It might be time to revive the old label “Oaf For A Day!” It hasn’t been used for a while.
The increasingly useful Ad Vaticanum has it.
Latest: Bishop Peter Kohlgraf of Mainz has criticised the Vatican’s June 17th Ruling for maintaining the ban on lay preaching during Mass, arguing that its interpretation of the rule is “not entirely coherent”.
The Bishop went further and stated
“In practice, however, it has… pic.twitter.com/H9WyeTDKVz— Niwa Limbu (@NiwaLimbu1988) August 11, 2026
So the Vatican says “No” but Bishop Peter Kohlgraf of Mainz says “Yes” to lay (=women) preaching.
But the SSPX is disobedient.
This is the Vatican ruling. HERE In effect… the current discipline cannot be dispensed from by means of an indult, since the reservation of the homily to a priest or deacon is not a merely disciplinary norm but derives from the very nature of the liturgy. The homily, as it is conceived in the Novus Ordo, forms an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word. It is intrinsically linked to the proclamation of the Gospel [thus the almost universal rule in the Novus Ordo that sermons about the readings] and constitutes an exercise of the munus docendi entrusted to ordained ministers through the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
I don’t know what is incoherent about that, unless you are a Lutheran who thinks that every man is his own priest, indeed his own Pope. Unless your understanding of Orders has nothing to do with the ontological ordering of the man to his work and perceived Orders are merely a ratification of someone to do a job. Unless you are, in effect, a Protestant.
Our Oaf For A Day goes on: “In practice, however, it has become customary for lay people to preach,” Bishop Kohlgraf said. “If I learn of this, I will not intervene disciplinarily or impose canonical sanctions.”
So. if people are disobedient and have lay (=women) preaching, he has announced openly that he won’t exercise his role as bishop.
I think he should go elsewhere than Mainz. Who better than he, with his pastoral sensitivity and adherence to custom, to mediate between the IRGC Islamists in Iran (those who are left) and the people in the street?
But remember! The people who want the TLM must be suppressed.
If some non-clergy rando gets up to to preach, Imma read a book outside ’til they’re done.
Let’s compromise; re-open our TLM on condition my wife preaches
lay preaching would never happen in my parish, but if somehow it did i’d start chanting all the propers very loudly. drown him/her/it out. thanks be to God i have the pipes to do it.
More proof of necessity for SSPX. more proof the Vatican doesn’t care about obedience. Unless you desire above all to be obedient to the perennial teachings of the Catholic Church.
Perhaps others can follow his example: “Bishop Fidel Petrus of New Jerusalem has criticized Traditionis
Custodes, noting that its content is completely at odds with not only its title, but immemorial tradition, the magisterium of Popes St. John Paul and Benedict, Christian charity, and good manners as well. ‘The thing is utterly incoherent’ he noted. ‘I got physically ill while reading it’.
“The Bishop went further and stated
‘In practice it has become customary for our priests to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass as requested by layfolk. If I learn of this, I will not intervene disciplinarily or impose canonical sanctions.’ ”
Just what we need – more anarcho-tyrrany in the Church. These gentle prelates bought the lie “You shall be like gods, knowing good and evil.”
True open disobedience.
He needs to be retired. I am sure they can find financial improprieties since they like to use that method to kick active bishops out their dioceses that way
I don’t understand the Pope’s reluctance to replace these bishops with obedient bishops in line with the Magisterium. The Pope knows how to set boundaries – look at the SSPX. I’m sure there are chandeliers in the Vatican needing much attention to dusting that these purveyors of absurdity could tend to in lieu of misleading the flock.
Hmmm…do you think that Pope Leo will name this bishop a Cardinal then? The more oafs the better in the hierarchy these days it seems.
So sad.
Pressing on the thorn a little more. May he repent and God have mercy.
Speaking of “ministers”, When a young NO Priest was assigned here he brought his live in male companion. All the outrage, phone calls and letters to the Cardinal fell on deaf ears. Finally the Cardinal replied, “We have a shortage of Priest, you get what you get!” Now the live in companion calls himself a Minister. Probably paid the fee And received one of those Protestant minister certificates. My cousin said to me when I complained to him that he was a minister. I said, He hasn’t taken Holy orders. I am sure I will hear that he will be giving sermons soon.
This Bishop is probably fed up with micromanaging. I don’t blame him, as I also want adults to be self-sufficient and not need much correction. If that is also his goal, the key for him is in accepting the right men for seminary and in their seminary formation and training. The right men should want to give homilies, not pass that important task off to the laity. After all, who is expected to spend more time in prayer and in the reading of the scriptures? Who has dedicated their entire life to God and recieved the graces from the Sacrament of Holy Orders? Not the laity. For this reason, at Mass, I would rather listen to a priest give a mediocre homily that comes from his sincere love of God rather than an intelligent talk from a lay person.
““In practice, however, it has become customary for lay people to preach,”
Ah yes, the perennial foot in the door for an indult that continues the destruction of the liturgy, and/or its reduction to a more elaborate form of Protestantism. Mass ad populum, Communion standing and in the hand, EMHC’s, female altar servers, no Communion rails…didn’t they all begin with “customary” practices?