A document prepared by The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales for the Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship in advance of the Ad Limina visit to the Holy Father of the Bishops of England and Wales, 13-24 October 2003.
Contents
Supporting quotations
The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales
Current provision of the traditional rite Mass in England and Wales
The attitude of the English and Welsh bishops analysed
What does the Latin Mass Society request?
Conclusion
Supporting quotations
i. ‘Finally, in faithful obedience to Tradition, the Sacred Council declares that Holy Mother Church holds all lawfully recognised rites to be of equal right and dignity; that she wishes to preserve them in the future and to foster them in every way.’ Sacrosanctum Concilium, art. 4.
ii. ‘To all those Catholic faithful who feel attached to some previous liturgical and disciplinary forms of the Latin tradition, I wish to manifest my will to facilitate their ecclesial communion by means of the necessary measures to guarantee respect for their rightful aspirations. In this matter I ask for the support of the bishops… Moreover, respect must everywhere be shown for the feelings of all those who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition, by a wide and generous application of the directives already issued some time ago by the Apostolic See, for the use of the Roman Missal according to the typical edition of 1962.’ Apostolic Letter of John Paul II, Ecclesia Dei Adflicta.
iii. ‘Those who enjoy the benefit of the indult granted by the Motu Proprio, Ecclesia Dei Adflicta, may use this form freely both in private and in public, in the churches and at the times expressly appointed for the faithful…The Holy See urges bishops to be extremely tolerant to those of Christ’s faithful who wish to participate in the sacred liturgy in accordance with the previous liturgical books and to keep their sensibilities constantly before their eyes…In dioceses, in accordance with varying circumstances, benevolence in dealing with those of Christ’s faithful who adhere to the previous forms can be expressed either by appointing times suitable for liturgical celebration in some churches, or by designating a particular church which may be convenient for these faithful under the charge of a rector or chaplain, or sometimes even by the creation of a personal parish.’ Cardinal Medina Estevez, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, letter Protocol 1411/99, 18 October 1999.
iv. ‘For fostering a true consciousness in liturgical matters, it is also important that the proscription against the form of liturgy in valid use up to 1970 should be lifted. Anyone who nowadays advocates the continuing existence of this liturgy or takes part in it is treated like a leper; all tolerance ends here. There has never been anything like this in history; in doing this we are despising and proscribing the Church’s whole past. How can one trust her present if things are that way? I must say, quite openly, that I don’t understand why so many of my episcopal brethren have to a great extent submitted to this rule of intolerance, which for no apparent reason is opposed to making the necessary inner reconciliations within the Church.’ Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, ‘God and the World’ (Ignatius Press, 2002).
1. The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales
The Latin Mass Society, founded in 1965, is an association of over 3,000 Catholic faithful and families dedicated to the preservation of the traditional Latin Mass as one of the legitimate forms of the Church’s liturgy. Whilst it is composed predominantly of lay members drawn from every age group and walk of life, it also includes nearly 200 priests who wish to minister to all who request access to the former sacramental rites of the Church.
Its legitimacy is based on Canon 215 of the Code of Canon Law (1983) which states clearly the right of the faithful, both clergy and lay, to found associations for religious purposes and to pursue these purposes in common. This fundamental right of association is also confirmed by Canon 299.1.
The Latin Mass Society treasures the ancient liturgy as a perfect embodiment of the Faith and as the spiritual and cultural heritage of Western Christianity. Imbued with a spirit of obedience to the Vicar of Christ and to the Church in communion with him, the Latin Mass Society exercises an important apostolate by making the traditional Roman rite of Mass better known, appreciated and honoured.
The Latin Mass Society accepts in a spirit of obedience all the sacramental, teaching and governing authority of the Church and is an integral part of her, so eloquently described by the Second Vatican Council as a communio of the faithful each of whom is ‘called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of love’ (Lumen Gentium, 5).
The principal aim of the Latin Mass Society is to preserve the venerable form of Mass in the Roman rite which has been handed down to us from great antiquity and which has, until recently, remained essentially and substantially unchanged from the time of Pope St Gregory the Great in the sixth century. The Latin Mass Society further, by promoting the study, appreciation and use of the traditional music of the Church (particularly Gregorian chant), upholds the mandate of the Second Vatican Council that ‘the treasury of sacred music is to be preserved and cultivated with great care’ (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 112).
The Latin Mass Society also offers a service to the Church by providing the means whereby the needs and desires (and also the real and very deep distress experienced by those who are denied access to their preferred form of spirituality) of all traditionally-minded Catholics may be communicated to the hierarchy in a spirit of sincerity, moderation and respect towards our pastors.
The principal apostolate of the Latin Mass Society, alongside the publishing of information in magazines and pamphlets and the organisation of lectures, conferences etc, is the arranging of traditional rite Masses and devotions in the dioceses of England and Wales when it is possible to obtain the permission of the local ordinary. There is a great pent up desire among the faithful for Masses and the other Sacraments in the traditional rite. The Latin Mass Society is often obstructed in meeting this desire by a failure of pastoral sensitivity and charitable concern among some of the local ordinaries.
2. Current provision of the traditional rite Mass in England and Wales
Current Latin Mass Society Sunday and Holy Day traditional rite Masses as permitted by the bishops of England and Wales are shown on the accompanying map. This clearly indicates the extreme thinness of provision, and how the unequal distribution of permissions has led to ‘deserts’ of provision in large areas of England and Wales.
13 out of the 22 diocesan bishops grant no weekly Sunday Masses
5 out of the 22 diocesan bishops grant no Sunday Masses at all
Only 8 out of the 22 diocesan bishops grant regular Holy Day Masses
Although the situation regarding provision of traditional rite Masses in England and Wales is probably better than in certain other countries, nevertheless there is a great unfulfilled desire amongst the traditional faithful for more Sunday and Holy Day Masses in convenient churches and at convenient times. The Latin Mass Society is able to organise these Masses and its priest-members are willing to celebrate them, but it has proved impossible to beg many of our bishops in fraternal charity to give us what the Holy Father desires us to have.
Note:
Some of our bishops claim that they do not have the priests available to accommodate the wishes of the traditional faithful for Sunday and Holy Day Masses in the old rite. But, with the exception of two Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP) priests located in London and who offer traditional Masses as occasion allows in the south of England, the bishops have consistently refused to issue an invitation to the traditional priestly orders such as the FSSP and the Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest (ICKSP) to help provide adequate pastoral cover for all those attached to the traditional rite and Sacraments, either by allowing them a roving role across the dioceses or by giving them churches and chapels to minister to the needs of traditional congregations – a solution greatly favoured by the Latin Mass Society and as recommended by Cardinal Medina Estevez (see ‘Supporting quotations’ iii, page 2).Both the above priestly orders are very keen to receive an invitation from the English and Welsh bishops. It is, indeed, very sad that the bishops, whilst closing churches, amalgamating parishes and allowing lay-led services due to the shortage of priests and vocations, have so far declined to offer a pastoral role to the young and holy priests of these traditional orders. Experience has shown in parishes in Europe, America, Canada, Australia and Africa, where many bishops have been keen to issue invitations, that these priests are able to reinvigorate parish life and produce many vocations.
3. The attitude of the English and Welsh bishops analysed
In a typical English or Welsh diocese a whole range of Masses are provided freely and with regularity: folk Masses, children’s liturgies, foreign language Masses for minorities, etc. Clergy are happy to attend many different non-sacramental services organised by other Christian bodies; they are happy to attend multi-faith occasions; they commend the Uniate and Orthodox liturgies (whose ethos is very similar to the old rite Mass). In some parts of England and Wales the Maronite and Chaldean rites are freely celebrated; the Dominican rite – which was not reformed subsequent to the Second Vatican Council – is sometimes celebrated. Only the traditional Roman rite of Mass is all too often discriminated against and excluded.
Here we must mention an unfortunate consequence of this situation and of the reluctance of many of our bishops to extend adequate pastoral care to those who wish to worship in the traditional rite. The Society of St Pius X (SSPX), a body not in communion with the Holy Father, now has 12 priests and a network of 30 churches and Mass centres in England and Wales. It has a large and flourishing school and growing congregations. It has substantial financial resources and regularly opens new churches. It is only a matter of time before it opens a large centrally located church in London which, however regrettably, will draw a large congregation. The reason for its success is simple: the intransigence of many of our pastors in refusing the legitimate requests of those faithful attached to the traditional rite. The best way to counter the SSPX and bind the faithful to the bishops is to accede to the Holy Father’s own explicit request that generous permissions be extended to those who wish to worship in the traditional rite.
The faithful have a right to the traditional Latin Mass by virtue of the fundamental law of the Church which protects immemorial custom such as the ancient liturgy of the Roman rite. This law of immemorial custom has never been abrogated and is still in force.
Although the rights of the faithful are regulated by the bishop who exercises personal jurisdiction in his diocese, the exercise of his stewardship is in turn regulated by ecclesiastical norms. The bishop is required by the prescriptions of Canon 387 to rule his diocese ‘in charity and humility’ by serving his flock. In the case of the Holy Father’s Motu Proprio, Ecclesia Dei Adflicta, bishops are constrained by its binding nature to take into consideration the Pope’s will when making their decisions about the traditional Latin Mass.
Those who feel that their personal vocation to holiness requires them to worship in the traditional Roman rite can be assured by the prescriptions of Canon 387: ‘The diocesan bishop…must strive to do all in his power to foster the holiness of Christ’s faithful, in accordance with the personal vocation of each individual’.
The provision of the spiritual needs of the faithful who have made known their request for the traditional Latin Mass is the ultimate responsibility of the local ordinary. This is a pastoral charge for which the bishop, as ‘the steward of the grace of the supreme priesthood’ (Lumen Gentium, 26), is personally accountable before Almighty God.
How, then, have the individual bishops of England and Wales measured themselves against this charge in the matter of traditional rite Mass provision in their dioceses?
The reports – some lengthy – on each of the bishops of England and Wales (pages 6-12 of the complete document) are confidential
Note:
Most of the Sunday permissions granted in the English and Welsh dioceses are for afternoon Masses – the bishops are extremely reluctant to grant Sunday morning Masses even when churches and priests are available. But convenient morning Masses in convenient churches enable the largest possible congregations to attend and benefit spiritually – particularly the elderly and families with young children.
4. What does the Latin Mass Society request?
1. We request frequent Sunday and Holy Day celebrations in the traditional rite in conveniently located churches and at convenient times. The obligation to attend Mass on Sundays is paramount for all Catholics; this will allow us to demonstrate our loyalty to our bishops and the Holy Father whilst worshipping in the liturgical tradition to which we are attached.
2. We request appropriate provision in the major cities and towns. Elsewhere, and in rural areas, Masses should be available with a distance between them of no more than 40 miles. This means that no one would have to travel more than 20 miles to attend a traditional rite Mass. This will correct the situation whereby many Catholics who have an attachment to the Missal of 1962 have to travel great distances to attend a Sunday or Holy Day Mass.
3. We request adequate provision for the faithful to receive the Sacraments in the traditional rites, in particular Confirmation and the Requiem Mass. We ask for our bishops’ generous pastoral concern regarding the Sacraments to enable the full ecclesial communion wished for by the Holy Father.
Further, we request adequate provision for the faithful to nourish their spiritual life by use of the traditional devotions dear to all with an attachment to the Latin liturgical tradition – such as 40 Hours Devotions, Holy Hours and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament etc.
4. We request that the English and Welsh bishops formally invite the priests of the traditional priestly orders which have grown strongly in response to the Holy Father’s Motu Proprio, Ecclesia Dei Adflicta, (such as the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter and the Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest) into England and Wales to work in the parishes. Wherever priests of the traditional orders have been given parishes in, for example, Canada, the USA, Europe, Brazil, Africa and Australia, a healthy growth in parish commitment, spirituality, charitable activity and Mass attendance has resulted.
It is nevertheless the case that, even allowing for help from the traditional priestly orders, if generous permissions were granted by the bishops throughout England and Wales, most traditional rite Masses would have to be celebrated, at least initially, by locally based clergy. We fully understand the great strains the bishops are under in staffing the parishes and providing regular Masses with limited clergy numbers. However, we have recently contacted all our priest members (of whom there are almost 200) and many have indicated their willingness to offer the traditional rite on Sundays and Holy Days in their own parishes and to travel reasonable distances to offer elsewhere without prejudice to their other commitments.
5. As loyal sons and daughters of the Church we request that the Latin Mass Society be listed with other approved Catholic societies in the National Directory produced by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. We also request that all traditional rite Masses and devotions be listed in diocesan yearbooks under the parishes offering them.
Note:
a) As directed in the Holy Father’s Motu Proprio, Ecclesia Dei Adflicta, the typical edition of 1962 together with its rubrics and calendar, is the proper Missal always used by the Latin Mass Society for the celebration of the traditional rite of Mass. Similarly this includes all the other Sacraments.b) At all sung Masses and High Masses arranged by the Latin Mass Society, Gregorian chant and the polyphonic riches of the treasury of sacred music are always used.
c) The above requests were placed before the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales by the Latin Mass Society in a full document at its Low Week meeting in April 2003 but the matter was referred to the individual bishops in their dioceses from whom no further action has been forthcoming.
5. Conclusion
The Latin Mass Society has presented above a comprehensive programme of action to fulfil the Holy Father’s requests as regards the traditional rite faithful - a programme which is practical, achievable and realistic as regards the genuine problems facing the bishops as they guide the Church in England and Wales.
We have also presented an analysis of each bishop’s attitude to the traditional rite faithful and his efforts to implement the requests in the Holy Father’s Motu Proprio, Ecclesia Dei Adflicta.
The Latin Mass Society stands ready to work closely with the bishops to make adequate provision of the traditional rite Mass and Sacraments for the many faithful in England and Wales who wish to worship according to the Latin liturgical tradition. We ask only that the Holy Father’s requests to facillitate the full ecclesial communion of the traditional rite faithful be acted on by the bishops: the fruits in the active participation and fervour of the faithful in joyful communion with their bishops and in the nurturing of young Catholic families with many children as well as the production of many vocations to the priesthood, will be significant. These fruits will also be an integral part of that re-evangelisation of Europe in the twenty-first century for which the Holy Father has called.
We keep the Holy Father and the English and Welsh bishops in our prayers and ask that they keep our members and supporters in theirs.
4 September 2003
The Latin Mass Society,
11-13 Macklin Street,
London WC2B 5NH, UK.Tel: 00 44 (0)20 7404 7284; Fax: 00 44 (0)20 7831 5585;
E mail: thelatinmasssociety@snmail.co.uk