ROME (AP) – A second Catholic cardinal questioned the legitimacy of a recent Vatican decree to restrict the celebration of the ancient Latin mass in St. Peter’s Basilica and to ban private masses in its side chapels.
The March 12 circular was written on letterhead paper from the Vatican Secretary of State and carried the initials of its No. 2, Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra.
He immediately raised questions, given the implication that it was an effort to limit the celebration of the Mass in Latin favored by traditionalist Catholics who expressed hostility to Pope Francis.
Francis, for his part, spoke contemptuously of these “restorationist” Catholics and made it clear that he prefers the modern liturgy celebrated in the vernacular and with priests turned to the congregation.
The decree restricts the celebration of the Latin Mass to a chapel in the caves under the basilica, between 7 am and 9 am daily.
It also “suppresses” private masses in the basilica. It was common for priests to celebrate Mass individually with only a handful of the faithful present on any of the many altars and side chapels of the basilica. The decree says that these masses must now be celebrated together at specific times.
The circular does not support the decisions, which come into force on Monday, unless they will ensure that the services “are carried out in a climate of recollection and liturgical decorum”
The Vatican press office did not respond to questions about the decree or the motivations behind it.
Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, retired chief of the doctrine of the Holy See, said that the Secretary of State has no legal or theological right to decide such liturgical issues in St. Peter’s Basilica. He called the decree “very strange” and said “no one is obliged to obey it”.
Mueller, a conservative German theologian, expressed disbelief in both the logic and the terminology used and said that both were intellectually disabled.
“Are the Holy Masses suppressed? It doesn’t sound very Catholic, ”he told US Catholic broadcaster EWTN on Thursday.
He noted that the availability of side altars has always been useful for priests based in Rome, who must celebrate Mass every day, and for priests and faithful visitors who might find it difficult to find a Mass in their native language.
His criticism came after Cardinal Raymond Burke, a former Vatican Supreme Court judge and another conservative, also questioned the legitimacy of the decree and asked for its termination.
“Rightly, someone asks by what authority the Secretariat of State issued directives that are contrary to the discipline of the universal Church,” Burke said in a blog on March 13.
Francisco dismissed Mueller and Burke at the beginning of his papacy, and both hold different liturgical and ideological positions than his.
The decree came during a moment of limbo because of Saint Peter and liturgical issues in the Vatican.
Francis recently appointed a new archpriest to the basilica after the retirement of Cardinal Angelo Comastri. The decree was issued between delivery.
In addition, Francis also recently accepted the resignation of the Vatican’s head of liturgy, Cardinal Robert Sarah, another conservative prelate who came into conflict with Francis. Francis recently ordered an investigation at Sarah’s office before naming his successor.