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Lex Orandi and Ecclesial Rupture: A Brief Theological and Canonical Critique of Article 1 of Traditionis Custodes
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On 17 August, Leo XIV moved back to the Vatican after his summer break at Castel Gandolfo. This date also marked the first 100 days of his pontificate, which began on 8 May 2025.
Is this period, during which the Pope has not made any decisive appointments, international trips or major speeches, sufficient to predict the future course of his pontificate? Absolutely not. The Church’s time frames are not those of politics, and three months is insufficient for a serious analysis of the future.
The letter is astonishing: point by point, in three relentless pages, it dismantles the unjust actions of the Archbishop of Detroit against seminary professors whose only fault was being Catholic.
Images below:
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you!
I am sure many of you speak English, right? I am going to attempt to speak French counting on your good will!
I cordially greet His Excellency Monsignor Dominique Blanchet, and I welcome all of you, elected officials and civil leaders of the Diocese of Créteil, on pilgrimage to Rome.
For the background, see our two previous posts:
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Regina Magazine just released a lengthy documentary on the situation of the Latin Mass in the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina. We encourage you to watch it below and make it known:
Open Letter to Cardinal Arborelius in Response to the
Statements of 15 August 2025
Your Eminence,
Address to the national pilgrimage of altar servers of France
(August 25, 2025)
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you!
Dear Altar Servers, who have come from all over France, good morning!
I welcome you to Rome, and I am very happy to meet you, along with all those who have accompanied you: lay people, priests, and bishops, whom I warmly greet.
Good morning to all of you. Welcome to Rome and to the Vatican, and thank you for your patience.
I am pleased to greet you, members of the International Catholic Legislators Network. And I thank you for your visit, here to the Vatican and to Rome, during this Jubilee year, the Jubilee of Hope.
With the current speculation about whether, and when, the SSPX will consecrate new bishops, we can all agree on one thing: that they are needed.
LA
NUOVA BUSSOLA QUOTIDIANA
23
August 2025
Lorenza Formicola interviews Monsignor Athanasius Schneider.
Fake interview with the Pope causes a stir in Italy. Why is it so important?
by Gaetano Masciullo
The Dehonian Editions of Bologna, Italy, recently published a book that was immediately met with criticism and scandal, particularly within the Vatican Curia. Jesuit Antonio Spadaro, Undersecretary at the Dicastery for Culture and Education, is the author of the book Da Francesco a Leone (“From Francis to Leo”). As the title clearly suggests, the aim of the book is to demonstrate complete continuity in governance between Bergoglio and Prevost.
The FSSPX officially visits Rome. Bishop consecrations?
by Marcelo González, on X
On August 22, the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X will visit Rome on the occasion of the Holy Year. Priests, religious, and faithful from around the world will participate, so a large turnout is expected. This is not the first time that pilgrimages have been made, but it is the first time that the visit has been included, albeit partially, in the official calendar of the Holy See. Partially because it is mentioned only in the Italian-language calendar and not in the other six languages in which it is published.
As announced by him at the end of the General Audience today:
JUBILEE YEAR 2000, ROME: PROCESSION OF THE PRIESTLY
SOCIETY OF ST. PIUS X
FROM THE COMMENT SECTION ON ‘CHIESA E POST CONCILIO’ BLOG – 17-8-2025
This is the third of several analyses written for Rorate by our contributor Serre Verweij on Leo XIV's first year.
Series: The First Year of Leo XIV
III - Leo and the Radical Modernists
There were some rumours during the conclave that Prevost could be a candidate more radical than Parolin. So far, Pope Leo has acted completely the opposite. While extremists on both sides try to frame him as one who will consolidate ‘the revolution begun by Francis’ chances of this are decreasing by the day.
One hundred days as Pope
That is how long it has been since the beginning of Prevost's pontificate, which began under the banner of spirituality, verticality, normalization, and reconciliation. To the relief of some and the disappointment of others (which is also a good sign).
Text from St. Landry Now, with images also sent my a reader - the procession visited eight churches along the Bayou, in St. Landry Parish, deep in Acadian territory in Louisiana (Acadiana):
By James Baresel
A variety of scholars, thinkers and writers all along the spectrum opinion from the staunchest supporters of the Tridentine Mass to advocates of reforming the reform to those favoring preservation of the status quo to proponents of more radical changes frequently argue the same one point—that whatever they oppose is somehow “not liturgical.”
Just as The Dogma of the Immaculate Conception, proclaimed in 1854 by Pius IX, is connected to the Apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes in 1858, when She identified Herself to Bernadette by saying “I am the Immaculate Conception”, so another apparition is also connected to the proclamation of the Dogma of the Assumption.
This is the second of several analyses written for Rorate by our contributor Serre Verweij on Leo XIV's first year.
Series: The First Year of Leo XIV
II - LEO AND SYNODALITY
As Pope Leo XIV is approaching the 100 day mark of his pontificate (today is day 97), more and more decisions are coming out which appear indicative of the course of his papacy. Our new Pope is starting to address difficult dilemmas described in Leo XIV: The First 50 Days -- an Analysis.
In this article we outlined many of the challenges Pope Leo faces, quite a few of which are directly related to Francis’ multiyear synodal project plus other reforms and local projects connected to it. Whether to cancel the ecclesial assembly set for 2028 and the process leading up to it, how to deal with local synods in Italy and Ireland, whether to ensure an adequately orthodox African response to the problem of polygamy, and so on.
So far, Pope Leo appears to have alternated between either ensuring a return to orthodoxy behind the scenes, or punting on liberal reforms, not killing them, but leaving their conclusion uncertain. Key curial appointments by Pope Leo will give a more definitive indication of what shape his pontificate will take. Positive patterns do already seem to be slowly emerging, however.
The ecclesial assembly and the implementation of synodality
The Vatican was paying attention as Cardinal Burke pronounced the sermon in the Pontifical Mass celebrated by Archbishop Cordileone, of San Francisco, on August 5th in the shrine so carefully cherished by him, the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
“The beauty and solemnity of our worship is especially enhanced by the presence of the Most Reverent Salvatore J. Cordileone, archbishop of San Franciso who is offering the holy sacrifice of the Mass, and by the singing of the Mass of the Americas, the first composition commissioned by the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Worship.
Throughout the world, Catholics (and not a few non-Catholics) are mourning the loss of Bishop Peter J Elliott, retired Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne, Australia, who died on Wednesday, 6th August.
On Sunday, June 22, 2025, the Second Sunday after Pentecost, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Gabon, Major General of the National Gendarmerie, Ms. Brigitte Onkanowa, attended Holy Mass in the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Charlemagne the Emperor in Prague, commonly known to Praguers as Karlov. Since 2016, the church has been a diocesan rectory for celebrations in the traditional Roman rite. The minister was in our Republic on a business trip and expressly wanted to attend the traditional Latin “Tridentine” Mass on Sunday. It was clear that this was her personal preference, as the Catholic Church in her country attracts the faithful mainly because of its widespread celebration of traditional Masses. It turns out that Africans do not necessarily need liturgical dances to affirm their cultural identity, which are almost imposed on them by Europeans as something supposedly authentic that they should exhibit for us.
The recent case of the “Messa in Latino” blog gives us an opportunity to reflect on the religious freedom of Catholics in the world today. Since 2007, Messainlatino.it (MiL) has been one of the most popular and widely read Catholic blogs in the world. On July 11, 2025, with a simple unsigned email and without any warning, the blog was removed from Google's Blogger platform for alleged violation of the “hate speech policy.” MessainLatino defended itself tooth and nail against this abuse, raising awareness in the press, promoting two parliamentary questions in Rome and Strasbourg, and filing an urgent appeal with the Court of Imperia on July 17. At the end of the standoff, on July 23, the blog was restored by Google. MessainLatino thus won the battle, probably emerging stronger than before.
The Lord taketh chosen witnesses, and in their presence, revealeth His glory. That form of body which He had in common with other men, He so transfigured with light, that His Face did shine as the sun, and His raiment became exceeding white as snow. Of this metamorphosis the chief work was to remove from the hearts of the disciples the stumbling at the Cross. Before their eyes was unveiled the splendour of His hidden majesty, that the lowliness of His freely-chosen suffering might not confound their faith. But none the less was there here laid by the Providence of God a solid foundation for the hope of the Holy Church, whereby the whole body of Christ should know with what a change it is yet to be honoured. The members of that body whose Head hath already been transfigured in light may promise themselves a share in His glory.
This is the first of several analyses written for Rorate by our contributor Serre Verweij on Leo XIV's first year.
Series: The First Year of Leo XIV
I - LEO AND THE GERMANS
While we are waiting for Pope Leo XIV to tip his hand and release his first encyclical, and make his first curial appointments, both sides in the struggle between tradition and modernism keep trying to claim him. The attempts by progressives to claim the Pope as their secret candidate (after the fact) are looking increasingly desperate, however. Specifically, attempts by the German bishops stand out as highly dubious.