Rorate Caeli

A TLM-friendly (and TLM-celebrating) Bishop for the diocese that gave us Corpus Christi

There is also good news from Belgium - in particular for that historic diocese of Liège, the diocese that gave the world the great Feast of Corpus Christi, whose bishops were once the princes of some of the most prosperous lands in the Low Countries: the new Bishop of Liège, Jean-Pierre Delville, named by Pope Francis on May 31, has been a supporter of Summorum Pontificum and has personally celebrated the Traditional Mass since July 2007.

Actually, he has not shied away from doing so since his nomination. From Belgicatho:

There are not many bishops or priests in Belgium willing to celebrate the liturgy from before the Council [Rorate note: the liturgy of the Council]. It just happens that the new bishop designated to succeed Bp. Jousten on the cathedra of Saint Lambert has done so this Saturday [yesterday] in [the church of] Saint-Sacrement, before a full church, and that on the very day following the one on which his nomination was made public.

It must be said that this presence had been foreseen for a long time in the context of the celebration of Corpus Christi scheduled for that church. But it should be added that Jean-Pierre Delville is a "recidivist", because he had already done so, in the same church, a few weeks ago, on the celebration of "Plainchant at Liège".

Belgicatho adds that that Delville, also considered very close to Sant'Egidio, is not exactly a "Summorum bishop", but a man open to being "all to all" (cf. I Corinthians, ix, 22) - and that is more than what can be expected from most: if only more bishops were this open to the celebration of the Traditional Mass. Most Traditional Catholics simply want openness and tolerance for their legitimate aspirations, bishops that are liberal not in their thoughts but in their hearts.

[Tip: reader]