[Catholic Caucus] Why Was the Synod So Silent on the Traditional Latin Mass?

National Catholic Register ^ | November 6, 2024 | Edward Pentin

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[Catholic Caucus] Why Was the Synod So Silent on the Traditional Latin Mass?

One of the persistent criticisms of the final assembly of the Synod on Synodality has been that, despite its frequent emphasis on listening and dialogue, several relevant and important voices went unheard.

In his final assessment of the synod, George Weigel identified some of these voices as happily married couples, Catholic educators resisting today’s “woke” culture, and healthcare professionals living a culture of life.

But another group conspicuous by its absence were those faithful who value the traditional liturgy and apostolic tradition — a small but flourishing group both in terms of vocations and Church attendance but currently the subject of sweeping Vatican restrictions since Pope Francis’ 2021 motu proprio Traditionis Custodes.

During the worldwide consultation phases of the 2021-2024 synod, traditional groups such as the Latin Mass Society of Great Britain (LMS) and the International Federation Una Voce (FIUV) encouraged their members to submit contributions, and many responded by sharing their views as part of the synodal process.

Written contributions, mostly those from Europe and the United States, made their way into the synodal reports during the continental stage that ran from late 2022 to March 2023 and continued to be registered by bishops in the synthesis reports that followed.

Writing in FIUV’s periodical Gregorius Magnus last winter, LMS Chairman Joseph Shaw observed that some bishops’ conferences, such as those of Malta, Italy, France and Australia, tended to ignore them altogether. But in those dioceses and countries where the traditional Mass was well established, he wrote that diocesan and national synthesis reports tended to “acknowledge the existence of Catholics attached to it and report their point of view.”

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