Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments: Tridentine Mass should not be limited

Folks, according to the Catholic News Service, Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don (pictured right), secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, criticized bishops and priests who have given a narrow interpretation to Pope Benedict XVI's permission for the wider celebration of the Tridentine Mass. "On the part of some dioceses, there have been interpretive documents that inexplicably aim to limit the 'motu proprio' of the pope," he told the Web site Petrus Nov. 5. He also said:

Behind the attempts to define the terms in a way that limits the availability of the Tridentine Mass, "there hide, on the one hand, ideological prejudices and, on the other hand, pride, which is one of the most serious sins," the archbishop said.

"I repeat: I invite everyone to obey the pope. If the Holy Father thought it was his obligation to issue the 'motu proprio,' he had his reasons and I share them fully," he said.

"The bishops, in particular, have sworn fidelity to the pontiff; may they be coherent and faithful to their commitment," he said.

Read the entire piece here.

Commentary. Folks, I've explained elsewhere my stance regarding the Tridentine Mass, most recently on this blog post, so I am not going to repeat what I said then. You all know I prefer the Novus Ordo. But I am not blind to the requirements of justice. The Holy Father wishes to expand the celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, yet it is clear that some bishops "out there" are intent upon frustrating the wishes of the Holy Father. As the words of Archbishop Patabendige Don (I hope those are his surnames) demonstrate, the Holy See seems to be keenly aware of the steps those bishops are taking and are also very clear as to the root of their opposition: pride, prejudice and disobedience.

It is not my habit to challenge bishops directly or call them to task. My oh my, that's not my calling. Nevertheless, I can't help to suffer along with my brethren who prefer this mode of Catholic worship and whose clear pastoral needs have been ignored for so long. They don't deserve to be treated as second-class Catholics. There should not be second-class Catholics anywhere in the Church.

The rest of us have a RIGHT to the fullness of Catholic Tradition, TO ALL OF IT. Tridentine-skeptical bishops have the obligation to explain to the Catholic faithful entrusted to them why are they intent in blocking access to a part of the Tradition or, as the motu proprio provides for, they should be ready to explain their reasons for blocking the celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass to the Holy See.

My prayers are with my brethren and with the bishops, and of course, with the entire Catholic Church. The Holy Spirit will have the last word, as He always does, of course.