The Latin Mass and Catholic Traditionalists

https://www.ansa.it/english/news/2021/07/16/pope-bans-latin-masses-from-parish-churches_f9ff66d0-9af2-4e31-ae59-4378f75f9379.html

The move by Francis was surprising but it also makes sense. The anti- Vatican II Traditionalist movement is growing within Catholicism – particularly in the West and it has allied itself with Right-wing political forces that seek to counter Francis on almost every front.

The Latin Mass which was effectively dispensed with after Vatican II has become a rallying cry, a symbol for Traditionalists who use it as a vehicle to bring people into their movement. The old style mass effectively shuts down many of the innovations that have crept into Catholicism in recent decades and this is woven into a grander narrative about what has happened within Catholicism and even the West in general.

The narrative is (generally speaking) misleading as many of the arch-conservatives within Roman Catholicism have played a part in the organisation's corruption and alliances with outside forces and there are also Right-wing Catholics that for other reasons are not keen to return to the pre-Vatican II era.

The Traditionalists have explained away the Vatican Bank scandals and Rome's alliances with dubious political and criminal elements as being part of this same 'liberalising' tendency that resulted in Vatican II, the abandonment of the Latin Mass and today's perceived 'communist' turn by the likes of Francis. It's a convenient but misleading narrative. Some such as Taylor Marshall, Michael Voris, and others have done very well for themselves and have been able to build substantial followings on the basis of these narratives. This latest move by Francis may in fact backfire and give these Traditionalist and Latin Mass advocates a boost. And there are those still within the larger fold of Catholicism – specifically Archbishop Vigano and Bishop Schneider that are viewed as hero-opposition figures to Francis and Vatican II.

It can be assumed that Francis hopes to shut down this recruiting tool that is leading to dissension within the Catholic fold and in forbidding the Latin Mass, local bishops can target those they deem to be troublemakers. While they would hate to see these people break off and join with some of the schismatic and sedevacantist groups, allowing them to continue working within the fold (as it were) will only do more damage.

However some of the fringe but still Catholic groups, such as the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) may be driven over the edge – their already tense relationship with the Vatican may not able to withstand these latest moves.

This is but the latest stage in an ongoing conflict within Roman Catholicism – a conflict that is definitely starting to heat up. This move by Francis is going to provoke a vigorous reaction.

Given the way in which Traditionalist Catholics are forming political alliances with other Right-wing forces and Evangelicals it behooves us to observe these developments as they are part of the larger Ecclesiastical equation. As New Testament Christians we can side with none of these groups. That's not the point but like it or not they are exerting influence on the larger set of discussions and thus in addition to being interesting, there is some value to following these developments.