During his Wednesday General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, emphasizing that authentic liturgical renewal must remain firmly rooted in the Church’s living tradition while continuing to guide the faithful toward deeper participation in the Gospel.
According to Vatican News, the Holy Father continued his catechesis series on the documents of the Second Vatican Council by focusing on Sacrosanctum Concilium, the 1963 constitution that introduced major liturgical reforms, including the use of vernacular languages in the Mass and encouraging greater participation by the faithful.
The Pope stressed that the Church’s liturgy has long served as “a driving force for evangelization,” adding that “Today, this energy must be renewed in continuity with the authentic and living Catholic tradition, that is, in accordance with a dynamic aimed at introducing believers to the fullness of the truth,” according to Vatican News.
Addressing priests directly, Pope Leo XIV urged those who celebrate the sacred liturgy to remain faithful to the Church’s liturgical norms and texts. He said priests should “always uphold that respect for the texts and regulations of the liturgy which springs from an inner attitude of openness and trust in God, manifesting humility before His greatness and sincere fidelity to ecclesial communion,” according to the report.
The Holy Father also reflected on the relationship between liturgical renewal and the broader renewal of the Church. Citing Pope Pius XII, he described the Church as “a living organism” that grows and adapts while remaining faithful to its mission.
Pope Leo explained that the Second Vatican Council recognized the need to renew liturgical forms so as to “impart an ever increasing vigour to the Christian life of the faithful,” especially during a time when the Church saw a growing desire for spiritual renewal.
Referencing Pope John Paul II, Pope Leo noted that “a very close and organic bond exists between the renewal of the liturgy and the renewal of the whole life of the Church.” He added that the Church “lives by the liturgy and draws from the liturgy the strength for her life.”
The Pope also addressed misunderstandings that sometimes arise when discussing tradition and reform. Quoting Pope Benedict XVI, he said “tradition and progress are often clumsily opposed,” while in reality “the two concepts merge.”
“The Council affirms the legitimacy of this progress, rooted in authentic Tradition,” Pope Leo said, while distinguishing between “immutable elements, divinely instituted” and aspects of liturgical practice that may develop over time.
He emphasized that throughout history, the Church’s worship has adapted to different cultures and eras in order to help the faithful enter more deeply into “the Paschal Mystery of Christ,” which he described as the foundation of the Christian faith. According to Vatican News, the Pope said the Church’s worship has been “embodied” in the cultural forms of different ages and has helped transform those cultures through evangelization.
At the same time, Pope Leo XIV warned against unauthorized changes to the liturgy, noting that the Council Fathers insisted any reforms should grow organically from existing traditions and be preceded by careful “theological, historical and pastoral” study.
He cautioned against individuals making personal alterations to the liturgy, saying the Church discourages “anyone from adding, removing or altering anything in liturgical matters on their own initiative,” according to Vatican News.
Concluding his catechesis, Pope Leo XIV said true liturgical progress should strengthen, not weaken, the unity of the Church. “The progress evoked in the Conciliar Constitution in no way compromises ecclesial communion: rather, it seeks to confirm and foster it,” he said.
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