Unexpected defeat of referendums shows growing power of Ireland’s traditional Catholics
Dublin, Ireland RNS At a Mass said in Latin on Sunday, Ireland’s traditional Catholics declared political victory, days after a pair of referendums aimed at secularizing the Irish Constitution were unexpectedly and resoundingly defeated. On Friday, the Irish Government put two measures to a vote that would have extended the rights of unmarried couples in […]
Posters near Vatican urge Pope to stop Latin Mass crackdown
Rome, Italy AP Posters calling on Pope Francis to stop his crackdown on the old Latin Mass were plastered near the Vatican on Tuesday, in the latest display of conservative opposition to the pontiff. The posters featured images of Pope Benedict XVI and St John Paul II and quoted from their texts speaking positively about the old […]
Pope intervenes again to restrict celebration of Latin Mass
Rome, ItalyAP Pope Francis has intervened for the third time to crack down on the celebration of the old Latin Mass, a sign of continued friction with Catholic traditionalists. Francis reasserted in a new legal decree published Tuesday that the Holy See must approve new celebrations of the old rite by signing off on bishops’ decisions […]
Pope urges end to ideological polemics over old Latin Mass
Rome, ItalyAP Pope Francis urged the Catholic faithful Wednesday to stop exploiting the old Latin Mass for ideological reasons and to start discovering the beauty of the new liturgy that grew from the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Francis penned a letter to rank-and-file Catholics as part of his long-term effort to crack down […]
Pope decries divisions caused by old-school liturgy fans
Rome, ItalyAP Pope Francis on Saturday blasted Catholics who, hewing to old-school versions of liturgy like the Latin Mass, have made an ideological battleground of the issue, decrying what he described as devil-inspired divisiveness in the church. Francis pressed his papacy’s battle against traditionalists, whose prominent members include some ultra-conservative cardinals. They have resisted restrictions, […]
Pope doubles down on quashing old Latin Mass with new limits
Rome, ItalyAP Pope Francis doubled down Saturday on his efforts to quash the old Latin Mass, forbidding the celebration of some sacraments according to the ancient rite in his latest salvo against conservatives and traditionalists. The Vatican’s liturgy office issued a document that clarified some questions that arose after Francis in July reimposed restrictions on celebrating the […]
Pope at 85: Gloves come off as Francis’ reform hits stride
NICOLE WINFIELD, of The Associated Press, reports that despite his successful papal trips and his ongoing campaign for a more just world, Pope Francis, continues to face problems at home and abroad – something to he has responded with the papal equivalent of “no more Mr Nice Guy”…
Despite partisan divides, Pope retains high marks among US Catholics – survey
RNS A new survey finds that Pope Francis retains high levels of support among US Catholics across the board, and most church members either aren’t aware of or have no opinion about recent controversial changes the Pope has made to rules about the Latin Mass. But researchers pointed to persistent partisan divides in how the […]
Essay: The Latin Mass is not going away soon
US Catholic commentator THOMAS REESE writes, in an article first published on Religion News Service, about why, despite the recent decision of Pope Francis to curtail the celebration of the Latin Mass, it won’t be disappearing any time soon…
Pope Francis renews curbs on Latin Mass in rebuff to conservatives
Reuters Pope Francis on Friday overturned decisions by his two predecessors and re-imposed restrictions on the old-style Latin Mass preferred by traditionalist Roman Catholics, saying it was being exploited to divide the church. Conservative groups reacted with dismay and anger to the latest episode of what some have dubbed the church’s “liturgy wars”. Pope Francis […]