Artists and Leaders Rally to Preserve the Traditional Latin Mass

Amid rising concerns over potential restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass, a coalition of prominent Catholic and non-Catholic artists, activists, and leaders has united to petition Pope Francis to halt further limitations on this revered form of worship.

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Photo credit: Lennon Caranzo

Highlights

By Catholic Online (California Network)
7/17/2024 (1 month ago)

Published in Living Faith

Keywords: Traditional Latin Mass, Catholic artists, Pope Francis, cultural heritage, Latin liturgy, Catholic Church

Published on Monday and titled "An Open Letter from the Americas to Pope Francis," the letter praises the Latin Mass as a "magnificent achievement of civilization" and a vital "part of the common cultural heritage of humanity."

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, who had recently backed a similar letter in the U.K., endorsed this letter from the Americas and shared it on his social media accounts.

Notable signatories include Dana Gioia, former chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, who coordinated the letter through the Benedict XVI Institute; Frank La Rocca, composer of "Mass of the Americas"; David Conte, chair and professor of composition at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music; Larry Chapp, theologian and founder of Dorothy Day Workers Farm; Eduardo Verástegui, film producer and actor; Nina Shea, advocate for international religious freedom; and Andrew Sullivan, writer and author.

The letter respectfully requests that "no further restrictions be placed on the Traditional Latin Mass so that it may be preserved for the good of the Catholic Church and of the world."

Understanding the Latin Mass

The Latin Mass, officially known as the Mass of the 1962 Roman Missal, was standardized following the Council of Trent in the 16th century and is believed to have ancient origins.

While the Vatican has not issued a complete ban on the Latin liturgy, it has significantly restricted its use in recent years. In July 2021, Pope Francis issued the motu proprio Traditionis Custodes, imposing limitations on Latin Masses.

The letter's authors recognize the sanctity of the post-Vatican II Mass and are keen to distance themselves from more antagonistic Latin Mass supporters. The Catholic signatories explicitly affirm their continued "filial loyalty" to the pope.

Advocating for Cultural and Spiritual Heritage

The authors argue that restricting the Latin Mass would deprive future generations of a significant source of mystery, beauty, and sacred contemplation.

"We come to you with the humility and obedience but also the confidence of children, telling a loving father of our spiritual needs," the authors wrote. "All of us, believers and nonbelievers alike, recognize that this ancient liturgy, which inspired the work of Palestrina, Bach, and Beethoven and generations of great artists, is a magnificent achievement of civilization and part of the common cultural heritage of humanity. It is medicine for the soul, one antidote to the gross materialism of the postmodern age."

The Power of Beauty in Evangelization

In a July 8 commentary in the National Catholic Register, Archbishop Cordileone emphasized the role of the Latin Mass in evangelizing in a "de-Christianized age that is becoming increasingly inhospitable to any traditional sense of religion."

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He underscored the Second Vatican Council's teachings on reading the signs of the times, noting that "one sign staring at us right now in large block letters is: Beauty evangelizes."

"We live in an age when we need to leverage the power of beauty to touch minds, hearts, and souls, for beauty has the quality of an inescapably real experience, one that is not subject to argument ... In an age of anxiety and unreason, beauty is thus a largely untapped resource for reaching people, especially young people, with the Gospel message of hope," Cordileone wrote.

Nina Shea, in a statement to CNA, shared her decision to sign the letter, highlighting that the Latin Mass is "part of our cultural heritage." She recounted a memorable experience of attending a Latin Mass celebrated by Chinese Cardinal Ignatius Kung, which underscored the universal and unifying nature of the ancient liturgical language.

Shea emphasized the importance of learning about and preserving the Catholic Church's ancient traditions, noting, "Nothing is more central to that tradition than liturgical practice."