Pope Francis's Motu Proprio Traditione Custodianes has been, by any objective measure, something of a disaster.
It has been criticised for being poorly written, it has been criticised for being divisive while claiming to be unifying, it has been criticised for claiming to have consulted bishops, while most of them have now claimed that they will essentially ignore it, citing the surprise of the news as a reason.
Almost a week has passed since the document was released, with the Vatican making no follow up statements to repair the damage done. This has been a complete PR disaster, yet no one in the Vatican seems to be aware, or at the least to care.
A growing chorus of high profile prelates are now rejecting what was essentially a call to suppress the Traditional Latin Mass. We could give the document the benefit of the doubt and state that it simply meant to afford the bishops more involvement with the decision to allow the TLM in their area, but the tone of the document suggests no such benignity.
In the United States, high profile prelates such as Cardinal Chaput have said they will be allowing Traditional Latin Mass communities to continue as normal. Even prelates in Germany have announced that they will be continuing as normal.
One of the most interesting replies has been from Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher OP, who warned that to use the liturgy as a ‘weapon’ would ‘factionalist’ the church. He pointed out that there was a reference to the glib celebrations of the Novus Ordo in Traditione Custodianes, but only ‘in passing’.
Like any good Dominican, he explains the situation from a rational beginning, by pointing out that there are ‘24 Catholic Churches in full Communion with the Pope and with each other. 23 Eastern and One Western (Latin)’. Archbishop Fisher then explains the liturgical variety in each, stating: ‘Each has its particular liturgical rites, customs and spiritual traditions, and there are also varieties within each tradition. So, while we share one faith, we are a very ritually diverse Church! That is part of our richness’.
He then explains how with the Latin Rite, there are still countless diverse elements, the Dominican Rite being one, he writes ‘While we share one rite, Western Catholics are also ritually diverse’.
With more and more bishops expressing an appreciation for the Latin Mass in their dioceses, it may soon become the case that this Motu Proprio has strengthened rather than weakened the availability of the TLM and the fondness for it.
You can read the full text of Archbishop Fisher’s letter below:
