A Vatican spokesman also rejected the vocabulary of a “reform of the reform” in liturgical practice, saying that phrase is “at times the source of misunderstandings.” Father Federico Lombardi said the decision to release a statement clarifying comments made by Cardinal Robert Sarah, of Guinea, came after the prelate met with Pope Francis on Saturday....
Lombardi’s rejection of the phrase “reform of the reform” is also noteworthy in light of Sarah’s comments in early July. In his remarks, Sarah had said that during a private audience with the pope last April, Francis had asked him to study “the question of a reform of a reform” to see how to enrich the twofold use of the Roman rite - the “ordinary form,” meaning the post-Vatican II liturgy in the vernacular languages, and the “extraordinary form,” or the pre-Vatican II Latin Mass....
Sarah was appointed to the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments by Francis in November 2014.
Interesting that Francis was the one who asked Sarah to look into these things only to turn around and tell him to STFU. It is clear that Francis has made it clear to Sarah that he needs to toe the company line or he may not remain on the "Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments". Lots of deceit here. Lots of deceit.
Francis is playing games with Sarah. Seeing Sarah as a potential maverick and not one easily brought into line, he no doubt tossed him the "reform of the reform" bone in the hope of keeping him entertained while the serious business of "making a mess" was occurring elsewhere. Unfortunately, Sarah took it and ran to places never anticipated so he had to be quickly slapped down.