I was interested to hear Cardinal Arthur Roche's <a href="https://thecatholicherald.com/exclusive-interview-cardinal-roche-if-they-only-knew-that-most-days-i-celebrate-mass-in-latin/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">reflections in his recent <em>Catholic Herald</em> interview</mark></a> marking his Golden Jubilee, particularly his comments on the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) and its place in the Church today. While he expressed clear views on the reforms following the Second Vatican Council and the devotion of those who attend the TLM, I couldn't help but feel that his assessment missed some of the deeper reasons why many, especially younger Catholics, are drawn to this form of worship. Given the importance of the liturgy in shaping the faith of the laity, I believe his remarks deserve a closer and more considered examination.
<strong>Why he is wrong about the Liturgy</strong> <br><em><br>Cardinal Roche: "There is a much lower percentage of scriptural readings in the 1962 missal than there are in the new missal."</em><br><br>Having just completed the last lectures of my undergraduate degree, I can confidently say that death by-powerpoint lecturers did not leave me with a more complete understanding of my subject material and, if anything, these professors were left with emptier lecture theatres. Cramming in more content does not increase the volume of retained information and the exposure of the faithful to more scripture does not inexorably lead to a more complete understanding of it. The notion that an increased quantity of scripture readings is inherently beneficial is undermined by the exclusion, through liturgical reforms, of profound and impactful passages. <br><br>These passages often address challenging teachings of the Church, such as the call to penance and warnings of judgment. For instance, the removal of verses like 1 Corinthians 11:27-29, which admonishes believers that to receive the body and blood of Christ unworthily is to “eat and drink judgment” upon themselves, diminishes the gravity and depth of certain scriptural messages.<br><br>The Psalms are also a great source of meditation in the sacred mysteries and what Cardinal Roche in this interview omits is that the traditional divine office (in which all 150 psalms are prayed weekly) was also gutted. The traditional office was also more substantial in terms of scripture than the new office and contained many more readings each day. This would even increase on the occasion of a feast day, holy day, solemnity, etc., of which there were many more before these days were removed in the reforms (for example, the period of <em>Septuagesima</em>).<br><br>If greater exposure of the laity to scripture in the liturgy was necessary, why was it also necessary to reduce the volume of scripture in the Liturgy of the Hours which has historically been a critical means of scriptural mediation?<br><br>Additionally, the cardinal’s remark, "If they only knew that most days I celebrate Mass in Latin…" misses the point of traditionalist concerns, which are not fundamentally linguistic. Latin is indeed a treasured tradition of the Church but the reforms introduced in the Novus Ordo go far beyond language. Gregorian chant, for instance – which has pride of place in the Liturgy according to <em>Sacrosanctum Concilium</em> – was developed for Latin and is somewhat awkward to recite with vernacular substitutions. More importantly, the reforms were a fundamental restructuring of the public practices of the faith through innovation in the liturgy, configuration and exclusion of feast days, etc.<br><br>It is true, as Cardinal Roche acknowledges, that the liturgy is not a matter of individual preference – but that argument cuts both ways. If we are to treat the Liturgy as a precious inheritance, not as "a personal possession given by the Church" to be reshaped according to contemporary sensibilities, then the concerns of those who see value in the 1962 missal should not be dismissed so easily. <br><strong><br>Why he is wrong about the laity</strong>
<em>Cardinal Roche: "The numbers devoted to the Traditional Latin Mass are, in reality, quite small, but some of the groups are quite clamorous.”</em><br><br>Cardinal Roche’s characterisation ignores key realities. While it may be true that Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) attendees form a minority within the Church, their growth – particularly among young people – tells a different story. Unlike many Novus Ordo parishes, which face dwindling congregations and a shortage of priests requiring them to merge or share clergy across multiple dioceses, traditional parishes are often thriving. They are filled with young families, committed laypeople, and an increasing number of vocations. In France, for example, La Croix reported that nearly 20 per cent of new priestly ordinations in recent years have come from traditionalist communities, despite these communities making up only a fraction of the Church’s overall presence.<br><br>The restrictions imposed by post-Vatican II liturgical reforms and, more recently, <em>Traditionis Custodes</em>, have artificially constrained the TLM’s expansion rather than proving its irrelevance. Where the TLM is permitted, it flourishes. Given that access to it has been deliberately restricted, it can hardly be surprising that it remains a minority option. As the <em>CH's</em> interviewer rightly observed, many of those drawn to the traditional liturgy are young adults – those who represent the Church’s future. With these young families raising their children in the traditional rites, it is not unreasonable to suggest that the proportion of traditionalists would grow significantly if these restrictions were lifted. The traditionalist movement is also producing an outsized number of priestly and religious vocations. In Ireland, where seminaries have faced closures, including Galway’s, traditional priestly institutes continue to draw interest. Despite their small numbers, these communities are fostering a new generation of priests, monks and nuns, offering a stark contrast to the steep decline in mainstream vocations.<br><br>Furthermore, while Cardinal Roche dismisses some traditionalist groups as “clamorous", it is worth noting that clergy who express support for the TLM often face marginalisation. High-profile figures such as Cardinal Raymond Burke and Bishop Joseph Strickland have faced demotions or removal from their positions for their outspoken defence of tradition. Many other clergy remain silent out of fear of similar retribution. The real issue is not whether traditionalists are too loud, but rather why their voices are being suppressed. If the TLM were as insignificant as its critics claim, why is so much effort being made to silence it?<br><br><strong>Why he is wrong about priests</strong><br><em><br>Cardinal Roche: "What Pope Francis said in Traditionis Custodes is that it is not the norm. For very good reasons, the Church, through conciliar legislation, decided to move away from what had become an overly elaborate form of celebrating the Mass. When I was at school, I used to serve Mass, and the priest would say to me: 'Remember, boy, it’s 20 minutes, amice to amice.' What he meant was that as soon as he put the amice [liturgical vestment] around his neck, I was to start counting the minutes until he took it off at the end of Mass. If, by chance, he reached the last Gospel by 15 minutes, I had to pull the back of his chasuble. It was a sort of scruple, I suppose, but something very different from what people experience in the Extraordinary Form today.</em>"<br><br>Firstly, it’s a little confusing how the anecdote His Eminence uses of his school chaplain’s 20-minute Masses is meant to illustrate that the traditional form of the Mass had become “overly elaborate” prior to the Second Vatican Council reforms. Even for a Low Mass, a 20-minute celebration is remarkably fast and could hardly be described as “overly elaborate". It seems more reflective of a perfunctory approach to the liturgy rather than of the richness and solemnity that the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) can embody. This example might suggest that, in some cases, the ritual became a formal duty rather than an opportunity for deeply reverent worship, but it does not capture the experience of those who genuinely appreciate the intricate beauty of the TLM.<br><br>Regardless of the length of the Mass – whether quick or prolonged – what strikes me most about the TLM is the meticulous devotion shown by its priests. Serving at these Masses has given me insight into the extraordinary care taken to adhere closely to the rubrics. It’s not simply a matter of performing a series of actions but a conscientious effort to preserve the integrity of a centuries-old form of worship that many believe powerfully expresses the mystery of the Eucharist.<br><br>The greatest privilege I had while serving was assisting a priest who, though not accustomed to celebrating the TLM, made every effort to perform it with due reverence. After each Mass, he encouraged me to provide a detailed debrief, pointing out anything that may have been done imperfectly. This humble desire to learn and improve – despite his already significant experience – reflected a deep respect for the Mass itself. His approach was not about scrupulosity for its own sake but an earnest attempt to offer the most fitting worship possible, and it is priests such as these that have consistently inspired my contemporaries to religious or secular vocations.<br><br>For those devoted to the TLM, such scrupulous attention is not perceived as rigidity but as a sign of reverence. Every gesture, word and movement has purpose and meaning, carrying forward a tradition that has nourished countless saints. To witness or assist a priest striving to celebrate the Mass in this manner is to see a genuine love for the liturgy – not as a private preference, but as a shared act of worship, deeply rooted in the life of the Church. Indeed, as the Cardinal remarks: "I have seen…a growing tendency for individuals to believe they can worship in whatever manner they choose, rather than within the context of the Church. We can only worship as a Church – there is no other way."<br><br>The unity of the Church so desired by Pope Francis in <em>Traditionis Custodes</em> is precisely found in the traditional liturgy because it is celebrated in continuity with the Church of the past and those clerics who have joined the Church Triumphant, as well as those in the Church Militant today.<br><br>Just as politicians must govern in the name of those dead, living and yet to be born, so the Church must worship in the context of the entire Church, unborn and dead included. The Traditional Latin Mass, for its adherents, serves as a tangible connection to this timeless communion – a profound way of worshipping in union with those who came before us and those yet to come.
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<em>Photo: High Mass being offered 'for the good estate of those who signed petitions in defence' of the Traditional Mass in Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane<em>, London, England, July 2024</em>. (Photo by John Aaron, courtesy the <a href="https://lms.org.uk/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">Latin Mass Society</mark></a>.</em>)
<em>Colmcille Carberry is a final-year undergraduate at Durham University and serves as vice-president of the University's Catholic Society.</em>
