Vatican Signals More Accommodating Stance on Traditional Latin Mass Under Pope Leo XIV

The Holy See, under the leadership of Pope Leo XIV, is reportedly ready to grant broad exemptions to the strictures imposed by 'Traditionis Custodes', the apostolic letter that significantly restricted the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass. This development signals a potentially more generous approach from the Vatican regarding the ancient liturgy, a move that has garnered attention within the Catholic Church.

Background: 'Traditionis Custodes' and its Restrictions

The document 'Traditionis Custodes' ('Guardians of the Tradition') was issued by Pope Francis on July 16, 2021, as a 'motu proprio' (on his own initiative). It dramatically curtailed the use of the 1962 Roman Missal, often referred to as the Traditional Latin Mass or Tridentine Mass, reversing the broader permissions granted by his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, in 2007's 'Summorum Pontificum'.

Under 'Traditionis Custodes', diocesan bishops were required to seek authorization from the Holy See to permit priests ordained after July 16, 2021, to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass. The document also stipulated that celebrations generally could not take place in parochial churches, and the establishment of new personal parishes dedicated to the Traditional Latin Mass was prohibited. Furthermore, Pope Francis declared that the liturgical books promulgated after the Second Vatican Council were the 'unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite'. He cited concerns about the ideological use of the Latin Mass and a 'backwardness' ('indietrismo') as reasons for these restrictions.

Pope Leo XIV's More Generous Approach

Reports from the Vatican indicate that Pope Leo XIV, who was elected on May 8, 2025, is adopting a more accommodating stance. While he does not intend to revoke 'Traditionis Custodes' itself, he is prepared to grant widespread exemptions. This was conveyed by Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía, the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, during an address to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales on November 13, 2025.

The new approach involves granting renewable two-year dispensations to bishops who request them, allowing for the continued celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass. Pope Leo XIV is expected to instruct Cardinal Arthur Roche, Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, to be 'generous' in considering these requests.

Concrete examples of this shift have already emerged. In September 2025, Pope Leo XIV personally granted permission for Cardinal Raymond Burke to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on October 25, 2025, for an annual pilgrimage. Additionally, an exemption was granted to St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in the Diocese of San Angelo, Texas, on May 28, 2025, allowing the celebration of the 1962 Missal for a further two years.

Seeking Unity Amidst Differing Interpretations

Pope Leo XIV's stated goal for this approach is 'unity and reconciliation in the Church'. This move is seen by many Traditional Latin Mass supporters as a 'notable shift in practice' and a sign of a 'better atmosphere' in Rome, particularly after the previous pontificate where extensions to permissions were widely understood not to be granted.

However, some Vatican officials, such as Msgr. Enda Murphy of the Dicastery for Divine Worship, have characterized these exemptions as a 'restatement of the practice' that has been in place since 'Traditionis Custodes' came into force, emphasizing continuity rather than a complete policy reversal. Despite this official framing, the perception among traditionalist communities and some bishops is that the current pontificate is indeed signaling a more open and accommodating stance towards the Traditional Latin Mass.