Latin Mass in Caen under siege from left-wing motivated agitation
In Caen, Catholics fight over a neighborhood Church
Residents of the Vaucelles neighborhood are contesting the use of the Saint-Michel church by a community of traditionalist Catholics, recognized by the Vatican.
Sitting on the steps leading to the Saint-Michel de Vaucelles church in Caen, customers of the nearby El Camino music bar sip beers or mojitos. They wait for the concert of "Gigots Bitume" or "No No Future et les Gravos" (No No Future and the Gravos), scheduled by café owners Pek and Momo. In the Gothic church with its 12th-century Romanesque bell tower, around ten worshippers are attending the daily Latin Mass celebrated according to the pre-Vatican II Tridentine rite by Father Nicolas Bonechi.
He is the chaplain of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, a traditionalist Catholic community founded in 1988, recognized by the Vatican, and present in the Saint-Michel church since May 2024. In Calvados, the Fraternity has, according to the diocese, approximately 120 members, including young couples, who attend Sunday Mass.
A neighborhood with a strong identity
Despite their close proximity, there are no clashes between the hipsters and the Catholics. These are residents, some of them elderly, of the Vaucelles area who feel dispossessed of their church. Especially since the neighborhood, dominated by the church, perched on a hill, has always displayed its unique character. In turn, designated as a leper quarter in the Middle Ages, then as a quarter for the needy (artisans, merchants), it later housed railway workers from the nearby train station. They have given way to a more affluent, and recently, more trendy, clientele who, between church and community center, participate in the life of the neighborhood.
"Since the Fraternity has been here, the bells no longer ring," laments a local resident. If this is indeed the case, this silence can be explained by compelling safety reasons: work is needed on the bell tower, listed since 1886. Overseen by the town hall, it could begin before the end of the year. The most serious criticism concerns the funeral ceremonies that families of the deceased cannot hold in the church. This was the case for Alain L., former president of the neighborhood residents, who, despite all his family's requests, was unable to be accompanied to the parish church. "His parish, his village," according to a friend of the deceased.
The relatives of a doctor who had lived in Vaucelles for 25 years faced the same situation. In both cases, the funeral had to be held in neighboring churches. Former deputy mayor from 2008 to 2014, Claudine Maguet, a resident of the neighborhood, reported two other similar situations: "We don't have the courage to complain when we've just lost a loved one. Why was the Fraternity given priority?"
This situation was denounced by the political group Citizens of Caen, which, along with three left-wing opposition elected officials, intervened on this point on the city council. According to Citizens of Caen, the Saint-Michel church has become the "private property" of the Fraternity. "Funerals at Saint-Michel have been held this week and there will be next week," replies Father Bonechi. He points out that the Fraternity was granted the church, owned by the city of Caen, by the Diocese of Bayeux and Lisieux (Calvados).
"Saint-Michel Church is not privatised"
Father Laurent Berthout, spokesperson for the Diocese of Bayeux and Lisieux, has recorded a funeral ceremony every week since January 2025, as well as the celebration of four weddings. "In 2017, an agreement was signed between the diocese and the Fraternité Saint-Pierre, which was granted the Church of Saint-Sauveur, in the city center of Caen. This church was closed in April 2024 for safety reasons. Saint-Michel Church has taken over. It is in no way privatized."
Nevertheless, the last quarter of 2024 may have been a difficult time for funeral ceremonies following the redrawing of the parish boundaries in Calvados, with Saint-Michel church now under the jurisdiction of Caen South. Other residents are complaining that the church, located on the pilgrimage route to Mont-Saint-Michel, is virtually permanently closed, even though, according to the Caen city council website, the building is supposed to be open to the public from 9am to 6.30pm. "I'm angry, it's been impossible to visit this church since the Tradis took it over", lamented a web user in a Google review last May.
"Not at all, the church is open in the late morning and afternoon. But it's true that there's no caretaker," replied chaplain Nicolas Bonechi. The Diocesan spokesman confirms that the opening and closing of the church was carried out by volunteers who have now ceased this task. "We are looking for new volunteers. However, the work planned in the bell tower could lead to the temporary closure of the church.
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