Here we go again! Comments on forcing table altars and forbidding Mass “ad orientem”.

Posted on 14 June 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I’ve been asked by several people whether or not a diocesan bishop has authority on his own to require only versus populum celebration of Mass in the Novus Ordo.

This seems to be what the Archbishop of Detroit desires.   I’ve posted on this elsewhere and Rorate has the screenshot.  Here it is again:

He says under point H:

“use of the ad orientem posture by the priest when using the ordinary form of the Mass is no longer permitted”.

However, in point I he says:

“no cleric… may add omit, or alter anything in the ordinary form of the Mass”.

PROBLEM: The ad orientem posture IS THE NORMAL posture of the “ordinary form” (i.e. Novus Ordo).

I’m not the Dicastery for Divine Worship so I cannot definitely close the issue.

I can add this for consideration.

The current Novus Ordo Missale Romanum presumes that there are times when the celebrant (and the deacon) must turn to face the people and then turn back to the altar.

Bishops have tried these shenanigans before and the (then) Congregation for Divine Worship had to break it down barney style for them because, as it seems, the bishops didn’t know Latin (or they ignored the Latin).

In 2000, the CDW’s Prefect Jorge A. Cardinal Medina Estévez explained in a letter (10 April 2000 PROTOCOL NO. 564/00/L) to the Bishop of Boise what the situation is with ad orientem worship.  Cutting to the chase:

This dicastery wishes to state that Holy Mass may be celebrated versus populum or versus apsidem. Both positions are in accord with liturgical law; both are to be considered correct. There is no preference expressed in the liturgical legislation for either position. As both positions enjoy the favor of law, the legislation may not be invoked to say that one position or the other accords more closely with the mind of the Church.

What do the rubrics of the Novus Ordo say?

In the Novus Ordo Missale Romanum we find, for example, before the Ecce Agnus Dei.  Remember that LATIN and not English is the official language (my emphasis):

132. Sacerdos genuflectit, accipit hostiam, eamque aliquantulum elevatam super patenam vel super calicem tenens, versus ad populum, clara voce dicit:

That versus is from the verb verto, “to turn, to turn round or about“.  That’s why the Latin substantive versus -us means a “furrow” because when plowing you turn around at the end and go back and forth.

The Latin rubric means:

The priest genuflects, takes the host and, holding it elevated a little over the paten or the chalice, having turned around toward the people says in a clear voce:

Pretty clear.  That’s the rubric in the Church’s normative Missale for the Novus Ordo.

Hence, not to turn around is to omit or alter something.  On the one hand, the Archbishop is saying “you can’t make changes, additions or omissions” even as he is saying “you must not follow the rubrics”.

In case you were wondering, the next rubric gets the priest turned back to the altar again:

133. Et sacerdos, versus ad altare, secreto dicit:

And the priest, having turned around toward the altar, says quietly:

There is another rubric, 127 at the sign of peace, which uses the participle conversus from converto (“to turn, wheel about”).

Of course now we have to get into the question of the position of the altar.

If the altar is detached from the wall so that it can be used from either side, then that rubric isn’t going to be literally applied because the priest is already versus ad populum.  We wind up with this same issue in the Vetus Ordo in Rome in basilicas which have an entrance to a crypt directly in front of and under the main altar, as in Santa Cecilia or San Nicola in Carcere.

The problem is that clerics who don’t read Latin are basing their notions on the positions of altars and celebrations ad populum versus on a faulty English translation of GIRM 299.

I wrote about this nasty business for YEARS and now it is BACK because people DON’T READ LATIN.  If they know a smidge of Latin, they often unwarily or ignorantly try to render Latin texts into English according to the Latin word order.  But that’s not how Latin works!  English works that way, mostly, but not Latin.

Here is, again, GIRM 299:

299. Altare maius exstruatur a pariete seiunctum, ut facile circumiri et in eo celebratio versus populum peragi possit, quod expedit ubicumque possibile sit.

For years now, the ignorant (or purposely shifty) have relied on this BAD translation… I repeat, BAD as in inaccurate to the point of being deceptive:

299. The altar should be built separate from the wall, in such a way that it is possible to walk around it easily and that Mass can be celebrated at it facing the people, which is desirable wherever possible.

The problem with the translation is that it gives the impression that it is celebration versus populum which is desirable, rather than the separation of the altar from the wall.

I corrected this BAD translation many times here and in print in The Wanderer.

The late fabled Latinist Fr. Reginald Foster corrected it.

THE PREFECT of the CDW, Card. Medina Estévez corrected it.

Now a good translation.

299. The main altar should be built separated from the wall, which is useful wherever it is possible, so that it can be easily walked around and a celebration toward the people can be carried out.  (Emphasis added)

On 25 September 2000 the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments issued a clarification (Prot. No. 2036/00/L) regarding #299 in the new Latin GIRM. That clarification says (emphases added):

The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has been asked whether the expression in n. 299 of the Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani constitutes a norm according to which the position of the priest versus absidem [facing the apse (i.e. “ad orientem”)] is to be excluded. The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, after mature reflection and in light of liturgical precedents, responds:

Negatively, and in accordance with the following explanation. […with an explanation of the Latin…]

The explanation includes different elements which must be taken into account. First, the word expedit does not constitute a strict obligation but a suggestion that refers to the construction of the altar a pariete sejunctum (detached from the wall).  It does not require, for example, that existing altars be pulled away from the wall. The phrase ubi possibile sit (where it is possible) refers to, for example, the topography of the place, the availability of space, the artistic value of the existing altar, the sensibility of the people participating in the celebrations in a particular church, etc.

Look at it this way:

299. Altare maius exstruatur a pariete seiunctum, ut facile circumiri et in eo celebratio versus populum peragi possit, quod expedit ubicumque possibile sit.

299. The main altar should be built separated from the wall, which is useful wherever it is possible, so that it can be easily walked around and a celebration toward the people can be carried out. 

That quod clause refers back to the whole first part “Altare… exstruatur… seiunctum”.  It does not refer to celebratio (feminine) and it does not mean “because”.

The fine book by my friend Fr Uwe Michael Lang, Turning Towards The Lord, has a preface by Joseph Card. Ratzinger.  Then Card. Ratzinger took up this very issue about the translation of paragraph 299 making it clear, with the Congregation, that (my trans. from the Italian edition):

“… the word ‘expedit‘ (‘is desirable’) required no obligation, but was a simple suggestion.”

Lang in his first chapter takes us through the genesis of that paragraph in the GIRM, pointing out also how it was applied, or rather misapplied, throughout the decades following the post-Conciliar reform for the liturgy.  It is a very useful resource in itself.

There are any number of reasons why it might not be possible to separate an altar from the wall.  For example, it might be that the altar is of historic importance.  Maybe the architecture of the church is such that to change the altar would ruin the focus.  It might be that there would not be adequate room in the sanctuary if the mensa (or table) of the altar was moved forward.  Maybe in that place the decision was made to have celebrations of Mass ad orientem versus and not versus populum.  All of these would be entirely adequate reasons.

You can probably think of more reasons yourself.

Furthermore, there is no obligation to change an existing altar.  This would apply more to new construction.

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Why reverent, traditionally-oriented Novus Ordo Masses may soon come under attack.

Posted on 14 June 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

There is a piece at the blog Unam Sanctam Catholicam which merits attention.

I’ll preface this with personal experience. Over the years I’ve seen time and again that people who are exposed to a more traditional style of worship in the Novus Ordo will often start to seek out the Vetus Ordo. I suppose the thought line goes something like this. If the Novus Ordo is made “better” through enrichment from the Vetus Ordo, then why not just use the Vetus Ordo? That’s not a complete argument, of course, but it is salient.

Now the aforementioned piece at the blog. HERE I’ll edit.  My emphases  and comments.

Bishops See Reverent Novus Ordo as a Gateway Drug [Right out of the gate!]

Not yet three months into his administration of the Archdiocese of Detroit and the new Archbishop Edward Weisenburger has already called for the eviceration 10 TLM parishes and drafted an instruction against traditional elements in the Novus Ordo with a decree reminiscent of Charlotte Bishop Michael Martin’s horrific document.

[…]

I think the actions of bishops like Weisenburger and Martin suggests that the reverent Novus Ordo is indeed an incubator for pro-TLM sentiments. If it wasn’t, it would not be proscribed. As someone who has attended both TLMs and unicorn NOs simultaneously for years, I can attest to this. A diocesan congregation becomes more sympathetic to the TLM to the degree that traditional elements are incorporated into the Novus Ordo. This is, of course, because whatever traditional elements are found in a Novus Ordo are carry overs from the TLM, and to the degree that one appreciates, say, altar rails or Gregorian chant, one is appreciating what was bequeathed to us by the Traditional Latin Mass. And there is a great deal of overlap—Catholics who attend the reverent Novus Ordo also tend to attend the Traditional Latin Mass when it is available. [This, too, is my experience.]

The bishops thus see these traditional elements as a “gateway drug” to the TLM and therefore suppress them. This is why the unicorn Novus Ordo is neither a refuge nor alternative to the TLM. The same bishops who are eager to root out the TLM will do the same to the reverent Novus Ordo, because everything that makes the reverent Novus Ordo reverent comes from the TLM. The bishops, then, are correct; the reverent Novus Ordo is a gateway drug to the TLM. That’s precisely why it’s being attacked.

[…]

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Pò sì jiù, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices |
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Pentecost Saturday: We Are Our Rites – Wherein Fr. Z rants

Posted on 14 June 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Today, Pentecost Saturday, the Season of Easter comes to an end.  The cycle that started with pre-Lent Sunday’s is over.

Being an Ember Saturday, there would have been a vigil in the night in preparation for ordinations to the priesthood at St. Peter’s.

Tomorrow, as a matter of fact, is the ecclesial-liturgical anniversary of my ordination at St. Peter’s, Trinity Sunday in 1991.

There are five readings before the Gospel in the Mass today, in the forma longior, the longer form. There is an option for a shorter Mass with two readings, but still with all the Pentecost Octave features, such as the Sequence and proper Communicantes and Hanc igitur. It is peculiar that at the end of the Sequence there is no Alleluia before the Gospel reading. There are various Alleluia verses amongst the lessons.  I think what happened is that when the more penitential Mass formulary for the Ember Day was fused into that of the Pentecost feria of Saturday, a bit of the Alleluiatic festivity was lost.

The progression of the Collects and lessons is overwhelming if read in light of the moment (Octave of Pentecost) and ordinations.

I very much like the reading from Joel 2:

Thus says the Lord God: I will pour out My Spirit upon all mankind. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; even upon the servants and the handmaids, in those days, I will pour out My Spirit. And I will work wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood, fire, and columns of smoke; the sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, at the coming of the Day of the Lord, the great and terrible day. Then everyone shall be rescued who calls on the name of the Lord.

Sounds like an eclipse.

The Person of our Lord is often blanked out and blackened by the unworthy men who are His priestly mediators.  When you look on them, and see their faults, try to remember who is directly on the other side in blazing glory, making possible what we do in our liturgical rites.

And when a priest gets anything right… non nobis, Domine, non nobis.

The Collect.

May the Holy Spirit, we beseech You, O Lord, inflame us with that fire which our Lord Jesus Christ cast upon the earth and desired that it be fanned into flame.

I’m not going to go through all of them, but I’ll suggest the themes. Start with “heat”.

The account in Leviticus is about Shavuot and the wave-offering of the oven-baked first fruits, loaves of bread.

The account in Deuteronomy is about the first-fruits of the land of milk and honey.

The description in Daniel is of the stoking of the furnace and the 49 cubits high flames that burned the enemy but not the stokers as they sang in praise of God.

Finally, in the Gospel, Jesus rebuked and cast out an afflicting fever demon from Peter’s mother-in-law and then healed and exorcised, commanding the demons to be silent.  Originally, before the fusing of the Ember Day with the Pentecost feria, the Gospel was the Matthew 20 account of the healing of blind men.

The work of the Gospel is the work of the priest against the enemy, the prince of this world.

How shocking it is that even bishops can be embarrassed by such things today.  Bishops are the true and chief exorcist in the diocese and all others are delegates.  Bishops should set the example in exorcising left, right and center!  Why do they let the prince of this world run unchecked?

How I long to see bishops to set examples of solemn worship.

What’s going on now sure isn’t working.

I long to see them perform manifestly, blatantly, even ostentatiously priestly actions in public: processions, exorcisms, lying prostrate on the steps of their cathedrals in reparation for the sinful votes and actions of Catholic politicians and clergy.

How I long to see them bishops be unabashedly, unapologetically Catholic, with every possible visual, material aid at their disposal, including glorious vestments, banners and big gaudy rings.

Turn up the heat, for the love of God and all that is holy!

But, no. They talk talk talk in their bourgeois black suits and their slim apologetic neck chains connected to the Cross which they hide in their pockets.  It’s as if they are laid out prostrate from the heat of this world’s fever swamp and they can’t get up.

No, wait.. some of them do get up, long enough to smash down some tradition-loving Catholics who just want to be left alone.  But I digress.

We must PRAY for our bishops!

Enough of this, “I’m with you, win or tie!” rubbish.

Am I wrong?

The Postcommunion today:

Praebeant nobis, Dómine, divínum tua sancta fervórem: quo eórum páriter et actu delectémur et fructu.

May your Holy Sacraments supply us with divine raging passion: by which we may exalt in both their celebration and in their results.

Everything starts with proper worship, the fulfillment of the virtue of Religion.

As a Church we’ve lost a great deal of the sense of who we are because of the loss of the riches of worship.

If we don’t know who we are, can we tell someone else?

Why should anyone pay attention to us if we don’t know ourselves?

Everything we do much start in worship and then be brought back to worship.

This is the staring point for renewal and the goal in an dynamic that will end in earthly terms at the Parousia described by Joel and will continue in heaven in eternity.

We Are Our Rites.

Posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Save The Liturgy - Save The World, The future and our choices, Wherein Fr. Z Rants |
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OLDIE PODCAzT 61: Pope Leo I on a post-Pentecost weekday; Fr. Z rambles not quite aimlessly for a while

Posted on 14 June 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Published on: May 17, 2008

Today is Saturday in the Octave of Pentecost, or at least it ought to be in in the Novus Ordo as it is in the older, Traditional Roman Calendar.

This is the sixth and final PODCAzT for the Pentecost Octave. 

Sermon 80 of St. Leo the Great (+442), was preached on one of the fast days in the week after Pentecost. It is incredibly short, so we hear it in its entirety in English first and then in Latin.  I give some pointers for how to listen to both the English and what to listen for in the Latin as well.

Please forgive me for a slip… I forget what century we are presently in.  Oh well…

Then, I just ramble.  More than I usually do, that is.  I wasn’t even going to make this PODCAzT today, but at the last said… what the heck.  So, I look around at the books on my desk and pick things up and just start talking, and creating links between them and what pops into my mind.  This is a bit of an experiment.

For music, we have Come, Holy Ghost from the Choir of Queen’s College, Oxford, then O, Come Holy Spirit by the King’s Consort, then Veni Creator Spiritus by a whole bunch of Franciscans.  Toward the end we hear Veni Sancte Spiritus again from Queen’s College. To wrap it up, Veni Sancte Spiritus, the whole thing, the Sequence in Gregorian Chant sung by the Norbertines at Sant’Antimo in Italy.

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“The Great Diminishment” in Detroit – The pogrom against the traditionally-oriented continues – UPDATED (It’s even worse)

Posted on 13 June 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Rorate has the ugly news HERE

I can echo the points made at the top of that post, above the Archbishop’s cruel letter.

My heart goes out to all the people who will be hurt by this unnecessary suppression.   And he had the temerity to write, while doing the opposite: “The unity of our Catholic faith need not be diminished by diversity. ”

On 1 July, Feast of the Most Precious Blood, is “The Great Diminishment”.

I’m at a loss, other than to say that I turn to God with confidence to intervene with graces and guidance for Pope Leo to please, please, PLEASE stop this senseless cruelty.

UPDATE:  13 June 17:54

It’s worse than it at first appeared.  Detroit’s Arch has forbidden ad orientem for the Novus Ordo (which I believe has has no authority to do), and has mandated Cranmer table altars. He also emphasized that “no cleric or lay people may add, omit, or alter anything in the ordinary form of the Mass on his own authority”.

I’m wondering when he will start policing the lib priests who change things all the time. There are a heck of a lot more of them in action in Detroit than there are places where the TLM is celebrated (according to the book).

Rorate at the same address has the ugly news.

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From “The Private Diary of Bishop F. Atticus McButterpants” – 06-02-25 – Falling into the trap

Posted on 13 June 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

June 2nd 2025

Dear Diary,

This morning began with Chester triumphantly parading around the house with the TV remote clenched in his jaws like a barbarian trophy… chewing. That’s the fifth one the nasty little thief. One more and I’ll swap him for a rescue cat.

I had to host the meeting of the region bishops, the first since Jack got the sack from Rome through the Noonch. Reason: health. Real reason: financial creativity to the tune of nearly 7 figures. We’re on pins and noodles now because none of us is going to have perfect books. Except maybe Jude.

Jude, yah, always serious except when he’s not. He told us that he finally got permission from Rome under the new Pope!! to merge one of his parishes with a chapel of the SXPX (or something). Matteo almost choked on his danish, Terry went pale. When I asked when it was going to be done, Dozer turned purpler. Jude said it was going smoothly and should be done in a week or so. He said that he was inspired by how I had combined and renamed places and he would do the same. Of course I walked into it. “What did you call it?”, I stupidly asked. Really serious he said, it’s now the My Fault My Fault My Most Grievous Fault Faith Community. That did it, of course. I coudda killed him. Gotta say, he tagged the other guys too. They fell for it at first. I told Fr. Tommy about it and he said it was a great idea that we should actually consider. He even offered to get an SPXS chapel started soz we can merge it. God help me. Sometimes I … if it weren’t for the fact that he’s so efficient and keeps a lot of stuff off my tray table, I’d tell him I’m might need to him to be the vicar over at Jesus Happy Lamb and Friend… Faith Community. Yeah… it does sound kinda stupid come to think of it.  Tommy calls it St Abusiva.  Can’t say he’s wrong.  But thatd fix his fashia for week or so.

Anyway, we bishops and drivers went to Razzo’s for a late lunch. Dozer demolished a plate of gnocchi so fast the waiter crossed himself. He gives me a run for my money.

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Pentecost Friday: tearing it up

Posted on 13 June 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Pentecost Friday

At NLM there is a great explanation of the Pentecost Roman Stations.

I find these historical details interesting because we find traces of ancient things in the traditional rites even today.

In any event, if I am to be believed, the Pentecost Friday Roman Station is Dodici Apostoli, Twelve Apostles, because that’s where Friday Ember Day Stations are. Believe me.

The texts of the Mass today are rather calming, as befits summery pursuits. Crops are planted. Early harvest of first fruits and grains are in. Other plantings and fruits are maturing. The days are long, warm, languid. There is always something to be done, but there is daylight for leisure.

The reading from Joel is about the harvest, and grain and wine and the gifts of God. The Antiphons and Gradual are all pretty joyful.

The Gospel is about the man whose friends lower him through the roof to get him to Jesus, who heals him. It’s a great moment in the Gospels.

Today in our Collect we have a return of the theme of “the enemy”.

Grant to Your Church, we beseech You, almighty God, that, united by the Holy Spirit, she may in no way be harmed by any assault of the enemy.

But for the most part, the overwhelming attitude of the Mass is joyful contentment with the abundant gifts of God.

Perhaps the idea of the enemy in the Collect, making a disturbance of the peace, is offset by the images of the paralytic man’s friends making a disturbance.  Making a mess, but in a good sense.

Enemies tear houses apart. The man’s friends tore a hole in the roof. Both make disturbances, but with different scopes in mind and different outcomes.

The Postcommunion seems to echo what happened in the Gospel, thus tying our minds in the moment of Communion to the healing, strengthening effects of the Eucharist:

“We who have received the gift of Your Blessed Sacrament, O Lord, humbly pray that what You have taught us to do in commemoration of You, may profit and help us in our weakness.”

As I write, I have a thought of all your priests being the friends who tear a hole in the roof to get you to the Lord. The friends lowered the man. The priests bring the Lord down to you. The fabric of the roof is torn open.

The division of heaven from earth is ripped asunder and Christ is called down, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.

But we have to turn this sock inside out. Even as this image takes form under my tapping fingers, it is really you lay people who are the ones who get that roof apart and get us priests to the Lord.

You do the heavy… lowering. We would be lost without you, frozen, unable to move.

Thank you for being our stretcher bearers.

And…

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Is this something to worry about?

Posted on 13 June 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

No.

What is the issue?

I think we all want to see this fellow out of that office, except for perhaps readers of the Fishwrap and most Jesuits.   However, right now I suspect that both he and guys like the leaders of the pogrom against tradition-inclined faithful at the worship office are trying to be as small as possible right now, hiding even their shadows if possible.  They won’t do anything “brave”… not that what they did before was brave.  By definition bullies are not brave.

So Leo says, “For now, everyone, sit there in your chair and be good. I’ll get to you in due time.”

For me a big tell will be whom he chooses to replace himself in the office for Bishops.

“But… but… but Father!”, some of you will sputter, “He has been Pope for some 36(?) whole days!  Why hasn’t he changed everything?!? Is he not really the Pope?   What’s he waiting for??!?”

First, he has to come up with people to replace the one’s he wants to change.   That isn’t going to be easy.   Well… if you are huge iconoclast modernist lib there are lots of people already in high profile places to select from.   But if you are looking for men of the faith… after all these years your pool might be smaller than it was, say, 13 years ago.

And another thing…

He is doing some good things that were held over from the last guy.

I note with interest this item from the Bollettino: dates for the canonization of Pier Giorgio Frassati (together with Carlo Acutis – that will be a full square!) and Bartolo Longo have been set.

Bartolo Longo was the former satanic priest who converted and wrote the material that John Paul II used for the Luminous Mysteries.

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PODCAzT 60: Pentecost customs; St. Ambrose on the dew of the Holy Spirit

Posted on 13 June 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Originally Published on: May 16, 2008

Today is Friday in the Octave of Pentecost, or at least it ought to be in in the Novus Ordo as it is in the older, Traditional Roman Calendar.

[NB: Yesterday I forgot to embed the player… duh!  It’s there now – HERE]

This is the fifth PODCAzT for the Pentecost Octave. 

Today we will look at some customs associated with Pentecost, very beautiful.  These customs informed the rhythm of people’s lives for centuries.

Then we will drill into the image of the dew of the Holy Spirit (which some bishops sadly think people are too thick to understand and therefore want to eliminate the image from liturgical translations…).  To help we enlist the help of a very wise Bishop, the great Ambrose of Milan (+397) who always tried to explain hard things to his people rather than make them out to be too stupid to get the point.  Ambrose wrote a work On the Holy Spirit in which he explains the dew that descended on Gideon’s fleece in the Book of Judges.  So, we will hear Judges 6 and 7 and then Ambrose allegorical commentary.  Fascinating stuff, I can tell you.

This reading from Scripture and the patristic commentary, gives you a sense of how some of the Father’s worked with Scripture and how their reflections can be useful for us today.

Of course, I have lots of comments along the way.

For music, we have an antiphon for Pentecost in Gregorian chant, and a bitter sweet song Dancing at Whitsun, a folk song, which speaks of the rhythm of our lives and the challenges we endure.  There is a Fantasia super Kom, Heiliger Geist BWV 651 by J.S. Bach on the pipe organ, which Holy Church recommends above all other instruments.  We hear a haunting Byzantine Communion for mid-Pentecost, in other words this very week and at the end a real change of pace, which you can listen to yourselves.

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SSPX: Habemus Papam! Pray or Speculate?

Posted on 13 June 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Pope Leo XIV has now been in office some 36… 37 days?

He seems to be moving at a careful and deliberate pace.  However, I am struck by perhaps coincidental facts which could be more than mere coincidences.  For example, on the day that Card Roche, known for his pogrom of contempt against those who desire the traditional Roman Rite, had his first audience in months, the exuberant suppressor Bp. Martin mitigated his plans to axe the TLM as did also Bishop Gruss of Saginaw.  I note with satisfaction that Paglia is no longer involved with anything except his fresco in Terni.  I saw a video in which a seemingly aggressive Card. Marx managed to try Leo’s patience after the Wednesday audience.

We shall see is what I have been saying.  Let the man have some time.

I was sent this.  It is a pretty good statement.  From the newsletter of the SSPX:  HERE

Habemus Papam! Pray or Speculate?

American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, OSA, was elected Pope on May 8, 2025. He took the name Leo XIV. The following is a reflection by Fr. Alain Lorans, SSPX.

Since then, “express biographies” have multiplied, with journalists writing books in three days to discuss the newly elected Pope while hoping for great editorial success. In reality, people are engaging in conjecture, surmising, and speculation.

For our part, we prefer to await the actions of the Sovereign Pontiff. This is not in a sterile wait-and-see attitude, but rather in prayerful expectation, as the liturgy invites us to do:

“O Lord, with suppliant humility we entreat Thee, that in Thy boundless mercy Thou wouldst grant the most holy Roman Church a pontiff, who, by his zeal for us, may be pleasing to Thee, and by his good government may ever be honored by Thy people for the glory of Thy name” (Collect of the Mass for the Election of a Pope).

Yes, let us pray to Our Lord that “we may rejoice in a pontiff pleasing to Thy majesty, and presiding over the government of holy mother Church” (Secret).

Let us urge God to “grant us a pontiff who shall instruct Thy people by his virtues and fill the souls of the faithful with spiritual fragrance” (Postcommunion).

This is the wisdom of the traditional liturgy, which stands far above conjecture, supposition, and other sorts of speculation.

And when the acts of the new Pope come, it is this wisdom that will guide our judgment with complete certainty. We will look for a pontiff “who shall instruct Thy people by his virtues and fill the souls of the faithful with spiritual fragrance.”

It is in this higher light that we will be able to know supernaturally whether God has granted us a pope who “by his zeal for us, may be pleasing to Thee, and by his good government may ever be honored by Thy people for the glory of Thy name.”

(Source : NDC, n°213 – FSSPX.Actualités)

Seems like a reasonable approach.

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