Quo Primum vs. Traditionis Custodes
On July 16, 2021, Francis of Rome issued a Motu Proprio entitled Traditionis Cutodes, “On the Use of the Roman Liturgy Prior to the Reform of 1970.” Ironically, the phrase translates to “Guardians of Tradition,” even though the rest of his letter only constitutes a rupture with liturgical Tradition. Allegedly, he claims he decided to release this after consulting with the Bishops of the world, even though it has now been discovered that he was already planning on doing this prior to any actual consultation with them. And many Bishops have since come out openly and revealed that they were never consulted, either way.
In a nutshell, Francis placed very strict restrictions on offering the Tridentine Latin Mass, in such a way that it will inevitably lead to its slow and gradual demise. And he named the Novus Ordo Mass of 1970, from Paul VI, as the “only expression of the lex ordandi (law of prayer) of the Roman Rite.” This contradicts even Benedict XVI, who in 2007 argued that the Tridentine Rite was the “Extraordinary Form” and the Novus Ordo Rite was the “Ordinary Form.”
Even Cardinal Burke questioned whether or not Francis had the authority to do this. On July 22, Burke issued a response in which he said that Francis’ restrictions inevitably lead to the “ultimate elimination” of the Tridentine Mass. He also noted that even Benedict XVI had stated in 2007 that the Tridentine Mass was never juridically abrogated, and he went further and said that a Pope is not permitted to pretend that he has absolute power to eradicate a liturgical discipline.
He writes, “It is apparent from the severity of the document that Pope Francis issued the Motu Proprio to address what he perceives to be a grave evil threatening the unity of the Church. According to the Holy Father, those who worship according to this usage make a choice which rejects “the Church and her institutions in the name of what is called the ‘true Church’,” a choice which “contradicts communion and nurtures the divisive tendency”.”
One can only wonder what will eventually happen to Orders such as the Fraternity of St. Peter and the Institute of Christ the King who only offer the Tridentine Mass as part of their statutes and decrees. It is most likely just a matter of time before these Orders are also done away with from Modernist Rome. Francis seems paranoid about people recognizing his authority, and while he says, “I want to walk with you along the way of God’s mercy and tenderness,” apparently that walk does not include those who attend the Tridentine Mass (or who oppose vaccine mandates). It basically only includes Modernists and non-Catholic religions.
Burke goes on to make mention of the Papal Bull of 1570 Quo Primum, issued by Pope St. Pius V after concluding the Council of Trent. Burke notes, “It is necessary to observe that the reform of the Sacred Liturgy carried out by Pope Saint Pius V, in accord with the indications of the Council of Trent, was quite different from what happened after the Second Vatican Council. Pope Saint Pius V essentially put in order the form of the Roman Rite as it had existed already for centuries. Likewise, some ordering of the Roman Rite has been done in the centuries since that time by the Roman Pontiff, but the form of the Rite remained the same. What happened after the Second Vatican Council constituted a radical change in the form of the Roman Rite, with the elimination of many of the prayers, significant ritual gestures, for example, the many genuflections, and the frequent kissing of the altar, and other elements which are rich in the expression of the transcendent reality – the union of heaven with earth – which is the Sacred Liturgy.”
While the Roman Rite developed organically over the course of centuries, literally tracing back all the way to the Apostolic era, as documented in the wonderful booklet “A Short History of the Roman Mass” by Michael Davies (may he rest in peace), the Novus Ordo introduced by Paul VI in 1970 was a complete break with nearly two thousand years of liturgical growth. Even Burke sees this, and he is not the only one who does. It is ironic that St. Pius V insisted on protecting the Liturgy in the wake of the Protestant revolution and the rampant humanism of the era, while Paul VI had a Freemason named Annibale Bugnini consult with Protestants to draft up his missal. Thus, the reason why we saw changes such as the priest facing the people rather than the Tabernacle, the eradication of the Church’s Latin language (against the wishes of even the Second Vatican Council which had said to keep Latin in place), the altar becoming a table, and eventually Communion being allowed in the hand. Bugnini actually admitted, “We must strip from the Catholic liturgy everything which can be the shadow of a stumbling block for our separated brethren, that is for the Prostestants.”
While John Paul II and Benedict XVI at least made attempts to keep options open for those who wished to attend the Tridentine Mass, Francis seems intent on eradicating it from the memory of Catholics. It has even been reported that Benedict XVI was shocked to hear that Francis had issued Traditionis Cutodes. Fortunately, Pope St. Pius V ensured that the Tridentine Mass could never be eradicated when he issued Quo Primum. Here are the relevant texts:
“Furthermore, by this law, in virtue of Our Apostolic authority, We grant and concede in perpetuity that, for the chanting or reading of the Mass in any church whatsoever, this Missal is hereafter to be followed absolutely, without any scruple of conscience or fear of incurring any penalty, judgment, or censure, and may freely and lawfully be used. Nor are superiors, administrators, canons, chaplains, and other secular priests, or religious, of whatever title designated, obliged to celebrate the Mass otherwise than as enjoined by Us. We likewise declare and ordain that no one whosoever is forced or coerced to alter this Missal, and that this present document cannot be revoked or modified, but remain always valid and retain its full force notwithstanding the previous constitutions and decrees of the Holy See, as well as any general or special constitutions or edicts of provincial or synodal councils.”
St. Pius V goes on to write,, “By this present Constitution, which will be valid henceforth, now, and forever, We order and enjoin that nothing must be added to Our recently published Missal, nothing omitted from it, nor anything whatsoever be changed within it… No one whosoever is permitted to alter this notice of Our permission, statute, ordinance, command, precept, grant, indult, declaration, will, decree, and prohibition. Should anyone dare to contravene it, let him know that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.”
I conclude this article by quoting Pope Pius XII, who had read the Third Secret of Fatima, and upon commenting on it, he made a direct connection to those seeking to abolish the Mass of the Ages, the Mass of the Saints. We pray that Francis heeds his words:
“I am concerned about the messages of the Virgin to the little Lucia of Fatima. This persistence of the Good Lady in face of the danger that threatens the Church is a divine warning against the suicide that the alteration of the Faith, in its liturgy, its theology, and its soul, would represent.”
“I hear around me innovators who wish to dismantle the Sacred Chapel, destroy the universal flame of the Church, reject her ornaments, and make her remorseful for her historical past. Well, my dear friend, I am convinced that the Church of Peter must affirm her past, or else she will dig her own grave.”
“The Church will doubt as Peter doubted. She will be tempted to believe that man has become God, that His Son is only a symbol, a philosophy like so many others. And in churches, Christians will search for the red lamp where Jesus awaits them, like the sinful woman crying out before the empty tomb: ‘Where have they taken Him?’”
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. We love you. Save souls. Amen.
