Cardinal Burke's solemn Mass at the Chair of Peter
Roberto de Mattei
Corrispondenza Romana
October 28, 2025
The event has an importance—even symbolic—far greater than one might imagine today; and its memory deserves to be handed down to the reflection of tomorrow's historians.
It was around 2:30 p.m. when the singing of the Creed echoed under the majestic vaults of St. Peter's Basilica, intoned with powerful voices by a procession of over two hundred priests, advancing slowly, followed by thousands of faithful participating in the 14th International Pilgrimage Ad Petri Sedem.
(Cardinal Burke in St. Peter's, at the main evening news broadcast in Italy, TG1)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
It is the source of deepest joy for me to offer the Pontifical Mass at the Altar of the Chair of Saint Peter as the culmination of the Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage of 2025. In the name of all present, I express heartfelt gratitude to those who have labored so diligently and well to make possible the Pilgrimage. I am offering the Holy Mass for the faithful in the Church throughout the world, who labor to safeguard and promote the beauty of the Usus Antiquior of the Roman Rite. May today’s offering of the Pontifical Mass encourage and strengthen us all in love of our Eucharistic Lord Who, through Apostolic Tradition and with unfailing and immeasurable love for us, renews sacramentally His Sacrifice on Calvary and nourishes us with the incomparable fruit of His Sacrifice: the Heavenly Food of His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.
Many faithful – laity, ordained and consecrated – have expressed to me the profound distress which the Motu Proprio «Traditionis Custodes» has brought them. Those who are attached to the Usus Antiquior (More Ancient Usage) [UA], what Pope Benedict XVI called the Extraordinary Form, of the Roman Rite are deeply disheartened by the severity of the discipline which the Motu Proprio imposes and offended by the language it employs to describe them, their attitudes and their conduct. As a member of the faithful, who also has an intense bond with the UA, I fully share in their sentiments of profound sorrow.
As a Bishop of the Church and as a Cardinal, in communion with the Roman Pontiff and with a particular responsibility to assist him in his pastoral care and governance of the universal Church, I offer the following observations:
1. In a preliminary way, it must be asked why the Latin or official text of the Motu Proprio has not yet been published. As far as I know, the Holy See promulgated the text in Italian and English versions, and, afterwards, in German and Spanish translations. Since the English version is called a translation, it must be assumed that the original text is in Italian. If such be the case, there are translations of significant texts in the English version which are not coherent with the Italian version. In Article 1, the important Italian adjective, “unica”, is translated into English as “unique”, instead of “only.” In Article 4, the important Italian verb, “devono”, is translated into English as “should”, instead of “must.”
Such declarations generate great bewilderment and cause confusion and error among Catholic faithful, inasmuch as they are contrary to the teaching of Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, and of the recent Magisterium by which the Church guards, protects and interprets the whole deposit of faith contained in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. They cause wonderment and error regarding the Church’s teaching among people of good will, who sincerely wish to know what the Catholic Church teaches. They impose upon pastors of souls the duty of conscience to make fitting and necessary clarifications.
First of all, the context and the occasion of such declarations make them devoid of any magisterial weight. They are rightly interpreted as simple private opinions of the person who made them. These declarations do not bind, in any manner, the consciences of the faithful who are rather obliged to adhere with religious submission to what Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, and the ordinary Magisterium of the Church teach on the matter in question. In particular, the following are to be noted.
We are very excited to be able to announce this conference, which is being held under the auspices of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter and Una Voce Mexico. It promises to be a very rich cultural and spiritual experience:
Behold the
Church of bridges and mercy, open and outreaching! Cardinal Burke is forced to annul
a Mass in Ostuni: the parish priest had demanded
the celebration be held behind closed doors as his arrival in Brindisi
displeased the high levels of the diocese. The newspapers attacked him as an enemy of the
Pope. The Bishop of Ostuni however, will tomorrow meet with the Waldensians in
church to talk about immigration.
Here we see the Church of mercy, the Church of open ports and the Church of out-reach.So open,
so merciful and so out-reaching, that clandestine Masses are reserved for
troublesome Cardinals. It is happening in
Ostuni, Puglia as in China, where, according to the Vatican Chancellor,
Sorondo, the Social Doctrine of the
Church is applied.
The latest
Brindisian newspapers present us with a very disturbing sign concerning
Cardinal Leo Burke, who was politely shown the door in that sordid and humiliating
way only the prevailing clericalism is capable of. “The conservative Cardinal is not welcomed by the priests”, were yesterday’s headlines in the Quotidiano di Puglia:Annulled the American high-prelate’s Mass
scheduled in the Cathedral. The parish-priests had expressed embarrassment after
his position against Pope Francis.
Note: The following report is from a reader, however we can report ourselves that we hear tradition, and the Mass, are rising in Slovakia. Be sure to look at all of the amazing photos in the link and a video of the full Mass below.
Card. Burke visited Trnava, a city in Western Slovakia, between November 15 and 18, 2019 during the famous Trnava novena in honor of a miraculous image of Our Lady venerated in the Basilica of St. Nicholas. The picture wept blood in 1663 when Trnava was threatened by the Turks, and again in
1710 when Our Lady saved the city from the plague.
We are very pleased to announce two very special things happening on this upcoming weekend at the magnificent Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin:
In our time the Church is experiencing one of the greatest spiritual epidemics, that is, an almost universal doctrinal confusion and disorientation, which is a seriously contagious danger for spiritual health and eternal salvation for many souls. At the same time one has to recognize a widespread lethargy in the exercise of the Magisterium on different levels of the Church’s hierarchy in our days. This is largely caused by the non-compliance with the Apostolic duty - as stated also by the Second Vatican Council - to “vigilantly ward off any errors that threaten the flock” (Lumen gentium, 25).
Our time is characterized by an acute spiritual hunger of the Catholic faithful all over the world for a reaffirmation of those truths that are obfuscated, undermined, and denied by some of the most dangerous errors of our time. The faithful who are suffering this spiritual hunger feel themselves abandoned and thus find themselves in a kind of existential periphery. Such a situation urgently demands a concrete remedy. A public declaration of the truths regarding these errors cannot admit a further deferral. Hence we are mindful of the following timeless words of Pope Saint Gregory the Great: “Our tongue may not be slack to exhort, and having undertaken the office of bishops, our silence may not prove our condemnation at the tribunal of the just Judge. (…) The people committed to our care abandon God, and we are silent. They live in sin, and we do not stretch out a hand to correct.” (In Ev. hom. 17: 3. 14)
His Eminence Raymond Cardinal Burke will be giving a lecture on the indissolubility of marriage on April 27th at 6 P.M. in the Malá Scéna Theater in Bratislava, Slovakia (Dostojevskeho rad 7), as part of the Bratislavské Hanusove Dni. The lecture will be held in English, with a simultaneous translation into Slovak. The Italian philosopher and defender of Amoris Laetitia, Rocco Buttiglione will also be speaking at this year’s Bratislavské Hanusove Dni.
On the Feast of the Epiphany, Saturday 6 January 2018 at 11 a.m., His Eminence the Most Reverend Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke will celebrate a Pontifical Mass at the Parish of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) in Rome, Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini.
In 2015 the Dialogos Institute held an important conference in Norcia, Italy on the interpretation of the controversial Declaration of the Second Vatican Council on Religious Liberty Dignitatis Humanae Rorate Caeli reported at the time (here and here). Now the Dialogos Institute has published a volume containing the interventions held at the conference.
We always like good news! From our friends in the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin:
* Cardinal Burke will be celebrating his second Pontifical High Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 10. See the image below for more information.
* The city of La Crosse is gaining a weekly Sunday Latin Mass. It will be at 11:00 AM at St. James the Less Catholic Church. The first Mass will be on December 3, the First Sunday of Advent. Masses will be Missae Cantatae.
Consecrated on May 9, 549 (yes, A.D. 549, no number missing) by Bishop Maximian, in a Ravenna that was the most important Italian outpost of the Roman Empire led by Justinian, the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe is one of the most important and truly beautiful religious buildings in the world.
Cardinal Burke was included among the members of the highest regular court of the Vatican, the Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, in a surprise move by Pope Francis made public today. Others also named today were Cardinals Vallini and Menichelli, and Archbishops Frans Daneels and Hendriks.
Why would the Pope appoint Burke as a minor member with an almost advisory role to the same Court from which he had been summarily dismissed by Francis himself from the position of Prefect (President, Chief Judge) just three years ago? The same Burke absolutely humiliated in his position as Prelate to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta?
It is a classic move. Not of Catholicity, but of Italian power politics.
Congratulations are in order both to the Cardinal and, in particular, to His Holiness. Molto bene, Santità!... Magnifico!
"Startup Na Maxa/Start Up With Max" is an initiative aimed at making St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe the patron saint of start-ups and entrepreneurs. Fr. Kolbe was a man whose resourcefulness and perseverance should be a model for all contemporary business people. Even in most difficult circumstances, he showed how important determination, pro-activity, enthusiasm and vision of future handlings are. Therefore it is our desire that entrepreneurs turn to St. Maximilian to invoke his intercession.
We associate St. Maximilian Kolbe mainly with his stripped garment and his death as a martyr. But he was also an outstanding businessman who created from scratch some buoyant institutions. We can truly try to imitate him -- he was a man who in his life took all opportunities that were available to him.
The initiative "Start Up With Max", together with the Conservative Business Network, is organizing November 12-16 in Rome a retreat for entrepreneurs, startuppers and managers.
It was not a coincidence that we chose Rome as a venue for this retreat. Rome was where St. Maximilian studied and it is was where he was also ordained a priest. Moreover, it was where the idea of Miles Immaculatae started -- a magazine that has been published until this day.
In the framework of the retreat, we will be visiting the most important places related to the youth of St. Maximilian. We will be reflecting upon his teaching during the Holy Mass, the Way of the Cross and the Holy Rosary. We invite you to deepen your faith by means of participation in our event.
A part of the retreat will be delivered by His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke.
For more information and for application please click here.
Not sure why, but this Fatima conference hasn't been publicized elsewhere that we can find. It looks like it will be quite hard-hitting in the prophetic interpretation of our current times:
The Chartres Pilgrimage, Fatima, the 10th Anniversary of the Motu proprio, the Dubia: an interview with Cardinal Burke
TV Libertés (Terres de Mission/Jean-Pierre Maugendre) via Infocatho (Marie Ordioni)
June 20, 2017
During his recent stay in France, Cardinal Burke gave an exclusive interview to TV Libertés. We have transcribed the main points:
***
The Cardinal was in France for the Chartres pilgrimage. He celebrated Mass at the close of the pilgrimage on Monday in Chartres Cathedral.
He stated that he was very impressed by his visit to the camp and his meeting with all those who put themselves at the service of the pilgrims. He recalled that pilgrimages, which existed even in the Old Testament, were undertaken in the early Church and practised by Christ Himself. He also underlined the importance of making pilgrimages even today, of leaving behind the circumstances of our everyday existence to go in prayer and penance to a holy place in order to rediscover the supernatural in our lives. The Chartres pilgrimage, which is centred on the Sacred Liturgy, the fullest and highest expression of our life in Christ, is becoming increasingly attractive and the number of participants is set to increase in the years to come.
Cardinal Burke will confer the Holy Order of Priesthood on six deacons of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest at their church of Saints Michael and Cajetan in Florence, Tuscany, Italy on July 6, 2017:
Rev. Deacon Scott SMITH
Rev. Deacon Bertrand SIGROS
Rev. Deacon Jean-Guillaume de la CROCHAIS
Rev. Deacon Jonathan FEHRENBACHER
Rev. Deacon Benoît BELIGNÉ
Rev. Deacon Christian MAHLBERG
There will also be eight deacons and five sub-deacons ordained on July 5th by the Most Reverend Guido Pozzo, Titular Archbishop of Bagnoregio and secretary of the Ecclesia Dei commission.
