Pope’s Latin Mass letter unlikely to lead to major changes in Archdiocese of Vancouver

Little is expected to change in the Archdiocese of Vancouver following Pope Francis’ July 16 letter on the celebration of Mass in the Extraordinary Form, colloquially called the traditional Latin Mass.

Vancouver Catholics who read news that the Pope was altering how traditional Latin Masses are celebrated responded with concern on social media. But Archbishop J. Michael Miller told The B.C. Catholic Tuesday that while he is taking some time to “fully digest” the papal letter, he doesn’t see much change to the way things happen presently in the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

The celebration of Mass in the Extraordinary Form “has never been a cause of division here,” he said.

“I have given the priests who requested it permission to continue the celebrations they have planned. In practice, I don’t see much change in the present situation.”

The Pope’s document, a motu proprio entitled Traditionis custodes, made sweeping changes to his predecessor Benedict XVI’s 2007 apostolic letter Summorum Pontificum, which acknowledged the right of all priests to say Mass using the Roman Missal of 1962, which is in Latin.

In the new motu proprio, Pope Francis states that it is each bishop’s “exclusive competence” to authorize the use of the 1962 Roman Missal in his diocese. The document sets out the responsibilities of bishops whose dioceses already have one or more groups that offer Mass in the extraordinary form, mandating that bishops determine that these groups do not deny the validity of Vatican II and the Magisterium.

Bishops are instructed to “designate one or more locations where the faithful adherents of these groups may gather for the eucharistic celebration (not however in the parochial churches and without the erection of new personal parishes).”

It also imposes new requirements for newly ordained priests wishing to celebrate the Extraordinary Form and instructs bishops to verify that already-established parishes that celebrate the Extraordinary Form “are effective for their spiritual growth and to determine whether or not to retain them.”

It further instructs bishops to “take care not to authorize the establishment of new groups” that celebrate the Extraordinary Form.

The Pope said he wrote the document in response to a 2020 survey of bishops and said he was saddened by what he sees as a rejection of the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. 

Bishops across the U.S. have granted permission for the Traditional Latin Mass to continue in their dioceses while they study the document and determine how to proceed.

The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), which celebrates the traditional Latin Mass, addressed the situation in a July 16 statement.

“At this point, it is too early to tell what all the implications will be for the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, but we assure you that we remain committed to serving the faithful attending our apostolates in accordance with our Constitutions and charism as we have done since our founding,” the order said in a statement provided to Catholic News Agency.

“We must strive to see this Cross as a means of our sanctification, and to remember that God will never abandon His Church.”

FSSP priests serve the faithful at Holy Family Parish in Vancouver, which was established in 2008 as a personal parish for the celebration of Mass in the Extraordinary Form. The traditional Latin Mass is also celebrated at Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver, Sts. Joachim and Ann in Aldergrove, and St. James in Abbotsford.

With files from Catholic News Agency.