By Nicole Winfield
The debate surrounding the traditional Latin Mass within the Catholic Church has intensified significantly in the early days of Pope Leo XIV鈥檚 pontificate.
It follows the alleged leak of Vatican documents that appear to contradict the rationale behind his predecessor Pope Francis鈥檚 restrictions on the ancient liturgy.
These documents reportedly indicate that a majority of Catholic bishops who participated in a 2020 Vatican survey expressed general satisfaction with the Latin Mass.
Crucially, they warned that imposing restrictions would “do more harm than good”.
The texts, originating from the Vatican鈥檚 doctrine office, were posted online on Tuesday by Vatican reporter Diane Montagna, who has closely followed the Latin Mass dispute.
Neither the Vatican spokesman nor the prefect of the doctrine office immediately responded to requests for comment or confirmation of the documents鈥 authenticity on Wednesday.
If verified, the leaked information could place considerable pressure on Pope Leo to address the liturgical divisions that became particularly pronounced during Pope Francis鈥檚 12-year papacy, especially within the United States.
Leo has consistently stated that his primary aim is to foster unity and reconciliation within the Church, and many conservatives and traditionalists view the Latin Mass controversy as an urgent matter requiring resolution.
In one of his most controversial acts, Francis in 2021 reversed Pope Benedict XVI鈥檚 signature liturgical legacy and restricted access for ordinary Catholics to the old Latin Mass. The ancient liturgy was celebrated around the world before the modernising reforms of the 1960s Second Vatican Council, which allowed Mass to be celebrated in the vernacular, with the priest facing the pews.
Francis said he was cracking down on the spread of the old liturgy because Benedict鈥檚 decision in 2007 to relax restrictions had become a source of division in the church.
Francis said at the time that he was responding to 鈥渢he wishes expressed鈥 by bishops around the world who had responded to the Vatican survey, as well as the Vatican doctrine office鈥檚 own opinion.
鈥淭he responses reveal a situation that preoccupies and saddens me, and persuades me of the need to intervene,鈥 Francis wrote at the time.
Benedict’s relaxation had been “exploited to widen the gaps, reinforce the divergences, and encourage disagreements that injure the church, block her path, and expose her to the peril of division鈥, he said.
The documents posted online, however, paint a different picture. They suggest that the majority of bishops who responded to the Vatican survey had a generally favourable view of Benedict鈥檚 reform and warned that suppressing or weakening it would lead traditionalist Catholics to leave the church and join schismatic groups. They warned any changes 鈥渨ould seriously damage the life of the church, as it would recreate the tensions that the document had helped to resolve鈥.
The documents include a five-page 鈥渙verall assessment鈥 of the survey findings, written by the Vatican鈥檚 doctrine office, as well as a seven-page compilation of quotes from individual bishops or bishops鈥 conferences.
The documents contain some negative and neutral opinions, and say some bishops considered Benedict鈥檚 reform 鈥渋nappropriate, disturbing鈥, dangerous and worthy of suppression.
But the Vatican’s own assessment said the majority of bishops who responded expressed satisfaction. It cited the rise in religious vocations in traditionalist communities and said young Catholics in particular were drawn to the 鈥渟acredness, seriousness and solemnity of the liturgy鈥.
It is not clear what other evidence, anecdotes or documentation informed Francis鈥檚 decision to reverse Benedict. But from the very start, Francis was frequently critical of traditionalist Catholics, whom he accused of being navel-gazing retrogrades out of touch with the evangelising mission of the church in the 21st century.
The new documents have comforted traditionalists who felt attacked and abandoned by Francis.
鈥淭he new revelations confirms that Pope Francis restricted the Traditional Mass at the request of only a minority of bishops, and against the advice of the dicastery in charge of the subject,鈥 Joseph Shaw, of the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales, said.
鈥淭he majority view of the bishops, that restricting the TLM would cause more harm than good, has sadly been proved correct.鈥
In an email, he said Leo should address the issue 鈥渦rgently鈥.