Vatican prepares to relax the rules on the celebration of the Tridentine Mass

The Catholic Herald (UK) | 18th June 2004 | Freddy Gray

[Tantumergo]

THE VATICAN is preparing to relax the rules on the provision of the Tridentine rite, a senior cardinal has disclosed.

Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos. prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, told The Lat in Mass, America’s leading traditionalist magazine, that the Vatican was preparing to issue a “juridical guarantee” in favour of the Tridentine rite, which was the Church’s official rite from the 16th century until 1962.

Cardinal Hoyos’ remarks are a clear indication that Rome wants to embrace traditionalists by ensuring that they can attend old rite Masses if they so wish. The cardinal praised the Tridentine rite, and acknowledged the growing numbers of traditionalist Catholics, before giving cause to hope that restrictions on the old rite might be lifted.

Priests are allowed to celebrate the Tridentine rite, as long as they obtain permission from their local bishop. Pope John Paul established this privilege in 1988, when he excommunicated Swiss Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and his ultra-traditionalist followers. The Vatican hoped that the indult contained in the motu proprio Ecclesia Dei would mean that opponents of liturgical reforms could remain in communion with the Church, and not be drawn into schismatic groups such as the Society of St Pius X. Traditionalists complain, however, that many bishops are not generous in the provision of the Tridentine rite.

Furthermore, controversy over the new rite has increased rather than subsided, with many Catholics demoralised by liturgical abuses that have occurred since the old rite was replaced in the 1960s.

Any further reform would highlight the paradox running through liturgical debate in the Church: traditionalists are now the ones clamouring for change, while liberals are defending the status quo.

Cardinal Hoyos said: “The idea is constantly growing that it has become necessary to provide for the concession of the indult in a broader fashion that would correspond more with the reality of the situation. “It is thought that the times are mature for a new and clearer form of juridical guarantee of that right, which has already been recognised by the Holy Father with the 1988 indult.”

He explained that the cardinals, and the bishops of Ecclesia Dei, a pontifical commission set up to oversee the implementation of the indult, have all studied the matter carefully, and are trying to thrash out the best possible solution.

John Medlin, development manager for the Latin Mass Society, said he was excited by the cardinal’s comments. “Rome is signaling that it is prepared to use the transcendent nature of the traditional Mass as a standard to rein in the abuse in the new rite,” he said. “We are beginning to hear the death knell of liberalism in the Church and not before time.”

Mr Medlin added that one of the most obvious solutions would be to allow priests to decide whether they want to celebrate the Tridentine Mass publicly or not, regardless of diocesan consent, “What might happen is that you get a situation where instead of a tradi- tional Catholic having to prove that he or she must have the traditional Mass, the local bishop will have to explain to Rome why he or she should not.”

Cardinal Hoyos did not say what the juridical guarantee would entail. The “dream scenario” for traditionalists would be if the Holy See created a world-wide apostolic administration for the celebration of the old rite, similar to what has happened on a local scale in Campos, Brazil. But the cardinal stressed that the Campos example was not a sign of things to come, but a “consequence of specific local conditions.”

Bishop Mark Jabale of Menevia, chairman of the Department of Christian Life and Worship of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said there was “very close cooperation” between the bishops and the Vatican on the subject of liturgy.

“The bishops of England and Wales have, whenever asked, agreed to provide adequate, and in many cases generous provision,” he said. “Advice has been sought from Cardinal Francis Arinze [prefect for the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments], and Cardinal Hoyos, and they have confirmed that ample provision is available.”

Mr Medlin did not agree. “Some bishops are generous,” he said. “Other bishops are stingy.”

[Tantumergo]

Despite several inaccuracies in the article, this could be some positive news in the offing.

Have any of you heard of a "juridical guarantee" before? Is it a PC way of saying "universal indult"?

[livius]

Please let this be so!

However, that said - we have one Tridentine Rite Mass here in my diocese - which encompasses a huge area - at 8:00 a.m. on Sundays only in just one city. Oh, and of course, it's a low Mass.

They may have to do it, but they'll do it as grudgingly and with as many obstacles as possible.

[Tantumergo]

"we have one Tridentine Rite Mass here in my diocese - which encompasses a huge area - at 8:00 a.m. on Sundays only in just one city. Oh, and of course, it's a low Mass."

- and I'm sure your bishop thinks he's being "generous".

At least the time isn't too bad. Most in the UK, if they allow them on a Sunday, are around 2.00 to 3.00 pm so that it will be as inconvenient as possible for people to come.

[Telit Likitis]

Have any of you heard of a "juridical guarantee" before? Is it a PC way of saying "universal indult"?

I do believe it is a synonym for "Soporific"

[sinkspur]

I doubt it will be a universal indult, or Hoyos would have said so. Since it is being worked out, I suspect bishops will have to prove that they have a "wide and generous application" of Ecclesia Dei.

IOW, is the Mass available at convenient locations?

Each bishop will have to offer at least one, on a regular basis. Or, some guidelines could be issued, and the implementation left to the local bishop.

An apostolic administration would be preferred, or the tension will continue.

[AskStPhilomena]

"THE VATICAN is preparing to relax the rules on the provision of the Tridentine rite"

Until all the arch-modernist bishops/cardinals who hate the traditional Latin Mass are replaced (or die off from AIDS) all this talk of relaxing draconian restrictions remains nothing more than "smoke and mirrors".

[NYer]

Furthermore, controversy over the new rite has increased rather than subsided, with many Catholics demoralised by liturgical abuses that have occurred since the old rite was replaced in the 1960s.

"demoralised by liturgical abuses"

The complaints must be pouring in from all directions, not just the US.

What can be done about liturgical abuses? First, know your rights. Inaestimabile Donum and Canon Law state:

"The faithful have a right to a true Liturgy, which means the Liturgy desired and laid down by the Church, which has in fact indicated where adaptations may be made as called for by pastoral requirements in different places or by different groups of people. Undue experimentation, changes and creativity bewilder the faithful.

Is Your Mass Valid? Liturgical Abuse

Catholic Ping - let me know if you want on/off this list

[AAABEST]

What the leftist don't realize is that a truly wide and generous application of the Tridentine mass would be their best move.

It would take all of the oomph out of the traditional movement because those who are part of it mainly because they prefer the Latin rite would now be happy.

Unfortunately - although this would be a very positive development - many of us realize that our problems go way beyond the mass alone.

[Salvation]

**Priests are allowed to celebrate the Tridentine rite, as long as they obtain permission from their local bishop.**

Han't this always been the case?

[Polycarp IV]

Anyone know what a "juridical guarantee" is???

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

That's what I was wondering. This sounds like an universal indult.

[kjvail]

Ok I'm confused. What is the difference between tridentine and indult? There are two latin masses? I've never been to either

[dangus]

That's probably not to make in inconvenient. The ethnic-separatists pastors which abound all across the DC and LI areas always make sure the segreg... I mean, Spanish language masses are at 2PM also... Morning and 6PM are reserved for mainsteam.

[CatholicLady]

Tridentine is the Rite and Indult is the Right to Celebrate the Rite

[Tantumergo]

"Each bishop will have to offer at least one, on a regular basis. Or, some guidelines could be issued, and the implementation left to the local bishop."

You could be right that it is merely an audit of the application of the present indult that is involved.

However, I get the impression fron his choice of words that the issue of priests having to obtain special permission from their bishop is what could be at stake here.

"An apostolic administration would be preferred, or the tension will continue."

Agreed - but I don't think this Pope will live long enough to see this happen in his reign.

[sinkspur]

Anyone know what a "juridical guarantee" is???

It's not in Canon Law. But, looking at the words, one would have to conclude that there will be some official Church decree with the force of Church Law that guarantees the Tridentine Mass.

To what extent that Mass will be available seems to be what is being "hashed out."

[Tantumergo]

"Until all the arch-modernist bishops/cardinals who hate the traditional Latin Mass are replaced (or die off from AIDS) all this talk of relaxing draconian restrictions remains nothing more than "smoke and mirrors"."

I don't think its quite so simple as that. It could happen sooner with some deft political manoeuvring.

The fag-end of a pontificate is when the various factions in the Vatican make their most audacious plays to try and advance their particular agenda.

Hoyos, Arinze and Ratzinger could try and slip something through before the major bishop's conferences get a chance to bend the Pope's ear.

However, the major problem we have with anything coming out of the Vatican these days is its enforcability.

[Tantumergo]

"**Priests are allowed to celebrate the Tridentine rite, as long as they obtain permission from their local bishop.**

Han't this always been the case?"

Yes - but I think the implication here is that they may no longer need to seek permission.

[Polycarp IV]

comment from a friend:

A "juridical guarantee" is just a way of saying that something would be guaranteed in law. There would be a process spelled out, binding on all parties, I imagine with the force of Canon Law, that would dramatically reduce the leeway a bishop would have in granting or denying an indult in his see.

Though I have no idea what the cardinal envisions, here are a couple of ideas of how you could have a "juridical guarantee" for the administation of the indult, without having a "universal indult" or granting an apostolic administration:

Plan A
1. Any group of Catholics within a diocese could petition for an indult Mass. Provided they meet certain pre-established, objectively-observable parameters, the bishop would be required to grant the indult. The parameters might include: having a certain number of adult Catholic petitioners; demonstrating that the petitioners are all registered in Latin-Rite Catholic parishes in communion with Rome; having agreement by a priest of the diocese to say the Mass according to the 1962 Missal; having an appropriate church or chapel available for the Mass, with the permission of its pastor; etc.

2. Should the indult be denied, an appeals process to Rome might be established, where the Ecclesia Dei folks would look at the evidence presented by the petitioners, versus the ruling of the bishop, and determine whether or not to uphold the ruling of the bishop, or to grant the indult anyway.

Here's another way the process could be subject to a "juridical guarantee":

Plan B
1. Each bishop could be required to draw up a plan to address the needs of Catholics in his see, regarding indult Masses.

2. These plans would be reviewed by the metropolitan archbishop of his province, and altered as recommended by the metropolitan archbishop.

3. Catholics who felt the plan was insufficient could appeal to the Ecclesia Dei folks in Rome, who could adjust the plan as necessary.


There, off the top of my pointy head, there are two ways you could establish a "looser indult" with "juridical guarantees." I could think of a dozen more (but will spare you). All the "gurantee" means is that there would be a formal process, I imagine based in Canon Law or something equivalent thereto, to obtain the indult, and it wouldn't be left to the whim of each individual ordinary.