Regarding the suppression of the Traditional Mass
The breaking news: New Vatican document tightens restrictions on traditional liturgy
In a document released December 18, the Congregation for Divine Worship (CDW) has tightened restrictions on the use of the traditional Latin Mass, and banned the use of traditional rituals for Confirmation and Ordination.
The CDW also rules: that a priest who celebrates Mass in the ordinary form on a weekday cannot also celebrate the traditional Mass on the same day; that a diocesan bishop requires Vatican approval before giving permission for a newly ordained priest to use the traditional rite; and that any celebration of the traditional Mass in an ordinary parish cannot be incorporated into regular parish schedule.
Pope Francis's restrictions are in direct opposition to the clear intent of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. These clarifications of Traditionis Custodes in this new document are a plain rejection of the latter's "mutual enrichment" and generous encouragement of what is, after all, the patrimony of the Church.
Our friend Fr. Mankowski SJ, who suddenly passed away last year, was as far as I know, a staunch supporter and practitioner of that avis rara, "the reverent Novus Ordo."
Phil and I were remembering recently that nevertheless, he used to call the Traditional Latin Mass "the seed corn."
Now just think about that. Let it sink in. As time goes on, I find this a prophetic characterization, and perhaps one that offers hope. I think he understood that death would come, at the end of what might be thought of as a "bad planting season." At the turn of the new one, the stores of the Church would have to yield up their hidden treasures for new growth to occur.