French bishops discuss traditional Latin Mass
March 31, 2026
» Continue to this story on La Croix
CWN Editor's Note: French bishops spoke with the Catholic newspaper La Croix about the traditional Latin Mass after Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, encouraged them to develop “concrete proposals” to allow for the generous inclusion of persons attached to the extraordinary form.
“There is a shared willingness to truly get to the bottom of things,” said Bishop Olivier de Cagny of Évreux, who led a discussion of the topic at the French bishops’ recent meeting. “It is the first time I have heard so clearly that the subject must be addressed at a theological level, and not merely in a pastoral and emotional way.”
La Croix reported:
While the majority of the Assembly showed itself determined to tackle the subject head-on, several positions emerged: some, aligned with the Motu Proprio of Francis, expect the same firmness from Leo XIV; others are open to accommodations, but only under certain conditions—a common lectionary and liturgical calendar, the celebration of the other sacraments (baptism, marriage, confirmation…) according to the new rite (possibly in Latin), a return to episcopal responsibility within each diocese, and above all, an end to “exclusivism”—that is, the strict refusal to celebrate according to the new missal, which the bishops consider “unacceptable” (and contrary to the spirit of Benedict XVI’s Motu Proprio, which called for “mutual enrichment”).The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
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