ructions within the Church

Interesting article from July 2021:

Why Traditionalist Catholics Are Upset About Pope Francis’ Decree on the Latin Mass

Last year, Pope Francis put out a decree regarding the performance of the TLM (Traditional Latin Mass, a.k.a. the Tridentine Mass), limiting where and when the mass could be performed. This rankled certain members of the Church, and the above-linked article deals in some depth with the history of the older mass and the implications of Pope Francis's decree. It's all very complex and not easy to summarize, but if you're in the mood for an interesting read (and, for me, a return to the weird inner workings of the Catholic Church—something I haven't considered deeply for years), then have at it.

Last week, Pope Francis upset traditionalist Catholics when he reinstated limits on where, and by whom, the Tridentine Mass—colloquially called the traditional Latin Mass (TLM)—can be celebrated. This decision was a direct reversal of Benedict XVI’s 2007 expansion of the rite. To those unfamiliar with the TLM, the resulting public frustration was confusing. What exactly does this decree do, and why are some Catholics angry?

 

Part of the answer dates back to Vatican II, the familiar name for the Second Vatican Council, which Pope John XXIII called to usher the Catholic Church into the modern era. In his opening speech at the Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII announced: “it is absolutely vital that the Church shall never for an instant lose sight of that sacred patrimony of truth inherited from the Fathers. But it is equally necessary for her to keep up to date with the changing conditions of this modern world.”

 

Reaction from Catholics ranged from welcome embrace to outright rejection. Those who rejected the council believed it left behind too much of the tradition the Catholic Church has maintained for [millennia]. While there were other aspects of the council rejected by traditionalists, the dramatic change of the Mass—from Latin to vernacular—became the lodestar for anti-council Catholics.

 

Benedict’s 2007 decree meant that priests could celebrate a TLM without the previously necessary approval from their bishop, if it was requested by members of the congregation. At the time, Benedict wrote: “It is true that there have been exaggerations and at times social aspects unduly linked to the attitude of the faithful attached to the ancient Latin liturgical tradition.” What he meant was there were labels placed on those who celebrated the TLM, suggesting they rejected decisions made during the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).

The TLM is more than just a usual Sunday Mass said in Latin—it relies on the 1962 Roman Missal, which was written pre-Vatican II. The Roman Missal is the standard practice of the Mass in the Roman Catholic Church, the script of prayers and readings used by the universal church; it was significantly updated in 1969 following Vatican II and has been periodically updated since. The official text of the Ordinary Form—the typical vernacular Sunday Mass—is written in Latin, but the TLM relies on the Missal of 1962 (and occasionally those prior). This means there are reforms enacted during Vatican II that are not reflected in the TLM.

In a TLM, participants receive the Holy Eucharist while kneeling, and the host is placed directly on the tongue; Vatican II allows for people to stand and receive it in their hand (though they are allowed to receive it directly on the tongue depending on the preference of the priest). While in the Ordinary Form of the Mass, there is a standard form for Sundays, which includes a reading from the Old Testament, a Psalm, a reading from the New Testament, and a Gospel. Pre-Vatican II, the Roman Missal held numerous formulas for Sunday Mass, rarely including a reading from the Old Testament.

It gets way more complicated. But don't be afraid: it's a good read.