As cardinals convene in Rome this week for an extraordinary consistory called by Pope Leo XIV, a proposal circulating among members of the Sacred College has reignited debate over the future of the Traditional Latin Mass and its place within the life of the Church.
The proposal comes in the form of a memorandum written by French priest Father Louis-Marie de Blignières, founder of the Fraternity of St. Vincent Ferrier, and dated Dec. 24, 2025. According to Catholic News Agency, the document was sent to numerous cardinals in advance of the Jan. 7–8 consistory, where liturgical matters are expected to be discussed.
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In the memorandum, de Blignières explains that he is writing out of filial concern for Catholics attached to the ancient Latin rite who remain fully in communion with the Church. “Before the consistory, where liturgy will be on the agenda, I take the filial liberty of addressing this short memorandum to you,” he wrote, adding that his aim is to suggest “an ecclesial solution that could provide a stable framework for these faithful who are in full communion with the Catholic hierarchy and attached to the ancient Latin rite.”
At the heart of the proposal is the creation of a non-territorial ecclesiastical jurisdiction, such as a personal apostolic administration or ordinariate, specifically tasked with overseeing the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass according to the 1962 liturgical books. Rather than being confined to a geographical area, such a structure would unite priests and faithful attached to the older rite under a common authority wherever they reside.
According to the memorandum, this arrangement would function through what canon law describes as “cumulative jurisdiction,” similar to that exercised by military ordinariates. In practice, clergy and faithful would belong simultaneously to their local dioceses and to the new jurisdiction, allowing diocesan bishops to share pastoral responsibility rather than be excluded from it.
De Blignières argued that such a structure could ease tensions by entrusting liturgical oversight to bishops well versed in the traditional rites, while relieving diocesan ordinaries who may feel unprepared to manage them. For the faithful, he suggested, it would provide continuity and clarity in a period marked by uncertainty.
“For more than 60 years, this group has continued to exist and to grow, but it lacks the support of a juridical framework adapted to its legitimate needs,” de Blignières wrote. “The creation of dedicated ecclesiastical jurisdictions would move matters forward toward stability, peace, and unity.”
The proposal emerges against the backdrop of ongoing debate following Pope Francis’ 2021 motu proprio Traditionis Custodes, which restricted the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass and reversed the broader permissions granted under Summorum Pontificum in 2007. Since then, implementation has varied widely across dioceses, leading to differing pastoral outcomes.
According to Catholic News Agency, critics of the current situation argue that this uneven application has deepened divisions within the Church and contributed to instability, particularly in France and the United States, where traditionalist communities have either been accommodated or significantly curtailed depending on local episcopal decisions.
De Blignières emphasized that his proposal is not intended as a challenge to papal authority. Instead, he presented it as a constructive attempt to resolve what he described as a long-standing lack of a stable juridical solution for communities attached to the older rite since the postconciliar reforms.
The memorandum also recalls earlier efforts by the Holy See to address similar concerns, including the establishment of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei after the illicit episcopal consecrations carried out by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1988. While some canonical solutions have been implemented in specific cases, such as the Personal Apostolic Administration Saint John Mary Vianney in Brazil, comparable structures have not been adopted more broadly.
Reactions to the proposal have been mixed. Father Matthieu Raffray, superior of the European District of the Institute of the Good Shepherd, described the memorandum as a constructive contribution in comments reported by Catholic News Agency. He characterized it as an effort to move beyond what he called a “sterile” opposition by proposing an institutional solution capable of preserving ecclesial communion while recognizing the pastoral reality of traditional communities.
Others have expressed caution. Father Pierre Amar of the Diocese of Versailles warned that while a dedicated jurisdiction is “one solution,” it may not be “the best one,” expressing concern that it could isolate traditionalist Catholics rather than encourage mutual enrichment within diocesan life.
The memorandum was reportedly sent to a select group of cardinals with known interest in liturgical matters, though not directly to Pope Leo XIV. Its author presented it explicitly as a contribution to reflection ahead of the consistory rather than as a formal petition.
As the cardinals gather to discuss the Church’s liturgical life, the proposal highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing unity, pastoral care, and legitimate diversity within the Church’s worship, a question that continues to shape Catholic life in the postconciliar era.
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