Why did Pope Francis restrict the ancient Latin Mass?

[Michie]

One of the most controversial aspects of Pope Francis’ legacy as the leader of the Catholic Church is his decision to restrict an older form of the Catholic liturgy known as the Traditional Latin Mass.

Francis explained that he decided to restrict the Latin Mass because he was concerned its use was leading to division in the Church. Francis said he felt the more ancient mass was "being used in an ideological way" in reaction to modernity, including the more modern Vatican II mass.

The mass consists of the "Liturgy of the Word" and "Liturgy of the Eucharist," the latter of which is considered the most sacred and highest form of worship by Catholics.

Continued below.

Why did Pope Francis restrict the ancient Latin Mass?

One of Pope Francis’ most controversial moves was to restrict the use of the ancient Latin Mass; he said he did this to promote unity among the Catholic Church.

www.foxnews.com

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Pope Francis also sent out a survey to the bishops in order to understand how the TLM was being received.

The overwhelming number said they had difficulties with it, and they favored letting each Bishop have the authority
to allow it in their dioceses with Vatican approval.

 

[WarriorAngel]

I still feel like the division had created disunity that he feared would cause many problems

As it did with LaFabrve (sp?)

If people were able to see unity in the Universal of the Mass I think that the Traditional Mass would have been organic in increasing the numbers

 

[RileyG]

Pope Francis also sent out a survey to the bishops in order to understand how the TLM was being received.

The overwhelming number said they had difficulties with it, and they favored letting each Bishop have the authority
to allow it in their dioceses with Vatican approval.

That doesn't surprise me too much.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

That doesn't surprise me too much.

The Bishops had difficulty in implementing the TLM because there aren't enough priest trained and willing to celebrate
the TLM in the dioceses.

Also, having one TLM in a parish upsets the entire parish, as I witnessed it on my old parish. Few people from the
parish attended the TLM. Mostly, people from outside the parish and even the dioceses attended and the parking
was a mess and of course the people who traveled far for the TLM, wanted refreshments after the Mass. So, the
pastor tried to schedule the TLM for 1 PM on Sundays, but again that interfered other parish activities. The
problem was solved when the priest who celebrated the TLM was defrocked and put in prison for embezzlement.
There is no longer a TLM at that parish.

 

[fide]

One of the most controversial aspects of Pope Francis’ legacy as the leader of the Catholic Church is his decision to restrict an older form of the Catholic liturgy known as the Traditional Latin Mass.

Francis explained that he decided to restrict the Latin Mass because he was concerned its use was leading to division in the Church. Francis said he felt the more ancient mass was "being used in an ideological way" in reaction to modernity, including the more modern Vatican II mass.

The mass consists of the "Liturgy of the Word" and "Liturgy of the Eucharist," the latter of which is considered the most sacred and highest form of worship by Catholics.

Continued below.

Why did Pope Francis restrict the ancient Latin Mass?

One of Pope Francis’ most controversial moves was to restrict the use of the ancient Latin Mass; he said he did this to promote unity among the Catholic Church.

www.foxnews.com

The reason Jesus initiated the Holy Eucharist was not to please people, or priests, or bishops, or popes. It was and is pleasing to the Father, and enables the purpose of humanity - His creation:

Jn 4:23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.”

 

[RileyG]

The Bishops had difficulty in implementing the TLM because there aren't enough priest trained and willing to celebrate
the TLM in the dioceses.

Also, having one TLM in a parish upsets the entire parish, as I witnessed it on my old parish. Few people from the
parish attended the TLM. Mostly, people from outside the parish and even the dioceses attended and the parking
was a mess and of course the people who traveled far for the TLM, wanted refreshments after the Mass. So, the
pastor tried to schedule the TLM for 1 PM on Sundays, but again that interfered other parish activities. The
problem was solved when the priest who celebrated the TLM was defrocked and put in prison for embezzlement.
There is no longer a TLM at that parish.

Yikes!

We have a FSSP chapel in my town and it’s well attended. It functions as a parish.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Yikes!

We have a FSSP chapel in my town and it’s well attended. It functions as a parish.

As the TLM was implemented at first, it was placed into various parishes, which upset parish life in those
parishes, as I posted earlier.

Eventually, the Bishops learned that there needed to be a TLM parish exclusively. As far as I know, there isn't one
in my dioceses, but there is a Benedictine Monastery in the Dioceses, which only uses the TLM. The
dioceses often highlight's them in the diocesan paper, the Catholic Free Press.

 

[Lady Bug]

What I don't like is that people here are assuming that Pope Francis was critical of the TLM simply because he didn't like it. It's really annoying to see people try to propagate that idea. What JimR-OCDS has been saying here sounds more accurate. (BTW there is a TLM-exclusive parish in my Diocese)

It pains me to say this but there are people who attend TLM who act like they're better than everyone else because they attend TLM and not NO. Perhaps Pope Francis also had this in mind, I don't know.

 

[Michie]

What I don't like is that people here are assuming that Pope Francis was critical of the TLM simply because he didn't like it. It's really annoying to see people try to propagate that idea. What JimR-OCDS has been saying here sounds more accurate. (BTW there is a TLM-exclusive parish in my Diocese)

It pains me to say this but there are people who attend TLM who act like they're better than everyone else because they attend TLM and not NO. Perhaps Pope Francis also had this in mind, I don't know.

I think there is room enough in the Church for both. The Masses however should not be a replay of the starbellied sneeches though.

 

[Lady Bug]

I think there is room enough in the Church for both. The Masses however should not be a replay of the starbellied sneeches though.

Sorry, never heard that term before (starbellied sneeches), lol.

 

[Michie]

Sorry, never heard that term before (starbellied sneeches), lol.

Dr. Seuss.

 

[Lady Bug]

Dr. Seuss.

Oh I see. Pardon my abject laziness when asking you this but instead of me watching this video for 12 minutes, could you explain what you meant instead? If not that's ok. I know you're not feeling well.

 

[Michie]

The Sneetches is a book about two kinds of Sneetches: those with stars on their bellies and those without stars on their bellies. The Star-Belly Sneetches don't like playing with the Plain-Belly Sneetches. The Star-Belly Sneetches think they are better than the Plain-Belly Sneetches.

 

[RileyG]

I think there is room enough in the Church for both. The Masses however should not be a replay of the starbellied sneeches though.

Yup. Same with all the other liturgies as well.

 

[mourningdove~]

It pains me to say this but there are people who attend TLM who act like they're better than everyone else because they attend TLM and not NO.

There may be, but not all of us who prefer the Latin Mass think that way about those who prefer the NO liturgy.

Admittedly, those of us who cherish the TLM believe we have experienced something *special* ,,, something *beautifully supernatural* ... and so we may talk zealously about it. I can see where this zealousness could come across as some kind of sense of 'superiority' and as an attachment that's not understood ... and especially to those who entered the RC after Vatican II.

... But it is the TLM that many of us hold dear and *special*, and not ourselves.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

There may be, but not all of us who prefer the Latin Mass think that way about those who prefer the NO liturgy.

Admittedly, those of us who cherish the TLM believe we have experienced something *special* ,,, something *beautifully supernatural* ... and so we may talk zealously about it. I can see where this zealousness could come across as some kind of sense of 'superiority' and as an attachment that's not understood ... and especially to those who entered the RC after Vatican II.

... But it is the TLM that many of us hold dear and *special*, and not ourselves.

I feel that way about the Ordis Novo. It also is special* ,,, something *beautifully supernatural".

The Mass transcends language and form. That is why there are different rites.

And yet I like the Latin language and study it. I just see it as more Holy.

I would like to see people who prefer TLM actually study Latin with me.

 

[RileyG]

I feel that way about the Ordis Novo. It also is special* ,,, something *beautifully supernatural".

The Mass transcends language and form. That is why there are different rites.

And yet I like the Latin language and study it. I just see it as more Holy.

I would like to see people who prefer TLM actually study Latin with me.

Amen. I actually love learning from the TLM because I get familiar with some Latin words. Granted, I only knew a few phrases in latin (The Sign of the Cross, Sanctus, Agnus Dei), but it's always a wonderful thing to learn more! Hopefully I can learn the Our Father, Glory Be, Hail Mary in Latin by heart one day.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Amen. I actually love learning from the TLM because I get familiar with some Latin words. Granted, I only knew a few phrases in latin (The Sign of the Cross, Sanctus, Agnus Dei), but it's always a wonderful thing to learn more! Hopefully I can learn the Our Father, Glory Be, Hail Mary in Latin by heart one day.

How much more so the grammar, constructions and greater vocabulary.

 

[fide]

There may be, but not all of us who prefer the Latin Mass think that way about those who prefer the NO liturgy.

Admittedly, those of us who cherish the TLM believe we have experienced something *special* ,,, something *beautifully supernatural* ... and so we may talk zealously about it. I can see where this zealousness could come across as some kind of sense of 'superiority' and as an attachment that's not understood ... and especially to those who entered the RC after Vatican II.

... But it is the TLM that many of us hold dear and *special*, and not ourselves.

But isn't the one crucial question, "What does GOD "prefer"? That is, what liturgy most worthily expresses the truth, justice and love of and for GOD?" Our"preferences" are either irrelevant or revealing of our actual spiritual impediments to Life before God.

The acts of worship of the first brothers, Cain and Abel, are revealing in their consequences - which should be instructive for us all. From the. NABRE on the USCCB website:

Gn 4:3 In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit of the ground,
4 while Abel, for his part, brought the fatty portion* of the firstlings of his flock.a The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry and dejected.
6 Then the LORD said to Cain: Why are you angry? Why are you dejected?
7 If you act rightly, you will be accepted;* but if not, sin lies in wait at the door: its urge is for you, yet you can rule over it.b
8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out in the field.”* When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.c

Why is this? Hebrews explains:

Heb 11:4* By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice greater than Cain’s. Through this he was attested to be righteous, God bearing witness to his gifts, and through this, though dead, he still speaks.c
5.....
6 * But without faith it is impossible to please him,e for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Here is the mystery: God is the Creator of all, yet He offers grace to some, but not all seek or will receive it.

Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God;g
9 it is not from works, so no one may boast.h
10 For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.i

Cain's heart was revealed to him: He was seeking himself, not worship in spirit and truth of God that He deserves, is owed, and seeks. Our "liturgy wars" reveal sin! This itself ought to drive us to our knees and repent of the poverty of Holy Faith that is so carelessly unobserved and neglected among us, by so many of us .