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Archbishop Cordileone: Traditional Latin Mass will continue in San Francisco

“The Mass is a miracle in any form: Christ comes to us in the flesh under the appearance of Bread and Wine. Unity under Christ is what matters.”

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco/ CNA

San Francisco, Calif., Jul 16, 2021 / 13:03 pm (CNA).

As diocesan bishops consider how to implement Pope Francis’ motu proprio on the use of the Traditional Latin Mass, the Archbishop of San Francisco has said it will continue to be available in his local Church.

Archbishop Salvatore Cordiloeone of San Francisco told CNA July 16 that “The Mass is a miracle in any form: Christ comes to us in the flesh under the appearance of Bread and Wine. Unity under Christ is what matters. Therefore the Traditional Latin Mass will continue to be available here in the Archdiocese of San Francisco and provided in response to the legitimate needs and desires of the faithful.”

It seems that Traditional Latin Masses in dioceses throughout the United States are largely set to continue as scheduled, while bishops prepare responses to Traditionis custodes.

The motu proprio states that it is each bishop’s “exclusive competence” to authorize the use of the 1962 Roman Missal in his diocese.

It also sets out the responsibilities of bishops whose dioceses already have one or more groups that offer Mass in the extraordinary form, mandating that bishops determine that these groups do not deny the validity of Vatican II and the Magisterium.

Bishops are instructed to “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).”

Archbishop Cordileone’s sentiment matched that of other bishops.

Bishop Edward Scharfenberger of Albany wrote that “With respect to the celebration of the Roman Liturgy prior to the reforms of 1970, I wish to reiterate the great pastoral and spiritual good that has been experienced by those who have been and who are engaged in this form of the Liturgy. I would also like to acknowledge the many valuable contributions made to the life of the Church through such celebrations.”

He added that he, along with the other bishops, were consulted last year about the Traditional Latin Mass: “This was duly completed and dispatched, although, to the best of my knowledge, no summary of the various responses of the Bishops has been provided to date. My response gave details of the current provisions and experiences within the Diocese; as well as other points, such as those mentioned in the paragraph above.”

The Diocese of Arlington told CNA that all parishes that had planned on offering Masses in the Extraordinary Form would be able to do so.

“Bishop Burbidge has read the motu proprio regarding the 1962 Missal,” said a statement from Billy Atwell, chief communications officer for the Diocese of Arlington.

“He will review it in greater detail and offer further guidance to our priests in the near future. Parishes currently scheduled to offer Mass in the Extraordinary Form this weekend have received permission to do so.”

Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence called the motu proprio “both a challenge and an opportunity.”

“In the Providence Diocese we will study it and implement it together, peacefully and prayerfully. But above all, we will affirm our love for the Holy Mass, and our unity in Christ and his Holy Church,” he said.

At New Liturgical Movement, Gregory DiPippo noted that the motu proprio was released on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and that “when the mendicant orders like the Carmelites emerged in the 13th century, as part of the on-going reform movement within the Church, they were attacked on various grounds by representatives of the more established ecclesiastical institutions, who did not like to have their own decadence and complacency challenged by the evangelical vitality of the new movement. Semper idem.”

“If you love the Church and the traditional liturgy, take up a Marian devotion, if you don’t already have one, and make it your intention to ask the Virgin’s intercession for the untying of this knot of gross injustice. Likewise, let us continually invoke the intercession of St Joseph, whom we honor with the title Patron of the Universal Church, which stands in the direst need of his mighty protection, and of St Pius V, whose Missal remains the most authentic expression of the Roman Church’s lex orandi.”


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17 Comments

  1. ““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).””

    Perhaps the church one of the many many many many parishes that are closing could be used.

    • I would be most grateful if someone in authority could explain what exactly is meant by “not however in the parochial churches”.

    • Exactly. Thank you Leslie.
      Elkins, West Virginia had an absolutely beautiful church that we visited on a trip years ago. When we told the priest how much we admired it he replied that it didn’t work with the liturgical norms of Vatican II,etc. You could sense the writing on the wall.
      So inevitably the parish moved out to a new, church that suggested the architect had been inspired by Star Trek and I suppose it worked better for liturgical dancing or whatever was going on back in those days. The older church building was turned into a center for the arts and coffee shop I think.

      I bet that scenario been repeated across the country and as you point out, there have been many parishes closed and not replaced with spaceships. Those older churches still standing could be purchased and restored to their original purpose.
      Can you imagine how that would honor the poor Irish, German, Polish and Italian immigrants who scraped their pennies together to help build those abandoned churches? Our ancestors didn’t sacrifice to build future coffee shops.

  2. Without minimizing the legitimate concerns identified by Pope Francis (e.g., whether some traditionalists attending the Traditional Latin Mass also reject the validity of the Second Vatican Council)…

    Nevertheless, with the courage of Archbishop Cardileone and other true shepherds, one might wonder embedded members of the advisory Vatican Politburo have failed, already, to disrupt pending clarification on Eucharistic coherence (and reverence for the Real Presence), even when grooming their non-consensual abuse with papal-letterhead?

    • Archbishop Cordileone is a pastor of infinite love and mercy. If you perceive ‘rigidity’, I, as a member of his flock, see fatherly love and sacrifice.

      • I wish the comment boxes had the option of emojis to reduce confusion. I’m pretty sure the comment about Archbishop Cordileone’s “rigidity” were meant to be accompanied by a wink or something equivalent.

  3. Mrs. Cracker above – Thanks. 😉
    P.S. Trigger alert – Further comments on “rigidity” quite possible, even likely.

  4. CONGRATULATIONS to the great AB of San Francisco. Your care and ministry are a gift to the entire Church. Prayers and all good things.
    ALOHA- Fr. M. Nickolas M

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