The ban on the Latin Mass pilgrimage “borders on hostility toward Catholics loyal to the Pope and orthodox in their faith, and has nothing to do with concern for unity in the Church or with operational difficulties in organizing liturgical celebrations in St. Peter’s Basilica.”
Bishop Eleganti: The Vatican is putting on a bad show
“So-called synodality has thus shown its true colors. It selects whom or what it includes.”
Editor’s note: The following is a guest commentary by Bishop Marian Eleganti OSB, former auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Chur.
(Per Mariam) — This year’s ban on access to St. Peter’s Basilica on October 24, 2026, for the tradition-minded “Ad Petri Sedem” pilgrims borders on hostility toward Catholics loyal to the Pope and orthodox in their faith, and has nothing to do with concern for unity in the Church or with operational difficulties in organizing liturgical celebrations in St. Peter’s Basilica.
The rites that exist within the Catholic Church demonstrate, through their peaceful coexistence with the Novus Ordo, that this is indeed possible. The Eastern Churches in full communion are even sui iuris (autonomous) particular Churches within the universal Catholic Church. No one views them as a threat to the unity of the Church. No one would deny them an altar or bar them from entering a Catholic church. No one except the Vatican, which denies access to conservative Catholics who are, incidentally, loyal to the Pope. The synodal hypocrisy (inclusivity) has thus been exposed for what it is. The “Ad Petri Sedem” pilgrims are not the FSSPX.
But we’ve known this for a long time: certain people are only inclusive as long as it serves their own goals. They ruthlessly and cold-bloodedly exclude alternative ways of thinking and different approaches to pastoral care and spirituality. That has been my consistent experience. We recognize the same pattern in politics as well.
Well, so-called synodality has thus shown its true colors. It selects whom or what it includes. “Todos, todos, todos” does not mean everyone, but only certain people.
We have been familiar with the efforts and postulates of so-called “reform Catholicism” since the 1970s. Its protagonists have come and gone in waves and often changed their attire, without ever abandoning their ever-same goals. The result is today’s synodality, which is not the synodality of yesterday – namely, tradition. It is becoming apparent that, in the end, this is a belated, Protestant-style structural reform and the rejection of Familiaris Consortio (1981) and Veritatis Splendor (1993). It is highly recognizable to converts from the Anglican Church.
