Paix liturgique

Benedict XVI’s *motu proprio* *Summorum Pontificum* stated in Article 1: "The Roman Missal promulgated by Saint Pius V and revised by Blessed John XXIII is nonetheless to be considered an extraordinary expression of the same lex orandi of the Church and duly honoured for its venerable and ancient usage."

Conversely, Pope Francis’s *motu proprio* *Traditionis custodes* asserts in Article 1: "The liturgical books promulgated by Saint Paul VI and Saint John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of Vatican Council II, are the unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite."

The new Roman Pontiff—especially following his recent trip to France—undoubtedly knows he cannot avoid making room for those groups which are termed—with some exaggeration—"the living forces of the Church": that is, the array of Catholic movements that today still fill the churches, particularly with young people and large families, generate priestly and religious vocations, and spark conversions, such as, in France, the Emmanuel Community, the Community of St. Martin, various flourishing monasteries of contemplative religious, and, of course, the world of traditional communities.

For the faithful and priests belonging to these latter groups, this would entail some relief from the ideological despotism the reform imposes upon them, a change that would prove extremely beneficial. Yet the Pope remains reluctant to grant too much freedom to those seeking liberty for the traditional liturgy and catechism, as doing so would amount to granting them a stamp of legitimacy for a liturgical and doctrinal Catholicism of a bygone era.

In an article that caused quite a stir, titled "Projecting on the Pontiff: Pope Leo’s 'Shift in Tone'", and published on July 19, 2025, just months after Pope Leo’s election, Mike Lewis, editor-in-chief of the pro-Bergoglio Catholic site *Where Peter Is*, analyzed and criticized conservative media interpretations of Pope Leo XIV’s early gestures. According to Lewis, these outlets were overanalyzing and exaggerating the significance of elements such as the mozzetta and stole he wore, or his praise for Eastern liturgy, when they tried to view them as a coded message signalling the end of restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass, thus interpreting them as a break with his predecessor.

In fact, he noted, "the content of [Pope Leo’s] statements clearly suggests that he intends to follow Pope Francis’s path in building a synodal Church. Leo indicated that he would continue the Vatican’s agreement with China regarding the appointment of bishops. Likewise, he has continued to promote Francis’s encyclical *Laudato si’* and his predecessor’s call to care for creation. Leo drew inspiration from the pastoral message of Francis’s exhortation *Amoris laetitia*—which had been heavily challenged by critics—by stating that fostering an encounter with God 'does not consist of giving hasty answers to difficult questions, but of drawing close to people, listening to them, and trying to understand them.'" Regarding his central argument, the article maintained that Leo XIV had no intention of altering the Church’s current liturgical guidelines.

Admittedly, when he made such claim, Mike Lewis was preaching to his own flock, so to speak. Yet it remains a fact that Leo XIV is upholding Francis’s legacy. This legacy—fundamentally conciliar in nature, if we set aside the ecological commitment and synodality (which defies any attempt of a precise categorization)—is summed up in two fundamental texts: *Amoris Laetitia*, which revolutionizes marital morality, and *Traditionis Custodes*, which puts aside the traditional liturgy.

Are these knots created by Pope Francis not, paradoxically, providential? They must be untied or cut, one way or the other. As Pope, he has the obligation to resolve with full authority—in the name of Christ—all the controversial issues which the Church faces today: ecumenism, dialogue with non-Christian religions, family morality, and... the liturgy. He must distinguish not only what is Catholic from what is not, but also those who are truly Catholic from those who claim to be so without actually being so. Otherwise, we will remain in the dark about what lies outside and what lies inside a Church currently immersed in a kind of dogma-free "neo-Catholicism"—to the grave detriment, or let us speak plainly, the loss, of countless souls.

To affirm that the Church founded by Jesus Christ possesses and communicates, through her Magisterium, the words necessary to attain eternal life is not an act of naive optimism, but simply an obligatory act of hope. In this much-awaited return to the exercise of the Magisterium, the—extremely sensitive and contentious—issue of the liturgical dispute could play a decisive role. Granting freedom to the liturgical tradition—and to all things that this entails—would represent a significant step forward. Therefore, untying the liturgical knot and answering the question "Who speaks the truth: *Summorum Pontificum* or *Traditionis custodes*?", is not merely a duty; I would argue it is part of the very essence of being Pope. As things stand, the Church teaches the following: "The liturgical books in force prior to the reform of Paul VI do not express the *lex orandi* of the Roman Rite." Is this true or false?

Let us keep raising such questions and praying ceaselessly alongside the Parisian "sentinels" who pray the Rosary at 10 Rue du Cloître-Notre-Dame (Monday through Friday, 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.); at Saint-Georges de La Villette, 114 Avenue Simon Bolivar (Wednesdays and Fridays at 5:00 p.m.); and in front of Notre-Dame du Travail (Sundays at 6:15 p.m.).