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Vatican grants exemption from Traditional Latin Mass restrictions to Texas parish

An exemption to the restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass has been granted to a parish in the Archdiocese of San Angelo, Texas. (Credit: James Bradley, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 2, 2025 / 14:51 pm (CNA).

The Vatican has granted a parish in Texas an exemption from restrictions to the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) imposed by Pope Francis’ encyclical Traditionis Custodes.

The exemption, requested by Bishop Michael Sis on Feb. 6, was granted to St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in the Diocese of San Angelo, Texas.

No other such exemption by Pope Leo XIV has been reported since the start of his pontificate.

“The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments informed me in a decree of May 28, 2025, that my request has been granted for a further two years for a dispensation from article 3§2 of the motu proprio Traditionis Custodes, so that Mass according to the ‘Missale Romanum’ of 1962 may be celebrated in the parish church of St. Margaret of Scotland in San Angelo,” Sis, who previously served as a member of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine, said in a statement he shared with CNA.

“Just as before,” he added, “the granting of this dispensation is based upon an ongoing effort to promote the full appreciation and acceptance of the liturgical books renewed by decree of the Second Vatican Council and promulgated by popes St. Paul VI and St. John Paul II.”

Sis noted further that when he submitted his request for the extension to the Vatican, he did so “with a spirit of total openness to whatever is the will of God.”

He continued: “I trust the judgment of our Holy Father Pope Leo and those who assist him in his ministry of unity through the various dicasteries of the Holy See.”

The exemption was originally announced in a June 27 social media post by the diocese’s director of vocations, Father Ryan Rojo.

“I’m grateful to @Pontifex and to the Dicastery for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments for allowing the TLM to continue to exist in our parish church, extending permission for another two years,” Rojo wrote in the June 27 post.

St. Margaret’s pastor, Father Freddy Perez, told CNA: “Now that we have the permission, the attitude is one of relief; I saw a lot of relief this past weekend.” Although the Vatican’s approval was dated May 28, Perez said he did not receive notification of the approval from his bishop until last week.

Perez revealed that the letter from the Vatican praised St. Margaret’s for the steps it took to follow the Holy Father’s motu proprio. The Vatican “commended our efforts and our ‘pastoral concern to instill a clear appreciation for the Church as unique, lex orandi,’” Perez told CNA, adding: “That’s a direct quote from the letter we were sent.”

Though the pastor noted some negativity from parishioners about having to ask permission to celebrate the TLM, his approach is to explain that “this is where the Church is right now, and is where we have to be obedient.”

Beyond the two-year extension, Perez said, “my hopes are just to continue to bring a positive experience of the liturgy to all of my people, to try to bring them into the Gospel, into the teachings of the Church, as we’re taught, and to try to teach them that the Mass gets us ready for heaven.”

Though the parish experienced uncertainty over whether it would be allowed to continue celebrating the TLM, Perez said the advice of Auxiliary Bishop Mario Avilés helped guide him. “The advice he gave me was very simple,” the pastor recalled. “He said: ‘Just be obedient, son.”

“And I think just putting my eyes on the Lord has satisfied everything that I wouldn’t be able to do through my own spirit of protest or my spirit of just being angry about not getting my way, by conforming my will to the will of Our Lord,” Perez reflected. “We’re in this world temporarily, and at the end of the day, we are asked to be faithful to Our Lord Jesus Christ and his holy mother Church.”

According to Perez, St. Margaret’s has been offering the TLM for just over five years, currently on Sunday afternoons and Thursday mornings.

The TLM community, he said, consists mostly of young families as well as curious people who are interested in experiencing the liturgy. The small parish consists of about 200 families, he said, noting that attendance at the TLM is usually on the larger side for the parish, with about 140 to 200 people each week.

News of St. Margaret’s exemption comes after the Archdiocese of Detroit announced earlier this month that non-parish churches in the archdiocese will be allowed to continue celebrating the TLM despite an earlier statement saying that most of the TLM celebrated in the area would be suspended.

The archdiocese reported that permissions given to parish church priests to carry out the TLM would expire and they could not be renewed, but Detroit Archbishop Edward Weisenburger said he would recognize at least four non-parish locations in the archdiocese where the TLM could still be celebrated.

Cardinal Raymond Burke, a champion of the traditional liturgy, has said he asked Pope Leo to remove measures restricting the celebration of TLM, stating at a conference in London recently: “It is my hope that he will, as soon as is reasonably possible, take up the study of this question.”


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53 Comments

  1. Though I attend primarily the Novo Ordo Mass (and the TLM only occasionally, i.e., when the opportunity arises), I would dare to say that what we as a Church need is a prompt reversal of all restrictions to the TLM. This is part and parcel of any serious and true work for the UNITY of the Church based on the motto of Unity in Diversity.

    • Thank you. That’s true. The Church does have unity in diversity. How many rites and liturgies do we have? Quite a few.

      • “Just as before,” he added, “the granting of this dispensation is based upon an ongoing effort to promote the full appreciation and acceptance of the liturgical books renewed by decree of the Second Vatican Council and promulgated by popes St. Paul VI and St. John Paul II.”

        According to Pope Benedict XVI, The Magisterium of The Catholic Church did not prohibit the TLM, so on whose authority did Jorge Bergoglio prohibit the TLM ? Certainly not on The True Magisterium of The Catholic Church which never prohibited The TLM, nor has it ever denied Christ’s teaching on sexual morality, as Jorge Bergoglio did, which serves out of respect for the Sanctity and Dignity of the life of every beloved son and daughter. Let the counterfeit magisterium justify why the TLM , The Beautiful and Reverent Mass of All Ages, which differs from the less reverent but still legitimate Novo Ordo Mass , in both form and substance should be prohibited, and why they are at it, let them explain on whose authority Catholic Churches were stripped of The Altar Rails? Certainly not Christ’s.

        Until those whose competence it is, The Faithful, declare the counterfeit magisterium that is attempting to subsist within The Catholic Church, anathema, ipso facto , for in their denial of The Unity of The Holy Ghost, they deny The Divinity of The Most Holy And Undivided Blessed Trinity, the crisis in The Catholic Church will continue, for The Charitable Anathema was instituted by Christ, Himself, for The Salvation of Souls, including the Souls of those who deny The Divinity of The Word Of Perfect Divine Eternal Love Incarnate.

        “You cannot be My Disciples if you do not Abide In My Word.” – The Charitable Anathema Of Jesus The Christ.

        At the heart of Liberty Is Christ, “4For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated, have tasted also the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5Have moreover tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come…”, to not believe that Christ’s Sacrifice On The Cross will lead us to Salvation, but we must desire forgiveness for our sins, and accept Salvational Love, God’s Gift Of Grace And Mercy; believe in The Power And The Glory Of Salvation Love, and rejoice in the fact that No Greater Love Is There Than This, To Desire Salvation For One’s Beloved.

        “Blessed are they who are Called to The Marriage Supper Of The Lamb.”

        “For where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”

        “Hail The Cross, Our Only Hope.”

        • “The Magisterium of The Catholic Church did not prohibit the TLM,” but what the church most definitely did was to replace the 1962 Ordo Missae and Ritus Servandus in 1965. The decree is called ‘Nuper edita instructione’ and was implemented with a new copy of these pages of the Missal published, printed, advertised and sold, to replace the corresponding pages of the 1962 Missal.
          Abp Lefebvre welcomed these revisions
          “The priest coming nearer to the faithful; communicating with them; praying and singing with them and therefore standing at the pulpit; saying the Collect, the Epistle, and the Gospel in their language; the priest singing in the traditional melodies the Kyrie, the Gloria, the creed with the faithful; these are so many good reforms that give back to that part of the Mass its true finality.
          Abp. M Lefebvre; Itinéraires vol 95 July-August 1965 “

          • So what? Who is Abp. M Lefebvre that we should countenance his words? Did He die on the cross to save us? Did He rise from the dead to prove He was Who He said He was? So what if Abp. M Lefebvre did this, that or any other thing. I brushed my teeth last night, drank coffee this morning, and cleaned the garage today. So what?

  2. “[T]he granting of this dispensation is based upon an ongoing effort to promote the full appreciation and acceptance of the liturgical books renewed by decree of the Second Vatican Council and promulgated by popes St. Paul VI and St. John Paul II.” This is exactly why the SSPX remains the only viable solution. The whole point of Traditionis Custodes is to force Catholics the accept something that is false, namely that the Mass of Pope Paul VI has been good for the faithful and that it constitutes a reform and renewal of the liturgy.

    • Although I firmly believe that the “Novus Ordo” should be respected and accepted by ALL Catholics and that the tendency to label it “inane” or “non-reverent”, etc. should end now (or at least be kept to oneself), I also believe that the TLM should be allowed to continue for those who find it more efficacious in their walk with Christ and the practice of the Catholic faith.

      NOTHING is accomplished by promoting the TLM as “THE Mass,” and disparaging the “Novus Ordo” as…well, I won’t repeat it. All this condemnation of the “New Mass” does, IMHO, is demonstrate that the TLM does NOT help Catholics to show love and respect for others who are greatly edified by the “New Mass.”

      As a convert to Catholicism from DYNAMIC Evangelical Protestantism, I am one of those people who loves the “New Mass”, including the acceptance of not kneeling (as I am not able to kneel–doctor’s orders), the contemporary music along with traditional hymns (all in the vernacular most of the time), the prayers in my own dear heart language, and it’s acceptance of the much-maligned “CITH” (Communion in the Hand).

      Many years before I converted, I occasionally attended Latin Masses–and found them totally lacking in anything that would appeal to most Protestants, especially Evangelical Protestants. I certainly never went down the “Jack T. Chick” road and considered Catholicism a “mystery cult opposed to Christianity”, especially as the Pro-Life Movement gathered strength in the Catholic Churches long before any of the Protestants figured out that abortion is a real sin (and some Protestant denominations STILL haven’t figured this out, e.g., the United Methodists, who recently experienced a split with this issue as one of the causes).

      I knew that Catholics were Christians–but many Protestants couldn’t get past the “Mass in a foreign, in fact, “Dead” language.” Now they can–and many converts have come into Holy Mother Church and quite a few of them have become “evangelists” of Catholicism to Protestants, resulting in even MORE converts to Holy Mother Church! There’s just something GOOD about “hearing the truth of the Gospel” in your OWN DEAR UNDERSTANDABLE HEART LANGUGE!
      Yes, Protestants did convert under the TLM, but…I don’t think ?? that this was as common as it is today (other than in mixed marriage when the non-Catholic spouse converted, often just for the sake of the marriage, not because they actually accepted “Catholicism). I am grateful that I was able to hear the truth about Catholicism and Protestantism from former Protestant ministers (e.g., Scott Hahn) who converted.

      Again, I do believe that the TLM should be available to those who love “all things classical” and find it more efficacious to their faith than the “New Mass.” There’s plenty of room for both! But there’s no room, IMO, for disparaging the Mass that we don’t like.

      • Mrs. Whitlock says: Protestants did convert under the TLM, but…I don’t think ?? that this was as common as it is today (other than in….,” etc., etc.

        This article cites graphs, numbers and sources refuting your “think??” thoughts. “https://padreperegrino.org/2025/03/newevang/

        Praise be to God for Scott Hahn being able to teach you the Faith which Protestantism rejected.

  3. Catherine,
    I agree. Have you read Diane Montagna’s reporting about the survey upon which Traditionis Custodes based its claims? Diane presents evidence to the contrary. See today’s Extra, Extra News and Views, first article in the list.

  4. That two year extension should be the limit. After two years, strictly novus ordo. It’s well past time for the Church to decommission the preconciliar Mass. TLM Protestants can defect to the SSPX, as one commenter above has said. You either obey or you don’t.

    The Church also needs to celebrate the novus ordo much better than it does. I daresay the implementation of the novus ordo has been inept. Correct the abuses, improve the quality, celebrate the novus ordo properly, and then decomission the TLM once and for all.

    • “TLM Protestants can defect to the SSPX.”

      Thank you Robert for clearly stating the ideological agenda of the bully, Franciscus.

    • “Have all these changes served the renewal and vivification of faith? The opposite is the case. Vocations to the priesthood, as well as conversions, have greatly decreased, and the attendance of Catholics at Mass has greatly fallen off. The New Ordo Missae and most especially the reform of the liturgy of feasts and of the whole liturgical year, is so colorless, inorganic, and artificial, that it will not be able to last long.” – Dietrich Von Hildebrand, The Devastated Vineyard (1973) p. 73. Hildebrand could not have predicted people like you, who are blind to all evidence of the drastic failure of the Novus Ordo. But already, the trends that have continued unabated to the present day were clearly visible only a few years after the imposition of the new Mass.

      • I can’t judge the merit your comment about the decrease of vocations being caused by the advent of the “Novus Ordo” Mass, but I would like to suggest that the more likely reasons are because of the tumultuous changes in our world society, especially in the U.S.A..–and yes, this could well include, but not be limited to, the “New Mass.”

        These changes include rebellion in the U.S. against the Viet Nam War back in the 1960s and 70s (which seemed to validate rebellion against traditional male roles in society), the rise of the use of hallucinogenic recreational drugs among Americans from all income levels and communities, the increasing ease by which people, (especially men) are able to acquire pornographic materials and become addicted, the rise of the LGBTQ, etc. population and the acceptance of their agenda by many people from all walks of life who had relatives/friends who were part of it or who were secretly part of it themselves or who simply lacked the discernment to disagree with this life choice, the decline of the public schools to adequately prepare students to enter the working world in jobs that were likely to pay a living wage, the increasing animosity and vitriolic attitudes between politicians which has led to disillusionment with “authority figures”, the development of so many opportunities for women to enter all job fields and also gain more respect and authority, and the incredibly rapid rise of the INTERNET and social media, which has enabled many people to learn about alternatives to organized religion and be convinced of the supposed value of these.

        Also, of course, family size has decreased (artificial birth control, increasing inflation and expenses often making it necessary for both husband and wife to work at a paying job out of the home just to pay basic expenses, women’s liberation from “slavery” to the home, etc.). This decreasing birth rate alone means that there will be fewer young men available to become priests.

        As for the smaller number of vocations–keep in mind that a lot of the Protestant churches have closed their doors, and some denominations have been discontinued, including the Baptist denomination that I grew with as a child, and the number of Protestant pastors who have been educated in a seminary instead of simply declaring themself a “pastor” has greatly decreased as well. I don’t know about the Islamic, Buddhist, and Jewish faiths–it’s possible that their leadership has dropped, too.

        If Jack T. Chick was still alive, he would be proclaiming that the End of the World is eminent! (I don’t think that’s correct! 🙂

        I do agree with you that the lack of men interested in at least looking into vocations is alarming and very sad. I pray often that my only grandchild, a boy, will discern a call to the priesthood someday–but it would mean the end of his daddy’s family line. Sigh.

    • About “decommission[ing] TLM once and for all,”
      And if/when the Novus Ordo is done right as you recommend, it might ALSO look like the early Mass recorded in the Didache (early 2nd Century https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0714.htm) .…The “glory,” the “sacrifice,” “knowledge,” being “reconciled,” “evil”, “immortality,” “grace” and stuff like that!

      Chapter 9, The Thanksgiving (Eucharist)
      Now concerning the Thanksgiving (Eucharist), thus give thanks. First, concerning the cup: We thank you, our Father, for the holy vine of David Your servant, which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory forever. And concerning the broken bread: We thank You, our Father, for the life of knowledge which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory forever [….] But let no one eat or drink of your Thanksgiving (Eucharist), but they who have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, Give not that which is holy to the dogs. Matthew 7:6.

      Chapter 10, Prayer after Communion
      But after you are filled, thus give thanks: We thank You, holy Father, for Your holy name which You caused to tabernacle in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality, which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory forever [….] Remember, Lord, Your Church, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in Your love, and gather it from the four winds, sanctified for Your kingdom which You have prepared for it; for Yours is the power and the glory forever. Let grace come, and let this world pass away [….].

      Chapter 14, Christian Assembly on the Lord’s Day
      But every Lord’s Day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations.

      SUMMARY: The one bad thing about decommissioning and amnesia is that it makes us forget a lot of stuff.
      A Woodstock peace we with y’all!

    • I’m really puzzled why it should be of any concern to folks who don’t attend the TLM in the first place?
      Not to pick on anyone in particular but our society seems to encourage “Karens” and not just in homeowner associations. Surely we each have enough to be concerned about in our own lives and parishes?

  5. If I were to attend a Spanish-language Mass in any of the THOUSANDS of parishes throughout the USA or attend Mass in any of the hundreds of non-English speaking countries across the globe, I WOULD UNDERSTAND NOT ONE WORD OF WHAT’S BEING SAID! Now, that’s real unity for you.

    • I wonder how many of the TLM people actually understand what is being said! During pre Vatican II masses many devout would be saying the rosary!

      • Assuming our ancestors were literate, they’d have a trusty missalette with them at Mass with Latin on one side & their native language translation on the other. It wasn’t rocket science unless you couldn’t read. Which to be fair though was often the case depending on the era & location.
        The Our Father & other prayers said routinely at the TLM were memorized. Even by my illiterate ancestors.
        The rosary recital @ Mass is a bit of a trope I think.

      • JAMES CONNOR: I don’t know whether you were around during the pre-Vatican II days, but this Catholic was able to follow the Mass with the simultaneous translation of Latin into English using my St.Joseph Missal. I was able to sing Gregorian chant as a 4th grader and know full well what I was singing. Of course, this was before the Catholic faith was dumbed down by the homosexualists in the Church.

      • James,

        That’s why there are English/Latin hand missals.

        If you are correct about TLM attendees not knowing the words the irony here is even more shocking: TLM folks might not know what the priest is saying but they believe in the miracle of the Mass and True Presence.

        A huge percentage of Catholics at large know exactly what the words mean, but they do not believe.

        This is the ultimate tragedy and the crisis of our times.

        Ave Maria!

      • I understand every word of the Latin at Mass, but during those parts of the Mass reserved to the priest, I often pray the rosary or some other devotion. That you would cite this as some defect of the TLM (or maybe a defect on my part?) would suggest that you do not understand what a Mass is and is not. Many of the pre-Vatican II popes specifically endorsed praying the rosary during Mass, including (ironically?) Leo XIII.

        • This is one reason why the Mass was updated. The rosary is a personal devotion; Mass is meant to be public worship. The reason why popes may have allowed the rosary was because many people didn’t understand the Latin language. The rosary does not belong during Mass.

          • Gary, who’s placed you in charge of deciding how individual Catholics ought to worship God? What you write about people praying the rosary during Mass is offensive. Assuming that one day you get to enjoy the Beatific Vision, you just might find yourself in the company of a multitude of fellow Catholics who prayed the rosary during Mass.

      • Praying the Rosary involves meditation or contemplation of the major events of Our Lord’s life. One involves His Sacrificial Giving of His Life, another His Offering Us His Consecrated Body. Seriously. What’s the problem with prayer centering on those? How about some pro-life themes? How about His Conception or His Blessing John the Baptist in the Womb? What’s the problem there? How about His Resurrection? Should a person not think of this during the Mass? The Ascension?, the Assumption, the FINDING JESUS IN THE TEMPLE? During the Mass, why ought we not pray or honor the Mysteries of Christ? Should we rather read text messages or sports scores from our phone, now that we’ve passed beyond the year 1964?

        • It might help you to understand at least the approach that many Protestant converts to Catholicism have about the Mass. I realize that many Mass attendees are cradle Catholics, but these days, I believe that there are many converts from Protestantism also attending.

          For Protestants, especially Evangelical Protestants, UNDERSTANDING and participation in the “worship service” is of utmost importance. Just “being there” and receiving Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is not enough, at least in their minds.

          From a very young age, Protestant children are encouraged to “pay attention” to those parts of the Protestant worship service that they can understand (e.g., various hymns and songs, and stories that the pastors tell, etc.). Many teens and adults take notes during the sermon. Of course, the Bible is extremely important to Protestants, and many Protestants expect the “sermon” or “message” to have a Scriptural origin and to illuminate the Scripture passage and help the listener to apply the teaching to their own life.

          Sadly, most (not all) Protestants consider the Holy Communion an “ordinance” and don’t accept “sacraments”. This means that in most Evangelical Protestant churches, the “communion” is only offered once a month at only one worship service–or in some churches (not all), only a few times a year. They see it as a “ceremony of remembrance” rather than something efficacious for our souls. But of course, without the authority given to priests by Holy Mother Church, the communion elements are simply a “ceremonial prop.”

          Many times, cradle Catholics don’t understand these “attentive” attitudes towards Mass from Protestants and their enthusiastic participation in everything from the postures to the prayer to opening the missalette or hymnals and singing the hymns with GUSTO! But try to understand that “praying your own personal prayers during corporate worship” is foreign to most Protestants for whom “understanding” and “learning more” are big priorities. JMO–I personally think that it would be good for Catholics, both traditional and contemporary, to have a more detailed knowledge and understanding of their own amazing and TRUE faith, and the recognition that, as members of the Church that Jesus Christ Himself started, and participants in the Holy Communion during which Jesus Christ becomes Present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, it would be good if they could be attentive to the Mass whether it is TLM or the “New” Mass, and participate fully in the rubrics of the Mass, including singing the hymns, when/if it is “their turn” to participate. But I’m not “the judge” and this is JMO, not binding on anyone! I am more concerned with discerning my own sins and failures to honor the Lord and His Church. And I’m pretty certain that many Catholics, both traditional and “contemporary”, DO participate fully and practice ardent devotion during Holy Mass.

          • Mrs. Whitluck,
            Did you write this comment to meiron? My comment discussed the Rosary relative to the Mass. I don’t understand how your comment addresses that.

          • I think I understand now. You seem to be saying that some Mass attendees come from a Protestant background. They may see a person at Mass holding the Rosary, focusing prayer on the Mother of Christ and His Life as only a fully human mother could do, as something strange and incongruous with the Protestant idea of communal or conformist-uniformist type worship. Therefore, perhaps other Mass-attendees (particularly those of previous Protestant worship inclination) would see a person at Mass with rosary beads in hand as inappropriate, distressing, or confusing. Less than ideal, IOW.

            It may interest and educate you if you would be willing and able to learn what both JPII and Paul VI had to say about the Rosary:

            https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_p-vi_exh_19740202_marialis-cultus.html

            https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/2002/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_20021016_rosarium-virginis-mariae.html

            Then maybe get back to me. Or not. At least consider that others do not necessarily follow the same JMO inclinations as you. There is no need to look at another’s piety or devotion as somehow skewed in the direction of disorder. God is God to everyone, and Mary, Our Mother loves you and me more than we know. We owe her for delivering Christ to us.

            Yet this is a Catholic Mass. So why would a Catholic be concerned about what Protestant attendees may think?

    • I bet you would be able to understand a little of the Spanish Mass because some words are quite similar to the Latin but i hear you. A universal prayer language has many advantages.

    • DiogenesRedux, were you to attend the TLM anywhere in the world you would understand the majority of what is being said. Just not what is spoken in the local language. Being able to understand the mass in all countries with Latin as the shared language, That is real unity for you.

      As regards Mr. Connor’s question, quite a few learn and know the Latin being prayed. Plus, the Saint Joseph missal has the Latin on the left and the English on the right. Why is it so difficult for people to understand this?

      • Joseph: I agree. I was simply making a point to those who find Latin so disagreeable – mainly because they don’t understand the language. On the other hand, no one has a problem with Masses being said in Spanish – a language most Anglos cannot understand.

  6. Us traddies should strive mightily to avoid ‘sterile polemic’, but we must never let go of the fundamental truth: the Novus Ordo is a disastrous mistake, and the Church cannot recover till she recovers her authentic liturgy.

    • Thank you for showing that trads are SSPX at heart and hate the Vatican II Church.

      There can be no reconciliation between trads and the Vatican II Catholics if the trads are going to be recalcitrant.

      The novus ordo is the Roman Rite’s new, reformed, authentic liturgy. You need to accept that. If you can’t or won’t, then off to the SSPX with you, schismatic.

      Pope Francis was right about the TLM fomenting hatred for the Church. The trads have made an idol out of the TLM.

      • In reality, there is no such thing as the novus ordo. Catholic Mass varies from parish to parish just as much as any Protestant worship service varies from all the others. It is odd to hear devotees of such extreme diversity demand absolute uniformity. It is quite an example of cognitive dissonance.

      • If one was truly schismatic the SSPX wouldn’t be much interested in having them join. The SSPX are not in schism.

      • “…Francis was right about the TLM fomenting hatred for the Church.”

        Francis was right only in the eyes of those who choose to hate. Some hate the TLM, some hate adherents of the TLM, and some hate the Church. That is their choice.

        Francis’s words were only infallible when he taught time-honored dogmatic truth. His words and dislike of the TLM reflected his personal choice and opinion. That opinion and choice is by no means or measure infallible.

        If Francis supported or caused others to hate the Church, TLM adherents, or the TLM itself, Francis will surely give account. All shall be called to account. All who hate the Mass, the Church, or its members while professing its Creed shall not escape by pointing to Francis as an excuse.

    • I respectfully and sadly disagree. I’ve seen some pretty disturbing comments on this thread, and many were from the proponents of the traditional Latin Mass, although others were from the proponents of the “New” Mass. Satan just loves warfare between Christians. Be careful out there, everyone! And remember that Holy Mother Church recognizes both forms of the Mass as “legitimate.”

      • All too true! I’m a convert, and compared with what I have seen in Baptist and Bible churches, I’m impressed with the depth and profundity of all valid Catholic Masses, and Orthodox Divine Liturgies to boot. When the 2nd Person of the Most Holy Trinity deigns to make Himself present among us sinners, all I can do is adore. That is not to say that all preparations for His coming are the same, but I will say that all preparations are inadequate — OR ELSE THE LIKES OF ME WOULD NOT BE PRESENT.

  7. Ask the trads how many of them want mutual enrichment from the NO to the TLM. Things like vernacular proclamation of the readings, a three-year lectionary cycle, and participation in the ordinary by the assembly. You’ll get vociferous opposition.

    Trads don’t want mutual enrichment. Trads don’t want Vatican II. Trads want their pristine TLM. They don’t even care if the TLM is in union with the Catholic Church. They’ll go to the Lefebvrites if it comes down to a choice between that and the Novus Ordo.

    That’s the mindset that Francis and now Leo has to correct. Leo has to be a true and authoritative spiritual father: he needs to take away the TLM pacifier and reaffirm that the Roman Church has one unique liturgical form: the Novus Ordo Mass.

    We would not be having this conversation if Archbishop Lefebvre hadn’t schismatically ordained new priests and bishops without the pope’s authorization. Lefebvre chose the TLM over the Church. JPII and BXVI tried to keep Lefebvrite-leaning Catholics in the Church by granting them permission for the TLM. That didn’t work. The trads are SSPX, anti Vatican II to their core. The TLM would be nonexistent were it not for Lefebvre.

    It’s high time we all admit it to be true like adults and just go our separate ways. Trads are welcome in the Catholic Church, but only on the condition that they celebrate the Novus Ordo with the rest of us.

    • You keep telling us that trads do this and trads want that. They’ll don this and they’ll do that if this and that. Seems you know a lot about trads. Too bad your words are only wishful projections. prejudicial, untruthful, and uncharitable supposition. God rest your soul.

      Try this on for size: “NO’ers are welcome in the Catholic Church, but only on the condition that they celebrate the Tridentine Mass.” There. That seems to fit, right and just.

      • Except there was an ecumenical council that decreed the Tridentine Mass should be changed. Trads can’t argue against that and remain good Catholics. The novus ordoans are right: you have to accept Vatican 2 with its liturgical reform in order to be Catholic. You can’t be Catholic and reject an ecumenical council. The novus ordo Mass is definitely on more solid footing than the Tridentine Mass is.

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