Pope Leo XIV greets visitors and pilgrims from the popemobile while riding around St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican before his weekly general audience. Photo courtesy of Anadolu.
In his weekly general audience at Saint Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV reflected on liturgical reform, calling for progress to grow but with openness and respect to Church tradition.
The American pontiff made the appeal amid renewed tensions between the Vatican and traditionalist Catholics over the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. Leo defended Church reform as a legitimate process that adapts to current needs while remaining rooted in authentic tradition.
“Authentic renewal of the liturgy is acceptable and encouraged when the Church first engages in careful theological and pastoral study and then makes sure that any new forms adopted should in some way grow organically from forms already existing,” he enthused.
“In a particular way, I encourage everyone to respect the texts and norms of the liturgy with openness, humility, trust in God’s greatness and with sincere fidelity to ecclesial communion,” he addressed the crowd who attended the audience.
The 70-year-old Pope’s remarks came weeks after the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X announced plans to move forward with ordaining new bishops without papal approval, despite warnings from the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith that such an act would be schismatic and carry automatic excommunication for the members involved in performing and receiving the consecrations.
The Society, founded by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1970, has long opposed several teachings and reforms associated with Vatican II, particularly regarding the liturgy, ecumenism and religious liberty.
However, in a May 13 statement, the Dicastery warned that “this action will constitute ‘a schismatic act” and that “formal adherence to the schism constitutes a grave offense against God and entails the excommunication established by the law of the Church.”
In February, SSPX Superior General Fr. Davide Pagliarani, who resides at the society’s headquarters in Switzerland, met with the dicastery’s prefect Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, but the society later reaffirmed its intention to proceed with the consecrations.
Reacting to this, Pope Leo enthused that he is praying for “a liturgical renewal faithful to the authentic tradition” even as he cited that he believes this “may consolidate ecclesial communion and the full participation of the faithful.”
He repeatedly framed liturgical reform as part of the Church’s living tradition rather than a break from the past: “(The Church) “grows, matures, develops while safeguarding the integrity of doctrine.”
He also reiterated the council’s call to preserve “sound tradition” while remaining open to “legitimate progress.”
The pope asserted that changes within the liturgy had taken place throughout the Church’s history in order to help the faithful participate more fully in the Paschal mystery and to allow the Church’s worship to become embodied within different cultures throughout history.
“Today, this energy must be renewed in continuity with the authentic and living Catholic tradition, that is, in accordance with a dynamic aimed at introducing believers to the fullness of the truth,” he pointed out.
Citing Pope Benedict XVI, Leo underscored that tradition and progress should not be viewed as opposites even as he recalled Benedict’s image of tradition as “a river” that carries its source within itself while continuing to flow forward.
In ending his catechesis, the pope referenced the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, emphasizing that any reform within the Church must be approached carefully and with ecclesial authority.
“Reforms should only occur when the good of the Church genuinely and certainly requires them and after careful theological, historical and pastoral study.
“I therefore urge all those called to prepare the celebration of the divine mysteries, in particular priests who exercise the ministry of liturgical presidency, to always uphold that respect for the texts and regulations of the liturgy which springs from an inner attitude of openness and trust in God, manifesting humility before His greatness and sincere fidelity to ecclesial communion,” he concluded.
