The semi-official daily newspaper of the French bishops, La Croix, had news on this startling development yesterday: the greatest Traditional pilgrimage in the world (and largest Catholic pilgrimage in France) under threat.
From our friends at French blog Le Salon Beige:
The Vatican may ban the celebration of the traditional Mass at the Chartres pilgrimage. According to information gathered by La Croix:
“…the dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments considers that this annual gathering raises questions of conformity with the rules in force on the Mass in the ancient rite. And would indeed consider banning certain celebrations.”
British Cardinal Arthur Roche, author of the texts restricting the celebration of the traditional Mass, believes that the organizers of Notre-Dame de Chrétienté did not respect the norms. As a diocesan priest recently wrote on X, liturgical norms were not respected for the installation of the new altar at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. But these norms can be flouted without the prefect of the dicastery for divine worship and the discipline of the sacraments reacting:
"The closing mass in Chartres cathedral is a lawless zone. The question of banning this mass seems to be on the table."
Jean de Tauriers, president of Notre-Dame de Chrétinté [Rorate note: the organizers of the Pilgrimage], interviewed in La Croix, expresses his "befuddlement" and says he feels "overwhelmed" by the "bureaucracy.” He regrets a potential limitation that could "be difficult to explain" to future participants.
The bishop of Chartres, Mgr Philippe Christory, refuses to make a decision and puts the responsibility back on Rome:
"If anyone should decide anything, it's the Pope".
In Paris, Mgr Ulrich did not wait for a decision from Rome. He has already indicated that the traditional mass will not be celebrated in the restored cathedral. At the risk of letting the organizers celebrate mass in front of the cathedral's closed doors? A return to the origins of pilgrimage...
And Notre-Dame de Chrétienté knows how to organize open-air masses. Jean de Tauriers says he's not worried:
"This pilgrimage began outside the cathedrals. Maybe that will be the case in 2025 - that would be sad, but it won't stop us and it won't limit our enthusiasm or our numbers."
