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[Catholic Caucus] New Front in the Liturgy Wars: Rome Requires Dominicans of the Holy Spirit to Hybridize Novus Ordo and TLMAlmost exactly one year ago, Rorate reported on the plight of the Dominicans of the Holy Spirit, who from their founding adhered with principled consistency to the old liturgical rites. The Vatican sent Novus Ordo apologist Fr Henry Donneaud, OP to "regularize" them in accord with the Vatican campaign against traditional religious life and traditional divine worship.Now, there is an important update. On July 25, the community issued the following press release, which we translate here:In a press release of...

[Catholic Caucus] Vatican says Latin Mass parishes in Virginia diocese must offer Latin Novus Ordo once a month insteadThe Vatican’s two-year extension of permission to offer the Traditional Latin Mass in parish churches in the Diocese of Arlington has a catch: They must offer the Novus Ordo instead of the TLM one Sunday a month.ARLINGTON, Virginia (LifeSiteNews) — There are strings attached to the Vatican’s two-year extension for permission to offer the Traditional Latin Mass in the Diocese of Arlington in Virginia, with TLM parish churches required to offer the Novus Ordo in Latin once a month instead of the...

[Catholic Caucus] FOR THE RECORD: Superior of FSSP discusses Synopsis of French Bishops' TLM SurveyConsidering how the Synopsis of the French Bishops' Survey on the TLM is being weaponized against traditional Catholics, it seems fitting to present here, for the record, a translation of the interview that Fr. Benoît Paul-Joseph, the superior of the FSSP's French district, gave to La Salon Beige on June 7, 2021. Recall that Fr. Paul-Joseph has met now twice with Pope Francis and may be considered to be in possession of the salient facts both at home and in Rome. - PK(Salon-Beige introduction:) Following rumors...

[Catholic Caucus] On the Suppression of the TLM on the Covadonga PilgrimageAn ominous sign indicating the credibility of the reports that discuss a further suppression of the Apostolic Roman Rite by the Roman Curia of “Mercy” was the recent announcement by the Vatican prohibiting the celebration of the Gregorian Rite at the Shrine of Our Lady of Covadonga on the final day of the Our Lady of Christendom pilgrimage in Asturias, Spain.At the Archdiocese of Oviedo they have informed us that they have received instructions from the Dicastery for Divine Worship stating that the Traditional Holy Mass is not to...

[Catholic Caucus] "Request from Rome": Nuns of Pontcalec Introduce Novus OrdoThe Dominican Sisters of Pontcalec, still an institute of the Roman Rite, announced on 7 July during Sunday Mass that at their retreat (27 July to 2 August) the community Mass would be celebrated according to the Novus Ordo Missae.This measure was taken at "the request from Rome".The news was published in an open letter on LeForumCatholique.org (21 July) by outraged faithful who have settled near the monastery precisely to attend the Roman Mass with their families. They now feel betrayed.They write that the nuns are about "to abandon the...

[Catholic Caucus] Why the Attempt to Ban the Latin Mass Is FailingThe inability to shut down the traditional Latin Mass reflects the different between power and authority in the papacy.There has been much chatter on the interwebs lately about possible further restrictions being imposed upon the celebration of the classical Roman Rite, or the Traditional Latin Mass, as it is often called. However, it appears that such rumors are not going to materialize for now, even as the Vatican liturgical office devises new ways to express its contempt for those who attend celebrations of the TLM, in addition to the...

[Catholic Caucus] Institute of Christ the King Kicked Out of an English ChurchRev. John Johnson retired from active ministry at the historic St Mary Church in Wigan, Archdiocese of Liverpool, at the end of 2023 for health reasons and died in April.Archbishop Malcolm McMahon of Liverpool invited the Roman Rite Institute of Christ the King to take over that church.McMahon has a reputation of being rather friendly towards the Mass and has already celebrated it himself.But recently, the Archbishop's invitation came to an abrupt end. At the Mass on 7 July, Canon Cristofoli of the Institute said that he had...

[Catholic Caucus] A pattern on TLM indults being denied and approvedThere is an interesting pattern beginning to develop.Two U.S. dioceses (Baltimore and Richmond) that have the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter in them, with personal parishes, will no longer have any diocesan parish traditional Latin Masses offered, despite the noble attempt by the local bishops for renewals of existing two-year parish indults. In the Archdiocese of Baltimore and Diocese of Richmond, no diocesan clergy at diocesan parishes may licitly offer TLMs.On the other hand, two U.S. dioceses (San Antonio and Arlington, Virginia) that do NOT have the Priestly Fraternity of...

[Catholic Caucus] The Enemy of the Holy Mass: Vittorio ViolaThe greatest enemy of the Roman Rite, along with Cardinal Parolin, is Monsignor Vittorio Viola, Secretary of the Dicastery for the Liturgy, nicknamed 'Monsignor Nada, Nada, Nada', writes PaixLiturgique.fr (11 July).- Viola is a Franciscan and wears the episcopal ring of Monsignor Annibale Bugnini, the inventor of the Novus Ordo.- Viola was the main architect of 'Desiderio desideravi', the strict interpreter of the 'Traditionis custodes', and the supporter of all the prohibitions, most recently the celebration of Holy Mass at the end of the Covadonga pilgrimage.- This earned him the nickname...

[Catholic Caucus] Diocesan Latin Masses suppressed in Richmond as Vatican’s two-year indult expiresTraditional Latin Masses in three diocesan churches have come to a halt as Traditionis Custodes comes into full force in the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia.All diocesan Traditional Latin Masses have been suppressed in the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia due to the Vatican’s restrictions per Traditionis Custodes after the expiration of a two-year indult from Rome.The Latin Mass Directory website announced that as of July 5, the diocese implemented Pope Francis’ motu proprio Traditionis Custodes, according to which bishops are not to allow Traditional Latin Masses (TLM) in “parochial...

[Catholic Caucus] [Catholic Caucus] Mexico’s Cardinal Sandoval defends Latin Mass in new letter to Pope FrancisMexico's Cardinal Sandoval urged Pope Francis to preserve current access to the traditional Mass. His letter was written in response to current rumors regarding future restrictions on the traditional Mass coming from the Vatican.GUADALAJARA, Mexico (LifeSiteNews) — The former Archbishop of Guadalajara, Mexico’s Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iñiguez, has joined his voice to those of many others petitioning Pope Francis not to allow further restrictions on the traditional Mass.In a July 6 letter to the Pontiff, Sandoval urged Pope Francis to preserve current access to the...

[Catholic Caucus] "To God Who Giveth Joy To My Youth": Thoughts on the Growing Revolutionary Threat to the Traditional Latin MassJohn XXIII celebrating Low Mass in his private chapelOne of the marks of revolutionaries is a complete lack of respect or tolerance for anyone who has an opposing point of view. Once they have formulated their opinions then nothing and nobody will come between them and the course of action they intend to follow. To the revolutionaries, anyone who is not singing their tune must be suppressed and removed as quickly as possible. A current example is the contemptuous way...

Fifty Reasons Why the Dicastery for Divine Worship Prohibited the Traditional Mass at CovadongaThe following article by Luis López Valpuesta appeared in Spanish on July 12, 2024 at Infovaticana.The Roman Dicastery of Divine Worship has ordered the Archbishopric of Oviedo to prevent the celebration of a Traditional Mass in the Sanctuary of Covadonga. And apparently the reason(s) why this Church open to “everyone, everyone” of Francis is taking a decision that will undoubtedly disappoint the hundreds of young people who will gather in that beautiful Asturian locality has not been specified.Therefore, I have allowed myself the audacity to make up...

[Catholic Caucus] Archbishop Cordileone defends Latin Mass in new article: ‘Beauty evangelizes’The San Francisco archbishop offered his support to Catholics who love the Traditional Latin Mass and emphasized that the sacred form has many advocates.Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone defended the use of the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) amid rumors that the Vatican plans to impose further restrictions on it.In an essay published in the National Catholic Register, the archbishop of San Francisco explained why the Church needs the TLM and that restricting it would be a mistake, stressing that the beauty of the traditional Latin Rite is an essential tool of...

[Catholic Caucus] Pope’s Restrictions Spark Resurgence of Interest in Traditional Mass Among YouthTwo French Catholic writers analyze how Traditionis Custodes is fueling a Traditional Mass movement among young CatholicsThe authors of two articles published in the progressive French Catholic daily La Croix have drawn attention to how Pope Francis’ restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass have fueled a growth in support for the ancient liturgy among young Catholics, producing the opposite effect to what was intended and posing a dilemma for bishops and for Rome. In a June 4 article headlined “Young Trads: ‘Bishops Must Seek a New Balance,’” French...

[Catholic Caucus] Bishop Strickland: The Vatican is more interested in silencing Viganò than addressing his allegationsWhile Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò is excommunicated, the same Vatican tolerates and even supports figures like Theodore McCarrick and others who abuse and challenge Church teaching.Editor’s note: The following text has been taken in full from Bishop Joseph Strickland’s X account (formerly Twitter). The original posts can be found HERE and HERE.(LifeSiteNews) — We find ourselves at a strange moment in Church history when Archbishop Viganò is excommunicated swiftly while Theodore McCarrick remains unexcommunicated after years of his crimes against the Church have come to...

[Catholic Caucus] Thousands of Spanish Pilgrims to Be Denied Traditional Latin Mass at the Shrine of CovadongaThe Dicastery of Divine Worship notified the Archdiocese of Oviedo that the pilgrims of Nuestra Señora de la Cristiandad are forbidden, at the end of their pilgrimage, to celebrate the TLM in the great historic shrine of Covadonga, as they have peacefully and fervently done the past three years. Here are a couple of photos from last year, showing the large numbers, and the poster for 2024:Photo of last year's pilgrims in front of the shrineWorshiping in the shrine, as their forefathers had doneThis...

Swiss Bishop Eleganti: Vatican II contains ‘ambiguity,’ young Catholics love the Latin Mass‘Today's young believers, as I was able to see very well as a young bishop, know nothing about the (Second Vatican) council and are not interested in it. They have hardly read any of the texts, but feel attracted to the old liturgy,’ Bishop Marian Eleganti said.Personally, I do make a distinction between Vatican I, which presented an infallible dogmatization, and Vatican II, which avowedly wanted to be (only) a pastoral council. It is understandable that it wanted to incorporate the top statements of Vatican I into the...

[Catholic Caucus] Upcoming book ‘We Must Obey God’ written by Bishops Strickland, Schneider, and Archbishop AguerSophia Institute Press has reported that it will publish the upcoming book 'We Must Obey God: Fidelity and Obedience in Times of Crisis,' co-authored by Archbishop Héctor Aguer, Bishop Joseph Strickland, and Bishop Athanasius Schneider.Sophia Institute Press has reported that it will publish the upcoming book We Must Obey God: Fidelity and Obedience in Times of Crisis, co-authored by Archbishop Héctor Aguer, Bishop Joseph Strickland, and Bishop Athanasius Schneider. The volume will offer theological principles, historical examples, and practical advice on fidelity and true obedience...

[Catholic Caucus] Frontline report: New rounds in the war against traditionOtto van Veen, Valentinus Taken Prisoner Can we speak of a “report from the front” when it comes to the current dispute over the traditional liturgy of the (no longer) Latin Church? We are afraid so: Yes!—and judging by the unspeakable outbursts of the papal court theologian Grillo, one not only may speak of “war”, one must.But let’s take the news of the last few days in turn. First of all, there is the case of the “Missionaries of Divine Mercy”—a small community of diocesan right founded by the (now...