Why did Pope Francis restrict the church’s Traditional Latin Mass

Pope Francis’ Decision to Restrict the Traditional Latin Mass: A Controversial Legacy

One of the most contentious aspects of Pope Francis’ tenure as the leader of the Catholic Church has been his decision to limit the use of the Traditional Latin Mass, an older form of Catholic liturgy. The Pope explained that his concern stemmed from the belief that the Latin Mass was causing division within the Church, being utilized in an ideological manner as a response to modernity and the more contemporary Vatican II mass.

The Latin Mass, which was standardized by Pope St. Pius V in 1570 and is still practiced by a subset of Catholics today, differs significantly from the Vatican II mass introduced in 1969. Some of these variances include the entire service being conducted in Latin and the priest facing “ad orientem” (towards the east) rather than facing the congregation.

Over the course of his 12-year papacy, Pope Francis took several steps to restrict the use of the Latin Mass globally. As a result, the Latin Mass was only available in a limited number of churches, typically led by priests affiliated with specific orders dedicated to its practice.

In 2021, Pope Francis issued a “motu proprio,” a set of instructions imposing extensive limitations on the Latin Mass. These restrictions included a requirement for priests wishing to conduct the service to obtain explicit approval from their local bishops. Subsequently, in 2023, additional constraints were put in place, mandating that bishops seek Vatican approval to allow the Latin Mass in their jurisdictions and prohibiting newly ordained priests from administering it.

This approach diverged from the stance of Pope Benedict XVI, Francis’ predecessor, who had permitted all priests to conduct the Latin Mass. In a discussion with Jesuits in 2023, Pope Francis expressed his belief that his predecessor’s leniencies were being exploited in an ideological manner to regress rather than progress.

Despite these restrictions, Pope Francis made exceptions for certain priestly orders, such as the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP). Following a meeting in 2024 between Pope Francis and Father Andrzej Komorowski, the head of the FSSP, the order released a statement affirming that their use of ancient liturgical texts was integral to their foundation and constitution, thereby exempting them from the general provisions of the motu proprio.

In conclusion, Pope Francis’ decision to curtail the Traditional Latin Mass has sparked debate within the Catholic community. While some applaud his efforts to combat division and ideological misuse of the Latin Mass, others criticize the restrictions as an impediment to religious freedom. The legacy of Pope Francis in this regard remains polarizing, with supporters and detractors continuing to voice their opinions on the matter.