Roundup of Major Reactions to Traditionis Custodes

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Reactions to the motu proprio Apostolic Letter Traditionis Custodes of July 16, 2021 continue to pour out, from every side and on many aspects of the document and its accompanying letter. I think it is fair to say that nearly all who have written on it, from any place on the spectrum, have expressed feelings that range from regretful dismay to intense abhorrence. It has, in fact, been a unifying moment for all but the most extreme papal apologists.

It will be difficult to catch all of the articles that ought to be listed, but I shall give it a try, in the hopes that this aggregation will be of benefit to NLM readers. Some comments have been appended to certain articles. I have omitted articles that are little more than repetitions of the content of the documents, with no notable commentary. I have also not attempted to put the articles in exact time-stamp order, but simply grouped them by date. To place some limit on the list, I have only included English-language sources. Please feel free to add missing article titles and links in the comments.

It should go without saying that neither NLM nor I necessarily agrees with everything stated in these articles.

FRIDAY, JULY 16

Edward Pentin, “Latin Mass Supporters React With Dismay to Pope’s Severe New Restrictions” (National Catholic Register) [includes comments from Cardinal Burke]

Fr. Pierre Laliberté, J.C.L. [pen name], “Legal Considerations on the motu proprio Traditionis Custodes—Restrictions demand strict interpretation” (Rorate Caeli)

Dorothy Cummings McLean, “‘Scandal,’ ‘bomb,’ ‘cruelty’: Tradition-loving Catholics react to Pope’s Latin Mass restrictions” (LifeSiteNews)

Rod Dreher, “‘Et Tu, Francisce?’” (The American Conservative)

Christopher R. Altieri, “Traditionis custodes: Best, worst, and middle case scenarios in the short term” (Catholic World Report)

Father Raymond J. de Souza, “Pope Francis’ Traditionis Custodes: Five Consequences of the New Motu Proprio Curtailing the Latin Mass”

Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, “First reactions to Traditionis custodes” (Fr. Z’s Blog)

Idem, “I urge everyone to think carefully about how to approach your local bishops” (Fr. Z’s Blog)

Amy Wellborn, “Traditionis Custodes” (Charlotte Was Both) [This one wins the prize for the most succinct analysis of the hypocrisy of the motu proprio.]

Anonymous, “Pope Francis restricts celebration of traditional Latin Mass [News/analysis]” (Catholic Culture). [This has the fingerprints of Phil Lawler,  but I could be mistaken.]

Steve Skojec, “Crippled Religion Strikes Again—And Summorum Pontificum Gets the Axe” (OnePeterFive)

Sam Guzman, “You Cannot Kill Tradition” (The Catholic Gentleman)

New Catholic, “The Attack of Hatred and Vengeance Against the Latin Mass Should be Ignored” (Rorate Caeli)

Anonymous, “Francis Destroys Summorum Pontificum; or, Obedience, Weapon of the Cleverest” (Whispers of Restoration)

Fr John Hunwicke, “Traditionis Custodes” (Fr Hunwicke’s Mutual Enrichment)

Fr Hugh Somerville Knapman, OSB, “Traditionis Custodes: a New World of Hurt” and “Traditionis Custodes: A Few Questions” (One Foot in the Cloister)

Alan Jacobs, “Asymmetrical Charity” (Snakes and Ladders) [A non-Catholic looks at the motu proprio.]

Eric Sammons, “Traditionis Custodes: Serpents over Fish” (Crisis Magazine)

Michael Matt, “We Resist Francis to His Face: Pachamama Pope Anathematizes Latin Mass” (The Remnant)

Peter Kwasniewski, “Traditionis Custodes: The New Atom Bomb” (The Remnant)

Joseph Shaw, “Some Comments on the Apostolic Letter Traditionis Custodes” (LMS Chairman’s Blog)

Stuart Chessman, “Traditionis Custodes” (The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny).

Shawn Tribe, Comments at Facebook group Defense of the Immemorial Roman Rite: Traditionis Custodes vs. Summorum Pontificum [1, 2; I thought there was another lengthy comment but I can’t locate it anymore]

D.H. Price, “The funniest part is the title” (Dyspeptic Mutterings)

Adam A.J. DeVille, “A papacy big enough to fulfill your wishes can also destroy them” (Catholic World Report).

Fr. David Nix, “As If the Bride of the Lamb Could Have Two Voices” (Pilgrim Priest).

Brian Holdsworth, “Francis Sidelines the Latin Mass” [video].

Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB, “An Appeal for Liturgical Peace” (PrayTell) [Even one of the head progressives cannot bring himself to gloat over the heavy-handedness of TC]

Dave Armstrong, “Pope Francis’ Traditionis Custodes Is for the Sake of Unity” (Biblical Evidence for Catholicism). [Defends Francis and approves of his motives.]

Zac Davis, “I once fell in love with the Latin Mass—which is why I understand why Pope Francis restricted it” (America). [Interesting psychological study of a young person who has turned against the Latin Mass; he seems to equate its attractiveness with “smells and bells.”]

James T. Keane, “Explainer: What is the history of the Latin Mass?” (America). [A perfect exhibit of half-truths, half-digested, which continue to malform the understanding of the reading public.]

Robert Mickens, “Pope Francis announces a requiem for the Old Latin Mass” (La Croix International).

Simon Rafe, “Get Interrupted” (ChurchMilitant). [This is, quite simply, the most naïve and knuckle-headed article I’ve ever read. It’s as if the author has not been around for any of the past fifty years. But it is instructive of a certain kneejerk papalism and thus instructive.]

Mike Lewis, “Abrogated” (WherePeterIs). [Gloats over decision.]

Adam Rasmussen, “Traditionis Custodes: The Council and the Roman Rite” (WherePeterIs). [Shows the extent to which myths beget further myths.]

Michael Sean Winters, “On the Latin Mass, Pope Francis pulls off the Band-Aid” (National Catholic Reporter). [Just as bad as you’d expect, but amusing in its own way.]

Dwight Longenecker, “The Pope’s Motu Proprio: What Next?” (Standing on My Head). [Fundamentally agrees with the pope’s decision and wants to leverage it for the ROTR.]