Pope Francis announces a requiem for the Old Latin Mass

In a truly gutsy move, Pope Francis has overturned one of the most significant (and many believed enduring) pieces of universal Church legislation that was issued by his still-living predecessor, Benedict XVI.

The 84-year-old pope on Friday severely curtailed the exclusive rights Benedict gave priests in 2007 to celebrate the Tridentine Mass at will and without permission from their superiors.

In a new "motu proprio" called Traditionis custodes (Guardians of the Tradition), the Jesuit pope nullified almost every key provision set forth in Benedict's own "motu proprio" of fourteen years ago, Summorum Pontificum.

The bishops are to limit use of the Old Mass

Most importantly, Francis gave diocesan bishops full authority over who can celebrate the Old Mass and under what conditions they may do so. Up till now individual priests had pretty much carte blanche. 

The pope also gave the bishops explicit instructions to take steps to strictly limit the use of the Tridentine Rite with the clear aim of getting all Catholics to eventually celebrate only the reformed liturgy that followed Vatican II.

"Indications about how to proceed in your dioceses are chiefly dictated by two principles," he told the world's bishops in a letter accompanying the new decree.

"On the one hand, to provide for the good of those who are rooted in the previous form of celebration and need to return in due time to the Roman Rite promulgated by Saints Paul VI and John Paul II, " he said. 

"And, on the other hand, to discontinue the erection of new personal parishes tied more to the desire and wishes of individual priests than to the real need of the 'holy People of God'," the pope insisted (emphasis added).

From divisions to divisions

It was obvious from the very start of his pontificate in 2013 that Francis was not in favor of perpetuating the use of the Old Mass. But it seemed he could not do much to limit it without deeply offending Benedict and exacerbating divisions within in the Church.

Indeed, with this new move he may have done both those things.

Leaving aside the retired pope's feelings, the divisions were already ugly and very deep before Francis' election.

While Benedict claimed his intention in issuing Summorum was to help facilitate a reconciliation with the schismatic Priestly Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) and satisfy the desires of other Catholics attached to the Old Mass, the initiative only widened factions within the Church.

This became evident almost immediately after Summorum went into force and everyone except those living in a parallel universe could see it.  

In his letter to the world's bishops Francis said certain Catholics had "exploited" Benedict's permission to celebrate Mass according to the Missal from 1962 in order "to widen the gaps, reinforce divergences, and encourage disagreements that injure the Church, block her path, and expose her to the peril of division".

And he said this is tied to another equally disastrous, if not even more damaging result of allowing a return to the Old Mass.

Rescuing Vatican II

"I am... saddened that the instrumental use of the Missale Romanum of 1962 is often characterized by a rejection not only of the liturgical reforms, but of Vatican Council II itself, claiming, with unfounded and unsustainable assertions, that it betrayed the Tradition and the 'true Church'," he said. 

"I take the firm decision to abrogate all the norms, instructions, permission and customs that precede the present 'motu proprio' (Traditionis custodes) and declare that the liturgical books promulgated by the saintly Pontiffs Paul VI and John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of Vatican Council II, constitute the unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite," Francis told the bishops.

The original Italian makes it clear that "unique" is used here to mean "only", which leads to conclusion? That the liturgical books predating 1970 do not express the Roman Rite.

What, then, are they? Anomalies, it would seem.

One does not need a crystal ball to predict that there will be fierce and angry reactions to what Francis has just done. Certain cardinals, bishops and priests who are attached to the Old Mass, and outspoken traditionalist Catholics, will be raising hell.

They are a small minority within the Church that grew in prominence during the last pontificate to the point that they became the tail wagging the dog.  

Pope Francis has not only ignored them; up until this week he has been careful not to overly antagonize them. 

No more. 

And now we know what the pope's doctors did not remove during his recent surgery.

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