Rome & the World: most bishops understand Pope’s call on Latin Mass • ‘attack’ against BXVI denounced

Most bishops have "greeted [...] with open arms" the apostolic letter Traditionis Custodes, says Archbishop Arthur Roche. In an interview, the prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments addresses the current individualism, which he sees as a backdrop to the protests over the restrictions on the Latin Mass. "This is not the pope’s Mass, it’s not my Mass, it’s not your Mass. This is the Mass of the church," the British archbishop says. "When we go to Mass, even when the music perhaps isn’t something that we would personally choose [...] then we’ve got to realize that we are standing at the side of Christ on his cross," he adds, before emphasizing that Traditionis Custodes is "really a call to take the unity of the Church [...] very, very seriously."

America Magazine, English

Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), called in a virtual forum last week for Filipino citizens to " vote according to their conscience in the general elections in May." He said people have a "tendency to support the probable winner, the candidate considered stronger, rather than voting according to their conscience.”

Bishop David finds “this tendency is extremely worrying" and said "there is an urgent need for Filipino citizens to stand up for truth, honesty and transparency." While Filipinos tend to vote for candidates "based on the likely winner, we have failed in terms of forming a moral conscience among Catholics," the Prelate added.

Fides, English

The Armenian Apostolic Patriarch of Constantinople, Sahag Mashalyan, supports the process to decrease tensions and normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia, reports the Vatican agency Fides. The head of the Armenian community in Turkey wished that the two communities get to know each other and collaborate. The first Turkish-Armenian bilateral meeting to concretize the improving relations took place on January 14 in Moscow - with Russia acting as a mediator between Yerevan and Ankara. As negotiations continue without preconditions, observers say they are optimistic that the border between the two countries will reopen. 

Fides, French

For Bishop Massimo Camisasca, bishop emeritus of Reggio Emilia, the accusations in the Munich Report are "a move against Ratzinger," which comes "from within the Church." The investigation brought to light in the report calls into question the management of the case of a pedophile priest when the Pope Emeritus was Archbishop of Munich.

Bishop Camisasca denounced the "attack" against Pope Benedict XVI, saying it came from liberal factions that "have never accepted" his pontificate. It was Cardinal Ratzinger, in fact, who first "underlined the seriousness" of crimes of sexual abuse and took measures, Bishop Camisasca noted. He also mentioned that the commissions of inquiry on the abuses mandated by the French and German bishops, far from being "independent," are composed of certain members with an "anti-Catholic prejudice."

Corriere della Sera, Italian

The cardinal-patriarch of Lisbon, Manuel Clemente, said in a homily on January 22 that the upcoming World Youth Day (WYD) in 2023 is an opportunity for the Church to revive a "multitude of youth from various continents" after the "pandemic depression.” He added that the preparation for this event is an opportunity for the Church and city to find themselves “in the great service” that the WYD will be. The Mass was celebrating the feast of Saint Vincent of Saragossa, martyr and patron saint of Lisbon. Referencing the arrival of the relics of Saint Vincent to Lisbon in the 12th century, Cardinal Clemente said “we will reach a good port” with the celebration of the World Youth Day in 2023. 

Agencia Ecclesia, Portuguese