Pope Francis Restricts Use of Old Latin Mass, in a Blow to Conservatives

Celebrating a traditional Latin Mass in Clifton, Va., in 2007.Credit...Brendan Smialowski for The New York Times
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The pope placed new restrictions on where the old Latin Mass can be celebrated and who can celebrate it, and will require new permissions from local bishops.

Pope Francis took a significant step toward putting the Roman Catholic Church’s liturgy solidly on the side of modernization on Friday by cracking down on the use of the old Latin Mass, essentially reversing a decision by his conservative predecessor.

The move to restrict the use of an old Latin rite in celebrating Mass dealt a blow to conservatives, who have long complained that the pope is diluting the traditions of the church.

Francis placed new restrictions on where and by whom the traditional Latin Mass can be celebrated and required new permissions from local bishops for its use. » | Jason Horowitz | Friday, July 16, 2021

Pope to Grant Universal Permission for the Celebration of the Tridentine Rite of Mass
THE TELEGRAPH: The text of Pope Benedict’s Motu Proprio granting priests universal permission to celebrate the Tridentine Rite of Mass has been leaked overnight to the blog Whispers in the Loggia. And it looks as if the prayers of traditionalists have been well and truly answered.

From now on, a priest "does not require any permission" to celebrate the traditional Latin Mass for himself, says the Pope, and lay people can attend such semi-private Masses. In other words, the power of bishops to ban the Rite – in which the priest celebrates Mass facing the same direction as the people – has been removed after nearly 40 years. Holy Smoke By Damian Thompson

Mark Alexander

Pope Plans to Revive the Tridentine Mass
BBC: Pope Benedict's plans to revive the Latin Mass, which includes prayers for the conversion of Jews, is causing concern among Catholic and Jewish groups about relations between their faiths.

Religious commentators predict that Pope Benedict will issue authorisation for wider use of the Mass - known as the Tridentine Mass - soon.

The Mass was celebrated for hundreds of years before being replaced by a liturgy celebrated in local languages, as part of reforms instigated after the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.

The old wording has none of the Vatican Council thinking that reversed long-standing anti-Jewish views in the Church. Vatican II brought about a revolution in Catholic thinking, highlighting the ancient Jewish roots of Christianity and affirming God's love for the Jews.

Concern is now focused on traditional mass's Good Friday liturgy which contains a prayer "For the conversion of the Jews". The prayer reads:

"Let us pray also for the Jews, that the Lord our God may take the veil from their hearts and that they also may acknowledge our Lord Jesus Christ."

It refers to their "blindness" and prays for them to be "delivered from their darkness." Concerns over Pope’s Latin Mass move by Kathryn Westcott

Mark Alexander