Worst possible case scenario for Latin Mass. New document due for publication.
From rumours to facts: The document is coming!
On the feared date of 3 April, no new Roman document with further restrictions on the traditional liturgy has appeared. However, according to our source in Rome, this in no way means that no corresponding regulations will be issued. Perhaps Francis' hospitalisation upset the original timetable, perhaps there were last-minute changes - but the document, already rumoured since January, is now apparently ready and its publication can be expected in a few days, weeks at best.
The new document, which will probably not take the form of an Apostolic Constitution, is to be issued by the Superior Authority for Religious Orders and Spiritual Communities (formerly the Congregation for Religious Orders) and will deal primarily with the seminaries of the communities of traditional doctrine and liturgy. It will contain the statement that these seminaries and formation centres do not correspond "to the requirements of the present time, as recognised by the Second Vatican Council", either with regard to the theology taught in them or with regard to their didactic practices and disciplinary order, and therefore need to be comprehensively renewed.
The standards for reform are the practices of the diocesan and supra-diocesan seminaries and colleges established in the respective countries. As in the general seminaries, the focus of liturgical formation should be the "renewed liturgy of St. Pope Paul VI" as the "only Lex Orandi" of the Roman rite. What significance "historical forms of the Roman liturgy" can have in this context cannot be inferred from the information available here. The document attaches particular importance to the fact that major parts of the course of study should be completed at state universities which represent the current state of scholarship.
Until the courses of study, curricula and disciplinary regulations of the seminaries of the communities correspond to the new requirements, all further training is prohibited. The resumption of seminary operations requires special Roman authorisation. Lecturers or seminarians who do not agree with the ordered reorganisation of training are advised in barely coded words to apply for membership or study places with the Fraternity of Saint Pius X.
We will spare ourselves the attempt of a detailed commentary until the new document is officially available. There do not appear to be any major surprises from what we have already reported or suspected in our coverage of the developments in Frejus-Toulon or the research by Diane Montagna. But even the document expected this month need not be the last in the series of attempts by the Bergoglio pontificate to cut off the Church of the 21st century from its apostolic and Roman foundations.
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