Study Offers Suprising Result on the Immemorial Mass of All Ages

A study on Summorum Pontificum shows that young people and families are represented above the average in holy masses in the Traditional Rite.

(Bonn) Also katholisch.de , the portal of the German Bishops' Conference, proves a worthy report: A new study confirms that the Masses are attended in the traditional form of the Roman Rite in above-average numbers by young people and families.

The study was presented by the Foederatio Internationalis Una Voce (FIUV) and was handed over to the Roman Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the end of 2020 . It was created in connection with the survey initiated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in March 2020 . "At the request" of Pope Francis, Cardinal Prefect Luis Ladaria SJ sent a detailed questionnaire to all diocesan bishops and their equals. They had to fill it in and send it back by July 31, 2020 and served to take stock of the implementation and experiences with the Motu proprio Summorum Pontificum from 2007. With this motu proprio, Pope Benedict XVI. reminded the universal Church that the traditional form of the Roman Rite lives on in the Church and was never forbidden. Rather, it made it easier for all priests to celebrate in the traditional rite as it was in force until the “liturgical reform” of 1969/70.

Because of the widespread reservations against the ruling head of the church, which can be traced back to gestures, statements and omissions by him during his previous pontificate, the concern spread in traditional Church circles that Francis intended to restrict tradition in the Church again, as it was the case under Paul VI. These fears were fueled because some Italian bishops in the run-up, had demanded just that in strident tones. Added to this was that the Archbishop of La Plata [Gay Smoocher] in Argentina, Msgr. Victor Manuel "Tucho" Fer-nandez , one of the closest Pope intimates, eliminated Summorum Pontificum in 2019 in his diocese.

Little trust was fostered by the usual spiteful anathemas of "Liturgist of the Pope" Andrea Grillo, in addition there was enthusiam showed by the CDF. Traditionalist circles, however, see this as a serious cause for concern.

The FIUV to tive the Pope and the CDF information on the implementation and experience of Summorum Pontificum, based on data from 362 dioceses and 52 countries. Behind this is an effort to ensure that Rome is given a balanced overall picture.

The hitherto unpublished study was conducted by one of its authors, the Oxford philosopher, president of the Latin Mass Society and secretary of the Federation Una Voce, Joseph Shaw, presentedd in the January issue of the US journal Homiletic and Pastoral Review. In it Shaw stated:

"The association of the extraordinary form with young people and families is neither a myth nor limited to a few countries."

For the German-speaking world, the positive effect of Summorum Pontificum shows that the Mass sites have quadruppled for the Traditional Rite since its entry into force as Pro Missa Tridentina announced in the summer of 2020.

Text: Giuseppe di Nari
image: Katholisch.de (screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMDG