Uncertainty over the past few months was lifted after a nearly hour-long private audience given by the pope on February 4 to Fr. Benedict Paul-Joseph, District Superior of the FSSP in France, and Fr. Vincent Ribeton, director of the FSSP Seminary in Wigratzbad, Germany.
At this hearing, the Pope wanted to clarify that institutes such as the Fraternity of St. Peter were not affected by the general provisions of Traditionis Custodes, as the use of liturgical books in force in 1962 was provided for in their constitutions.
The decree of February 11 specifies that the members of the Fraternity of St. Peter “may use this faculty in their own churches and oratories; everywhere else, they will use it only with the consent of the local Ordinary, except for the celebration of a private Mass.”
He added: “Without prejudice to what has been said above, the Holy Father suggests that, as far as possible, the provisions of the motu proprio Traditionis Custodes should also be taken into account.”
In Le Figaro on February 21, journalist Jean-Marie Guénois wondered “why the pope is softening his position” on the traditional Mass. According to him, the fact that Francis “suggests, as far as possible, that the provisions of the motu proprio Traditionis Custodes should also be taken into account” is tantamount to asking that the priests of the Fraternity of St. Peter “might eventually concelebrate the new rite, from time to time, with the other priests of the diocese, but not as a recognized obligation.”
What seems to be a step back for Pope Francis is rather an response addressed, certainly, to the Fraternity of St. Peter, but as much to his team in the Vatican and to the bishops more royalist than the king regarding the July motu proprio.”
Jean-Marie Guénois states: “If he intends to respect those who live by this traditionalist ‘charism,’ as he has just proved, Pope Francis’ objective is to avoid having a parallel diocesan church that is traditionalist, being installed beside a conciliar Vatican II church. On this point, make no mistake, Francis is openly fighting the ‘tradis’ and clearly asks the bishops to be vigilant.”
On the Catholic Forum, French academic Luc Perrin commented on the same day, February 21: “What was confirmed as an inalienable universal right by Benedict XVI [the right, in Summorum Pontificum, to celebrate the Tridentine Mass recognized by every priest,] no longer persists [with Traditionis custodes] except as a special right, as an exception, and therefore revocable at any time.”
And to add that the February 11 decree “written in Traditionis custodes in this capacity first: this is an exception, a special right that can in principle be extended to other institutes [ex-Ecclesia Dei], according to the pope’s statements during the audience, but on a case-by-case basis.”
Far from being “ditched,” Traditionis Custodes’ mechanism of obrogation [revocation of the right recognized by Benedict XVI] is explicitly confirmed in the decree since the Fraternity of St. Peter is invited to enter into its logic by a paragraph that is not decorative: “Without prejudice to what has been said above, the Holy Father suggests that, as far as possible, the provisions of the motu proprio Traditionis Custodes be taken into account as well.”
What Luc Perrin translates as follows: “The Fraternity of St. Peter retains its special right for the time being, but the pope ‘suggests’ that they implement Traditionis Custodes and its new liturgy by steps so as to in the end become an ordinary institute of the ordinary Roman rite, like the others. The decree continues Traditionis Custodes and opts for a slower assimilation of the traditional institutes, while for dioceses the pace is more sustained.”
On February 22, came this bitter comment from Fabio Battiston, Aldo Maria Valli’s correspondent who published it on his blog Duc in altum: “The attitude of satisfaction of the FSSP in the face of the evolution of this story leaves me extremely puzzled because it seems not to consider the fundamental aspect of what is really at stake.”
“In my opinion, in fact, one cannot rejoice (selfishly) if all the wickedness expressed in the Traditions Custodes (repeatedly underlined by numerous experts, much more equipped and reliable than myself) ‘are not intended for the Fraternity.’”
“We are faced with a diktat whereby the vast majority of churches, parishes and clergy are formally banned, forever, from celebrating Catholic liturgies in centuries-old forms that have never been repealed.”
“Tradition is torn apart, and at the same time, the introduction of neo-pagan and often tribal elements into the Novus Ordo Masses is accepted and encouraged by deference to ‘ecumenical and multicultural’ contamination. Is it enough that the dictates of the motu proprio are not applied to the now sparse traditional ‘enclaves’ to manifest an exultation that in my opinion is totally out of place?”
“Is it possible that the leaders of the FSSP do not realize that they are headed towards being put on a ‘reservation,’ in which they will not be given any chance to grow and in which no new traditional institution can be founded?”
“Behind the apparent preservation of their own specificities, traditions, and liturgical culture, the Fraternity and all other similar institutions are being initiated into a slow death by a progressive and inexorable process of consumption.” On the web site Riposte catholique, close to the ex-Ecclesia Dei circles, comes this observation of the February 21 event, also disturbing:
“Divide and rule? Unfortunately, this decree in no way presumes the content of the text to be published in March by the Congregation for Religious, which might oblige the priests of these institutes to also celebrate the new liturgy, since the pontifical decree does not speak of an ‘exclusive’ use [of the Tridentine Mass].”
“In any event, Rome thus seems to reduce the celebration of the traditional Roman liturgy, although universal, to a particular charism. There is no mention of the other Ecclesia Dei institutes, either of pontifical right (Christ the King, Good Shepherd, Berlin Oratory), nor of diocesan right (for example, the Community of Divine Mercy in France), but neither are these communities excluded, and the presentation of the superior of the FSSP assimilates them to the concession by virtue of the express words of the pope.
“On the other hand, it is clear that the favor granted supports – by comparison – the drastic provisions in the form of announced death of the use of the traditional liturgy: with the exception of certain priests to whom a particular status is granted, the entirety of priests of the Latin rite, religious and diocesan, no longer have the native right to celebrate the traditional liturgy, as was recognized by Summorum Pontificum.”
This general concern means that the various demonstrations organized by the former Ecclesia Dei for the freedom of the traditional Mass are maintained: the gatherings in front of the Paris nunciature every Saturday, as well as the march of the Roman Way [see DICI n° 417, February 2022], which was officially launched on February 18, and began in practice on March 6 at St. Roch church in Paris. The mothers of priests who are marching towards Rome are bringing to the pope, on April 30, the letters they have received in favor of the freedom of the Tridentine Mass.
On February 11, 2022, Pope Francis signed a decree exempting the priests of the Fraternity of St. Peter from the provisions of the motu proprio Traditionis Custodes (July 16, 2021), which severely restricts the possibility of celebrating the Tridentine Mass.