Three months ago, a bizarre note from the Secretariat of State prohibited private masses in all altars of the Vatican Basilica and limited the Traditional Mass to one altar in the crypt -- Rorate was the first page to report on it. The note was not published, but posted in the basilica sacristy.
Today, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the new Cardinal-Archpriest in charge of Saint Peter's Basilica (who, all sources informed us, was caught completely unaware by the decree) published a clarification note trying to somewhat fix the situation. This time, the note (here in Italian) was signed and published in the Bollettino of the Holy See.
It is a long note, but the main points are the following: while the prohibitions are somewhat held, they are limited to the 7-9 am period, in which there are more masses; even during this time of the day, care should be taken to welcome all kinds of groups of pilgrims, in view of the Basilica being the essential focus of "unity" in the Church; private masses can also be allowed, in specific cases, when a "concelebration" is not going on at the same time, after being "the object of discernment"...
But, most important for the Traditional Latin Mass, the Cardinal states the following:
"-for the celebrations with the 1962 Missale Romanum, all must be made possible to fulfill the wish of the faithful and priests, as foreseen in the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum."
We will see how this clarification note will play out exactly and in practice in the upcoming weeks: we will keep you informed.
