, conscious participation in the liturgical celebration (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium n. 14), which is the present moment in the history of salvation, the memorial of the Lord’s Passover, our one and only hope.
As pastors we must not lend ourselves to sterile polemics, capable only of creating division, in which the ritual itself is often exploited by ideological viewpoints. Rather, we are all called to rediscover the value of the liturgical reform by preserving the truth and beauty of the Rite that it has given us. For this to happen, we are aware that a renewed and continuous liturgical formation is necessary both for Priests and for the lay faithful.
At the solemn closing of the second session of the Council (4 December 1963), St Paul VI said (n. 11):
“The difficult, complex debates have had rich results. They have brought one topic to a conclusion, the sacred liturgy. Treated before all others, in a sense it has priority over all others for its intrinsic dignity and importance to the life of the Church and today we will solemnly promulgate the document on the liturgy. Our spirit, therefore, exults with true joy, for in the way things have gone we note respect for a right scale of values and duties. God must hold first place; prayer to him is our first duty. The liturgy is the first source of the divine communion in which God shares his own life with us. It is also the first school of the spiritual life. The liturgy is the first gift we must make to the Christian people united to us by faith and the fervour of their prayers. It is also a primary invitation to the human race, so that all may lift their now mute voices in blessed and genuine prayer and thus may experience that indescribable, regenerative power to be found when they join us in proclaiming the praises of God and the hopes of the human heart through Christ and the Holy Spirit”.
When Pope Francis (Address to the participants in the 68th National Liturgical Week, Rome, 24 August 2017) reminds us that “after this magisterium, after this long journey, We can affirm with certainty and with magisterial authority that the liturgical reform is irreversible” he wants to point us to the only direction in which we are joyfully called to turn our commitment as pastors.
Let us entrust our service “to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph 4,3), to Mary, Mother of the Church.
From the offices of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 4 December 2021, on the 58thanniversary of the promulgation of the Constitution on the Scared Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium.
✠ Arthur Roche
Prefect
The Supreme Pontiff Francis, in the course of an Audience granted to the Prefect of this Congregation on 18 November 2021, was informed of and gave his consent to the publication of these RESPONSA AD DUBIA with attached EXPLANATORY NOTES.
[Here follow the questions and answers.]
Traditionis custodes
Art. 3. Episcopus, in dioecesibus ubi adhuc unus vel plures coetus celebrant secundum Missale antecedens instaurationem anni 1970:
[…]
§ 2. statuat unum vel plures locos ubi fideles, qui his coetibus adhaerent, convenire possint ad Eucharistiam celebrandam (nec autem in ecclesiis paroecialibus nec novas paroecias personales erigens);
To the proposed question:
When it is not possible to find a church, oratory or chapel which is available to accommodate the faithful who celebrate using the Missale Romanum (Editio typica 1962), can the diocesan Bishop ask the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments for a dispensation from the provision of the Motu Proprio Traditionis custodes (Art. 3 § 2), and thus allow such a celebration in the parish church?
The answer is:
Affirmative.
Explanatory note.
The Motu Proprio Traditionis custodes in art. 3 § 2 requests that the Bishop, in dioceses where up to now there has been the presence of one or more groups celebrating according to the Missal prior to the reform of 1970, “designate one or more locations where the faithful adherents of these groups may gather for the Eucharistic celebration (not however in the parochial churches and without the erection of new personal parishes)”. The exclusion of the parish church is intended to affirm that the celebration of the Eucharist according to the previous rite, being a concession limited to these groups, is not part of the ordinary life of the parish community.
This Congregation, exercising the authority of the Holy See in matters within its competence (cf. Traditionis custodes, n. 7), can grant, at the request of the diocesan Bishop, that the parish church be used to celebrate according to the Missale Romanum of 1962 only if it is established that it is impossible to use another church, oratory or chapel. The assessment of this impossibility must be made with the utmost care.
Moreover, such a celebration should not be included in the parish Mass schedule, since it is attended only by the faithful who are members of the said group. Finally, it should not be held at the same time as the pastoral activities of the parish community. It is to be understood that when another venue becomes available, this permission will be withdrawn.
There is no intention in these provisions to marginalise the faithful who are rooted in the previous form of celebration: they are only meant to remind them that this is a concession to provide for their good (in view of the common use of the one lex orandi of the Roman Rite) and not an opportunity to promote the previous rite.
Traditionis custodes
Art. 1. Libri liturgici a sanctis Pontificibus Paulo VI et Ioanne Paulo II promulgati, iuxta decreta Concilii Vaticani II, unica expressio “legis orandi” Ritus Romani sunt.
Art. 8. Normae, dispositiones, concessiones et consuetudines antecedentes, quae conformes non sint cum harum Litterarum Apostolicarum Motu Proprio datarum praescriptis, abrogantur.
To the proposed question:
Is it possible, according to the provisions of the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes, to celebrate the sacraments with the Rituale Romanum and the Pontificale Romanum which predate the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council?
The answer is:
Negative.
The diocesan Bishop is authorised to grant permission to use only the Rituale Romanum (last editio typica 1952) and not the Pontificale Romanum which predate the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council. He may grant this permission only to those canonically erected personal parishes which, according to the provisions of the Motu Proprio Traditionis custodes, celebrate using the Missale Romanum of 1962.
Explanatory note.
The Motu Proprio Traditionis custodes intends to re-establish in the whole Church of the Roman Rite a single and identical prayer expressing its unity, according to the liturgical books promulgated by the Popes Saint Paul VI and Saint John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of the Second Vatican Council and in line with the tradition of the Church.
The diocesan Bishop, as the moderator, promoter and guardian of all liturgical life, must work to ensure that his diocese returns to a unitary form of celebration (cf. Pope Francis, Letter to the Bishops of the whole world that accompanies the Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio data Traditionis custodes).
This Congregation, exercising the authority of the Holy See in matters within its competence (cf. Traditionis custodes, n. 7), affirms that, in order to make progress in the direction indicated by the Motu Proprio, it should not grant permission to use the Rituale Romanum and the Pontificale Romanum which predate the liturgical reform, these are liturgical books which, like all previous norms, instructions, concessions and customs, have been abrogated (cf. Traditionis Custodes, n. 8).
After discernment the diocesan Bishop is authorised to grant permission to use only the Rituale Romanum (last editio typica1952) and not the Pontificale Romanum which predate the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council. This permission is to be granted only to canonically erected personal parishes which, according to the provisions of the Motu Proprio Traditionis custodes, celebrate with the Missale Romanum of 1962. It should be remembered that the formula for the Sacrament of Confirmation was changed for the entire Latin Church by Saint Paul VI with the Apostolic Constitution Divinæ consortium naturæ (15 August 1971).
This provision is intended to underline the need to clearly affirm the direction indicated by the Motu Proprio which sees in the liturgical books promulgated by the Saints Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of the Second Vatican Council, the unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite (cf. Traditionis custodes, n. 1).
In implementing these provisions, care should be taken to accompany all those rooted in the previous form of celebration towards a full understanding of the value of the celebration in the ritual form given to us by the reform of the Second Vatican Council. This should take place through an appropriate formation that makes it possible to discover how the reformed liturgy is the witness to an unchanged faith, the expression of a renewed ecclesiology, and the primary source of spirituality for Christian life.
Traditionis custodes
Art. 3. Episcopus, in dioecesibus ubi adhuc unus vel plures coetus celebrant secundum Missale antecedens instaurationem anni 1970:
§ 1. certior fiat coetus illos auctoritatem ac legitimam naturam instaurationis liturgicae, normarum Concilii Vaticani II Magisteriique Summorum Pontificum non excludere;
To the proposed question:
If a Priest who has been granted the use of the Missale Romanum of 1962 does not recognise the validity and legitimacy of concelebration – refusing to concelebrate, in particular, at the Chrism Mass – can he continue to benefit from this concession?
The answer is:
Negative.
However, before revoking the concession to use the Missale Romanum of 1962, the Bishop should take care to establish a fraternal dialogue with the Priest, to ascertain that this attitude does not exclude the validity and legitimacy of the liturgical reform, the teaching of the Second Vatican Council and the Magisterium of the Supreme Pontiffs, and to accompany him towards an understanding of the value of concelebration, particularly at the Chrism Mass.
Explanatory note.
Art. 3 § 1 of the Motu Proprio Traditionis custodes requires the diocesan Bishop to ascertain that the groups requesting to celebrate with the Missale Romanum of 1962 “do not deny the validity and the legitimacy of the liturgical reform, dictated by Vatican Council II and the Magisterium of the Supreme Pontiffs”.
St Paul forcefully reminds the community of Corinth to live in unity as a necessary condition to be able to participate at the Eucharistic table (cf. 1 Cor 11,17-34).
In the Letter sent to the Bishops of the whole world to accompany the text of the Motu Proprio Traditionis custodes, the Holy Father says: “Because ‘liturgical celebrations are not private actions, but celebrations of the Church, which is the sacrament of unity’ (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 26), they must be carried out in communion with the Church. Vatican Council II, while it reaffirmed the external bonds of incorporation in the Church — the profession of faith, the sacraments, of communion — affirmed with St. Augustine that to remain in the Church not only ‘with the body’ but also ‘with the heart’ is a condition for salvation (cf. Lumen Gentium, n. 14)”.
The explicit refusal not to take part in concelebration, particularly at the Chrism Mass, seems to express a lack of acceptance of the liturgical reform and a lack of ecclesial communion with the Bishop, both of which are necessary requirements in order to benefit from the concession to celebrate with the Missale Romanum of 1962.
However, before revoking the concession to use the Missale Romanum of 1962, the Bishop should offer the Priest the necessary time for a sincere discussion on the deeper motivations that lead him not to recognise the value of concelebration, in particular in the Mass presided over by the Bishop. He should invite him to express, in the eloquent gesture of concelebration, that ecclesial communion which is a necessary condition for being able to participate at the table of the Eucharistic sacrifice.
Traditionis custodes
Art. 3. Episcopus, in dioecesibus ubi adhuc unus vel plures coetus celebrant secundum Missale antecedens instaurationem anni 1970:
[…]
§ 3. constituat, in loco statuto, dies quibus celebrationes eucharisticae secundum Missale Romanum a sancto Ioanne XXIII anno 1962 promulgatum permittuntur. His in celebrationibus, lectiones proclamentur lingua vernacula, adhibitis Sacrae Scripturae translationibus ad usum liturgicum ab unaquaque Conferentia Episcoporum approbatis;
To the proposed question:
In Eucharistic celebrations using the Missale Romanum of 1962, is it possible to use the full text of the Bible for the readings, choosing the pericopes indicated in the Missal??
The answer is:
Affirmative.
Explanatory note.
Art. 3 § 3 of the Motu Proprio Traditionis custodes states that the readings are to be proclaimed in the vernacular language, using translations of Sacred Scripture for liturgical use, approved by the respective Episcopal Conferences.
Since the texts of the readings are contained in the Missal itself, and therefore there is no separate Lectionary, and in order to observe the provisions of the Motu Proprio, one must necessarily resort to the translation of the Bible approved by the individual Bishops’ Conferences for liturgical use, choosing the pericopes indicated in the Missale Romanum of 1962.
No vernacular lectionaries may be published that reproduce the cycle of readings of the previous rite.
It should be remembered that the present Lectionary is one of the most precious fruits of the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council. The publication of the Lectionary, in addition to overcoming the “plenary” form of the Missale Romanum of 1962 and returning to the ancient tradition of individual books corresponding to individual ministries, fulfils the wish of Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 51: “The treasures of the Bible are to be opened up more lavishly, so that richer fare may be provided for the faithful at the table of God’s word. In this way a more representative portion of the holy scriptures will be read to the people in the course of a prescribed number of years”.
Traditionis custodes
Art. 4. Presbyteri ordinati post has Litteras Apostolicas Motu Proprio datas promulgatas, celebrare volentes iuxta Missale Romanum anno 1962 editum, petitionem formalem Episcopo dioecesano mittere debent, qui, ante concessionem, a Sede Apostolica licentiam rogabit.
To the proposed question:
Does the diocesan Bishop have to be authorised by the Apostolic See to allow priests ordained after the publication of the Motu Proprio Traditionis custodes to celebrate with the Missale Romanum of 1962 (cf. Traditionis custodies, n. 4)?
The answer is:
Affirmative.
Explanatory note.
Article 4 of the Latin text (which is the official text to be referenced) reads as follows: «Presbyteri ordinati post has Litteras Apostolicas Motu Proprio datas promulgatas, celebrare volentes iuxta Missale Romanum anno 1962 editum, petitionem formalem Episcopo dioecesano mittere debent, qui, ante concessionem, a Sede Apostolica licentiam rogabit».
This is not merely a consultative opinion, but a necessary authorisation given to the diocesan Bishop by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, which exercises the authority of the Holy See over matters within its competence. (cf. Traditionis custodes, n. 7).
Only after receiving this permission will the diocesan Bishop be able to authorise Priests ordained after the publication of the Motu Proprio (16 July 2021) to celebrate with the Missale Romanum of 1962.
This rule is intended to assist the diocesan Bishop in evaluating such a request: his discernment will be duly taken into account by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
The Motu Proprio clearly expresses the desire that what is contained in the liturgical books promulgated by Popes Saint Paul VI and Saint John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of the Second Vatican Council, be recognised as the unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite: it is therefore absolutely essential that Priests ordained after the publication of the Motu Proprio share this desire of the Holy Father.
All seminary formators, seeking to walk with solicitude in the direction indicated by Pope Francis, are encouraged to accompany future Deacons and Priests to an understanding and experience of the richness of the liturgical reform called for by the Second Vatican Council. This reform has enhanced every element of the Roman Rite and has fostered – as hoped for by the Council Fathers – the full, conscious and active participation of the entire People of God in the liturgy (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium no. 14), the primary source of authentic Christian spirituality.
Traditionis custodes
Art. 5. Presbyteri, qui iam secundum Missale Romanum anno 1962 editum celebrant, ab Episcopo dioecesano licentiam rogabunt ad hanc facultatem servandam.
To the proposed question:
Can the faculty to celebrate using the Missale Romanum of 1962 be granted ad tempus?
The answer is:
Affirmative.
Explanatory note.
The possibility of granting the use of the Missale Romanum of 1962 for a defined period of time – the duration of which the diocesan Bishop will consider appropriate – is not only possible but also recommended: the end of the defined period offers the possibility of ascertaining that everything is in harmony with the direction established by the Motu Proprio. The outcome of this assessment can provide grounds for prolonging or suspending the permission.
To the proposed question:
Does the faculty granted by the diocesan Bishop to celebrate using the Missale Romanum of 1962 only apply to the territory of his own diocese?
The answer is:
Affirmative.
To the proposed question:
If the authorised Priest is absent or unable to attend, must the person replacing him also have formal authorisation?
The answer is:
Affirmative.
To the proposed question:
Do Deacons and instituted ministers participating in celebrations using the Missale Romanum of 1962 have to be authorised by the diocesan Bishop?
The answer is:
Affermative.
To the proposed question:
Can a Priest who is authorised to celebrate with the Missale Romanum of 1962 and who, because of his office (Parish Priest, chaplain, etc.), also celebrates on weekdays with the Missale Romanum of the reform of the Second Vatican Council, binate using the Missale Romanum of 1962?
The answer is:
Negative.
Explanatory note.
The Parish Priest or chaplain who – in the fulfilment of his office – celebrates on weekdays with the current Missale Romanum, which is the unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite, cannot binate by celebrating with the Missale Romanumof 1962, either with a group or privately.
It is not possible to grant bination on the grounds that there is no “just cause” or “pastoral necessity” as required by canon 905 §2: the right of the faithful to the celebration of the Eucharist is in no way denied, since they are offered the possibility of participating in the Eucharist in its current ritual form.
To the proposed question:
Can a Priest who is authorised to celebrate using the Missale Romanum of 1962 celebrate on the same day with the same Missal for another group of faithful who have received authorisation?
The answer is:
Negative.
Explanatory note.
It is not possible to grant bination on the grounds that there is no “just cause” or “pastoral necessity” as required by canon 905 §2: the right of the faithful to the celebration of the Eucharist is in no way denied, since they are offered the possibility of participating in the Eucharist in its current ritual form. [End, Dr. Malone’s December 14 statement]
Here is the explanation (link) given by the traditionalist website, Rorate Caeli:
A “Revolution of Tenderness”, or “The Roche Christmas Massacre”: A Farce in Eleven Dubia
As reported by this blog a few days ago, the “clarifications” of Traditionis custodes from the CDWDS, which the Pope has given his assent to, have been published today – relentlessly appalling in their attempted suppression of the traditional rites, yet comically absurd in their claim to be “preserving the gift of ecclesial communion by walking together, with conviction of mind and heart.” In this current joke of a pontificate, war truly is peace.
The summary of what the Pope and the CDWDS are attempting to do is as follows:
1. Dispensations from art. 3 § 2 of TC can, in principle, be given for the traditional Mass to be celebrated in parish churches. Of course, under the current regime, “decentralisation” means the opposite of what most people would expect it to mean, so the Bishop is to request permission from the CDWDS, who may then graciously allow him to give permission for this, but “only if it is established that it is impossible to use another [non-parish] church, oratory or chapel.” Further, once a non-parish church is available, “this permission will be withdrawn.”
Of course, “there is no intention in these provisions to marginalise the faithful who are rooted in the previous form of celebration”. No, contrary to all appearances, “this is a concession to provide for their good”. Unlike the luminaries currently occupying the CDWDS, we plebs are not practiced in this sort of doublespeak. Why, sometimes Archbishop Roche can believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast!
2. The use of the traditional Rituale Romanum is allowable only for personal parishes, and use of the traditional Pontificale Romanum is absolutely forbidden. Pope Benedict’s statement that “What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful” has officially been chucked down the memory-hole.
3. The canonical right of priests to freely choose not to take part in concelebrated Masses (see Canon 902) is now being treated as “a lack of acceptance of the liturgical reform”. Perhaps in the fulness of time there will be someone in the CDWDS who this sort of wrongthink can be reported to.
4. To fulfill the conditions of TC art. 3 § 3, only a Bible in an authorised vernacular translation may be used for the proclamation of the readings at the usus antiquior. I have already pointed out the many problems and issues that will result from this, but the CDWDS is insistent that “no vernacular lectionaries may be published that reproduce the cycle of readings of the previous rite”. So, we now have a new Index Librorum Prohibitorum for “modern man” — the traditional lectionary!
5. The CDWDS clarifies that TC art. 4 decentralises power by centralising it, requiring the explicit permission of the Apostolic See for priests ordained after 16th July 2021 to celebrate the traditional Latin Mass. This is “intended to assist the diocesan Bishop in evaluating such a request”, presumably as long as the answer the Bishop comes to is “permission denied.”
6. The granting of fixed-term, temporary permissions for the celebration of the usus antiquior is clearly desired by the CDWDS to be the norm: “the possibility of granting the use of the Missale Romanum of 1962 for a defined period of time… is not only possible but also recommended”. And you’d all better be on your best behaviour, boys and girls, as “the outcome of this assessment [at the end of the ad tempus period] can provide grounds for prolonging or suspending the permission”. A new Roman Inquisition of tenderness!
7. Papers, please! Every sacred minister now requires authorisation for celebrations of the traditional Mass – not just priests, but deacons, instituted ministers, etc. — no matter the circumstances. If the priest celebrating your Sunday traditional Mass falls sick, but he’s the only priest the Bishop has authorised for such celebrations, then tough. If you’re a priest who has permission from your own Bishop to celebrate the usus antiquior but find yourself in another diocese for travel, study, etc., then tough.
8. Finally, no bination using the 1962 Missal, for any reason whatsoever. Canon 905 § 2 doesn’t apply here, apparently, because we can just attend Mass “in its current ritual form.” How very pastoral!
* * * * *
“Peace, peace” they say, when there is no peace (Jer. 8:11). And there can be no peace, or unity, from this irresponsible, ideological and illegitimate attack on the traditional Roman Rite, and the faithful attached to it.
If it wasn’t obvious at this point, then it really should be to all by now: this attempted extermination of the usus antiquior demonstrates that everything this papacy claims to be — “merciful”, “accompanying”, “listening”, “synodal”, “tender”, “decentralising” — is a (…) lie.
Lord, have mercy on your Church!
[End, Rorate Caeli analysis]
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