Unexpectedly, our American brothers and sisters who have up to now attended the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) have been in the news a lot lately. The FBI curiously followed a lead from the discredited Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and sent out a memo to their offices about a connection between “radical-traditionalist Catholic groups” and violent white supremacist movements. Although the FBI apologised for the serious error of targeting TLM Catholics in this manner, 20 US states attorneys general have demanded answers as to why the memo was sent in the first place. After all, the FBI had previously sent out a memo to their offices not to follow leads from the SPLC.
The FBI should have known better, because America’s founding fathers placed religious liberty first among the list of rights. Police forces should not target traditional Catholics in general – or any other religious group, for that matter – lest they run the risk of religious bigotry. Certain leaders in the Church, too, have placed an unusual focus on traditional Catholics. Cardinal Arthur Roche, the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments has placed serious new restrictions on the TLM via “the Roche rescript” of February 20. It has caused much consternation on the part of several bishops, and Catholic leaders are questioning the need for such draconian steps. It raises important questions about what the role of the Pope and the bishops is on these issues and how governance is supposed to work in the Church.
The Church has long taught that the Pope is first among equals and not the first among subordinate, low-level branch managers. The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, and one of the body of bishops. Yes, his office should be reverenced properly but he can be disagreed with on many different matters. The Magisterium of the Church (the teaching office of the Church, vested in the bishops) have had vigorous debates through the centuries and the Holy Spirit guides this process.
Consider the first Council of the Church – the Council of Jerusalem – where the Apostles had serious issues to resolve. Acts 15 tells us that they spoke their minds freely; they did not function as if they were branch managers whose sole duty was to be “yes men”. Unity of mind and heart was and is the end goal, but this comes often with respectful debate. We need more of this to arrive at the consensus of the Holy Spirit among our bishops.
Many of us attend the Novus Ordo Mass and experience the graces God gives us through the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Sometimes we experience it in powerful ways and at other times in more subdued ways, but the graces in the Mass are manifold. At the same time, many are edified and even awe-struck by the TLM. Others are drawn to rites such as the Maronite Rite or Byzantine Rite. There are 22 different rites in the Catholic Church and they are all gifts from God; all should be reverenced and appreciated.
In his classic book The Mass: A Study of the Roman Liturgy, Fr Adrian Fortescue explained that the Traditional Latin Mass can be traced back to the fourth century. “We find the prayers of our Canon in the treatise De Sacramentis. So our Mass goes back, without essential change, to the age when it first de- veloped out of the oldest liturgy of all.” We should cultivate a deep reverence for all the Rites of the Church and be willing, with God’s help, to support our fellow Catholics in these various expressions of the faith. They are part of the body of Christ. If one member suffers, so do all the others.
Should we suddenly restrict the Byzantine Rite, or the Alexandrian Rite, or the Syriac Rite as well? Of course not. A vigorous and respectful debate among our bishops should ensue to defend the rights of those suffering in the aftermath of these harsh moves and examine why these changes are necessary now. Bishops should not just buckle to the pressure of new restrictions if they believe they are wrong and misguided. The inability to speak honestly is a serious problem and perpetuates an unhealthy culture in the Church. Several American Catholic leaders have raised key concerns, among them Bishop Thomas Tobin of Rhode Island and Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Illinois.
We should follow Pope Francis’s advice in this crisis: we should listen to and accompany the TLM sheep, even if they smell of incense and prefer the more ancient Catholic rites. The Church is a unity in diversity: a big tent where all orthodox rites are welcome. If Vatican leadership keeps trying to restrict the TLM, it will just create a new underground church. This will not be good for anyone. Benedict XVI saw the desire and growth for the TLM and he welcomed it. He opened the way for the TLM to continue to flourish and be fully reintegrated into the Church. Summorum Pontificum of 2007 was very beneficial for this unity in diversity, and a blessing to all – including those who find grace in rites different from our own.
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