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ROME, FEB. 26, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Speculation continues as to whether Benedict XVI will issue a document on a possible reform of the liturgy. The secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith, spoke with Inside the Vatican magazine about rumors of a papal document that would loosen restrictions on the Tridentine Mass. If he were to issue a document "motu proprio" (on his own initiative), Archbishop Ranjith said that the Holy Father will "decide what is best for the Church." "The Tridentine Mass is not something that belongs to the followers of Archbishop Lefebvre only,"...

Cardinal Lehmann has used the German manifesto for the liberation of the old Mass to his own ends, by coming out with praise of the failed liturgy reform of the late 1960s. Translation of an article from the ever excellent kreuz.net. “There are mis-implementations here and there.” The Mainz bishop, Karl, Cardinal Lehmann has recently remarked on the “beauty” of the new Mass. A reason for this recent praise was the German language manifesto for the readmitance of the old Rite. These comments were made by Cardinal Lehmann for the latest edition of the Mainz Church News, “Glaube und Leben”...

Latin Mass Not Going to Happen Papal insider says Pope won’t do it Fr. Reginald Foster, a Carmelite friar and the Latin master for the Vatican, says reports that Pope Benedict will reintroduce the Tridentine Mass, were wrong. A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (no word if he’s chums with Cream City’s former ordinary Bishop (ugh) Rembert Weakhand), Fr. Foster was appointed the Papal Latinist 38 years ago by Pope Paul VI. He said the Pope won’t do it, not least because of the Pope's desire to avoid more controversies. A speech last year offended Muslims and more recently he gave...

The traditional Catholic bishop of brazil, Bishop Areas Rifan is shown with Pope Benedict XVI.

Pope Benedict XVI is giving new life to the Latin mass -- and many modern Catholics aren't happy.The other week Pope Benedict XVI phoned a few French bishops, and it wasn't to find out what they got for Christmas. According to Britain's Catholic Herald, the pope was doing a bit of old-fashioned arm-twisting in response to these bishops' very public opposition to Benedict's intention to grant Catholics more access to the pre-Vatican II rite of the Mass. On October 30, 2006, ten French bishops, including the archbishop of Strasbourg, released a letter expressing their fear that "the extension of the...

After months of rumors of a pending motu proprio that will reportedly lift restrictions on the Traditional Roman rite of Holy Mass, Cardinal Medina offered some brief insights on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe that emerged from a 4-hour plenary meeting from the Ecclesia Dei Commission, charged with reconciling traditionalist Catholics. The ANSA news agency first reported on December 12 that two main issues were discussed at the meeting: one, the text of the motu proprio freeing the Traditional Mass; two, the text of a juridical structure for the Society of St. Pius X upon their full canonical...

(ANSA) - VATICAN CITY, Dec. 12. The publication of the Motu Proprio on the part of the Pope which will liberalise the celebration of the Mass in Latin according to the missal of Saint Pius V is close` confirmed Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez, member of the Commission Ecclesia Dei which this morning met to discuss the liberalisation of the [1962] Mass in Latin. "We have studied the document calmly" the cardinal affirmed. "We have discussed together for more than four hours and have made some corrections to the text of the Motu Proprio." The next move belongs to Cardinal...

The Mass of Saint Pius V: The French Bishops Raise a Shout with the PopeThey want to maintain the right of veto against the use of the Tridentine missal. But Benedict XVI is set to liberalize it. Arinze’s harangue against the postconciliar liturgical abuses by Sandro Magister ROMA, November 13 – The French bishops met in plenary assembly last week, in shock over the news that Benedict XVI is about to grant wider authorization to the celebration of the Mass ‘of Saint Pius V.’ The French bishops feel themselves to be particularly affected by this news because it is in...

Folks, Shawn Tribe from the The New Liturgical Movement shares a translation of Cardinal Ricard's address to the concerns of the bishops of France, regarding the much-rumored Motu Propio authorizing a liberalization of the Tridentine Mass. This paragraph caught my eye:This project is not part of a desire to criticize the Missal known as of “Paul VI” nor to proceed to a reform of the liturgical reform. The liturgical books written and promulgated following the Council are the form ordinary and thus usual to the Roman rite. This project's origin is rather in the desire of Benedict XVI to do...

A conversation about this and other related issues. Folks, I am involved in a very charitable and also interesting conversation (which you may access here)with Tridentine Mass Traditionalists regarding the future prospects of this ritual in light of the rumored directive from the Holy See liberalizing its use. This dialogue evolved from my previous posting on the issue which I also crossposted to my friend's message board. My friend's comments are in blue blockquoted, blue italics. My responses are in normal text. Even though we are using the term, "universal indult," I don't think the Pope is going to use...

Translation of the official statement: Official statement of the bishops of the ecclesiastical Province of Besancon and the bishops of the dioceses of Strasbourg and Metz Joined together, October 25, 2006 at Lons-le-Saunier, within the framework of the Regional Authority of Bishops and Priests, the bishops of the ecclesiastical Province of Besancon and the bishops of the dioceses of Strasbourg and Metz decided to send to the Holy See their concerns caused by the creation of the Institute of the Good Pastor, in the Archdiocese of Bordeaux, and the possibility of the publication of Motu proprio of the Pope Benedict...

Folks, the Catholic blogosphere and message boards are abuzz with the highly-rumored, "universal indult" which would enable any priest to celebrate the Tridentine Mass according to the 1962 Missal, should he desire to do so. I've heard a number of educated guesses of how this might take place. I'll hold off my comments until the document is promulgated. This might come off as a shower of cold water, but we should keep in mind the definition of an "indult." What's an indult? The Catholic Encyclopedia defines it as:(Lat. Indultum, found in Roman Law, bk. I, Cod. Theodos. 3, 10. and...

While the contents of what Pope Benedict XVI may eventually say about the pre-Vatican II “Latin Mass” remain a tightly guarded mystery, that vacuum hasn’t stopped Vatican officials, bishops and liturgists from pondering the possible fallout – from the political to the eminently practical. In the Vatican, one concern is that such a move would be seen as an ideological statement about the general direction of the church, and especially its commitment to the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). They insist that Benedict XVI’s motives are actually pastoral rather than ideological. Some bishops, meanwhile, hope that if a ruling does come,...

THE Pope is taking steps to revive the ancient tradition of the Latin Tridentine Mass in Catholic churches worldwide, according to sources in Rome. Pope Benedict XVI is understood to have signed a universal indult — or permission — for priests to celebrate again the Mass used throughout the Church for nearly 1,500 years. The indult could be published in the next few weeks, sources told The Times. Use of the Tridentine Mass, parts of which date from the time of St Gregory in the 6th century and which takes its name from the 16th-century Council of Trent, was restricted...

Some time ago I suggested that we might see some sort of document from Pope Benedict which would liberalize the use of the older, so-called “Tridentine” Mass, the 1962 editio typica of the Missale Romanum. As a matter of fact, I heard from one place that the Pope had already signed a document to this effect... http://wdtprs.com/blog/2006/04/the-tridentine-signs-of-the-times/

As the Pope met today with members of the College of Cardinals, who are in Rome for tomorrow’s Consistory where 15 new cardinals will be added to their ranks, the subjects of the schismatic Saint Pius X Society as well as the use of the Latin missal and retirement age for bishops largely held the floor. According to CNA’s sources in the Vatican one of today’s main topics of conversation surrounded the possibility of lifting the excommunication on Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and the four bishops ordained by him before his death. Their group, the Saint Puis X Society broke away...

[+] Benedict XVI Heresies and Errors Saving the BabyMost Rev. Donald J. Sanborn In a speech to the Curia, Benedict XVI uses desperate measures to try to save his baby — Vatican II — from the accusation of discontinuity with the past. Past church decisions, he says, are 'contingent because they are related to a reality itself changeable' — pure Modernism. The martyrs 'died for religious liberty' — pure blasphemy. (MHT Newsletter, Jan 2006)[17 Jan 2006] Damning Limbo to HellMost Rev. Donald J. Sanborn Benedict XVI prepares to 'suppress' Limbo — and promulgate a new feel-good heresy. (MHT Newsletter, Jan...

Everyone is pretty familiar with how the Mass changed AFTER Vatican II, but as a service to some of you here, I have written a somewhat detailed explanation of what changes occurred BEFORE the Council. These are obviously less dramatic and very cumbersome at times as compared to Paul VI changes to the TLM and eventually the NO. As such, these pre-Vatican II changes are unknown to a lot of Trads, but they do come into play every now and then (such as the recent Feast of St. Joseph the Worker). I would like a liturgical discussion as to the...

Father P. J. McGinnity concelebrates his first Tridentine liturgy after completing a training course in February.The host pastor now can celebrate the monthly Latin Masses at Chattanooga’s St. Stephen Church. Father P. J. McGinnity completed his training in the traditional liturgy in February at St. Francis de Sales Church, a Latin Rite parish in Mableton, Ga., that is staffed by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. He concelebrated the Latin Mass for the first time March 6 with St. Francis associate pastor Father Laurent Demets, FSSP. “It was a deep spiritual experience for me,” said Father McGinnity. Thanks to a...

Chad Wanted MoreEditor's note: Chad McCoy and James McCoy are not related. Chad McCoy was born an uncle. His mother and father had 13 sons and daughters, but they wanted more. Brother Chad — now 24 yet the baby of the family still — can't number his nieces and nephews for the reporter on the phone. He was born an uncle. But it would take him more than twenty years to find what God had in mind for him since before he was born. Like his siblings, he could have married and had a passel of kids. But he wanted...