Looking back at Leo’s own ars celebrandi & style of liturgical governance for answers: The TLM & St. Peter’s

 Josh Mansfield  

In looking at her writings & talks, Sister Elena seems to fit the mold of a Leonine liturgical canditate, considering the Chicago-born Pope’s own liturgical aptness.

Father Jorge Millán of the Pope’s former Peruvian Diocese of Chiclayo, which the Holy Father will visit in November, told the Pillar’s Edgar Beltran in May 2025 that, as Bishop Prevost, “He was a very ‘say the black, do the red’ kind of priest. He always celebrated with the solemnity required by the liturgy, not more, not less. He was always properly vested,” with former Vicar General Fr. Bernardino Gil noting, “He’s a very smart, well-rounded man, and he always gave care to all aspects of the liturgy.”

Many have noted the Holy Father’s liturgical sensabilities as Pope, restoring the use of the mozetta & stole during his first apperance, bringing back his coat of arms embroidered on his fascia at Christmas last year, wearing the pontifical dalmatic for ordinations & canonizations, & frequently having to search for the crucifix to incense during Mass when it’s not centered.

The Pillar reported in August from sources inside the Vatican that, while the Pope respects the 76-year old Cardinal Arthur Roche, whose five year term as Divine Worship Prefect expired in May of this year, for his handling of German liturgical affairs, Leo plans to continue to grant broader permission for the Traditional Latin Mass. This was noted especially in messages to the French & British Episcopal Conferences by Cardinal Pietro Parolin & France Nuncio Archbishop Miguel Buendia respectively. “It’s not a liturgical issue, but an issue of communion. If you’re in communion with the Church, we should allow for reasonable accommodation for different charismas and styles, including those who are more traditional, and I think that’s the trend now,” the Pillar reported officials as saying.

While critics would be quick to point to the ever evolving story of the Ad Petri Sedam’s experiences this year as an example to the contrary, evidence suggests that, while it was made known in December after a private audience with Bishop Athanasius Schneider that the Pope was concerned about possible “instrumentalization” of last year’s Mass in St. Peter’s, the ultimate decision was made by the Secretariat of State, with communications being sent from the Substitute of the Secretariat, Archbishop Paolo Rudelli. If the decision came from Leo himself, it likely would have been communicated through the Prefecture of the Papal Household.

The other factors in this situation have to do with the nature of the long-expected departure of Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, O.F.M. Conv. as Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica after a tumultuous five years. Word of Gambetti’s eventual ouster had been penned since the summer of 2025, with steam picking up this past July when word began to emerge that he would be named Archbishop of Cheitti-Vasto. Incidentally, July was also when the orginizers of the annual TLM pilgrimage were told by Cardinal Gambetti that the decision was out of his hands & that they would now have to go through the Secretariat of State. During this time, no less than six rummored names of possible successors to Gambetti began to appear. These included Saint Mary Major Archpriest Cardinal Makrickas, Pro-Prefect for the New Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization Rino Fisichella, the current Papal Master of Ceremonies Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Bishop of Tortona & former Papal M.C. Guido Marini, & Bishop of Pavia Corrado Sanguineti. But, prior to all of those names being dropped, Edgar Beltran noted the first name on the list of consideration was the Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

That the switch in dealing directly with Cardinal Gambetti concerning the annual Pilgrimage to the Secretariat of State for the TLM organizations came right as the news of Cardinal Parolin, who reportedly lost the 2025 Conclave in large part due to the organizational efforts of the Erdo bloc, headed by American Cardinals Burke, Dolan, & DiNardo, possibly becoming Archpriest is not a point that should be discounted. Il Tempo reported in August that the Erdo bloc believed Parolin couldn’t be trusted & thus decided to move their votes to Cardinal Prevost en masse during Round 2 of voting.

The possibility of Parolin, through Archbishop Rudelli (who, while considered, “methodical, non-ideological, and profoundly intellectual”, is known to be close to Cardinal Parolin), denying the pilgrimage access for that reason should not be entirely discounted.

If anything, that scenerio takes the spotlight & pressure of the decision off of Pope Leo entirely.

Leo’s appointment of Gambetti’s sucessor, then, came as something of a shock when the news of the appointment of Divine Worship Secretary, Archbishop Vittorio Francesco Viola, O.F.M., as Archpriest of St. Peter’s was made. While it was widely known that Viola, considered the most ardent enforcer of the 2021 Motu Proprio, would not be appointed Prefect for Divine Worship, many thought he would be sent to replace the 78 year old Cardinal Marcello Semeraro as Prefect for the Causes of Saints. 

Ed Condon, in his analysis of the Viola moves, was quite pointed, saying, “the expectation around Rome regarding Viola was that he would either remain in post for the foreseeable future or, if he was someone Leo placed particular trust in, be promoted to lead a dicastery in due course. Neither has happened. Instead, by giving him the job at St. Peter’s, Leo seems to have moved Viola out of a position of genuine power and influence in the curia and into one with decidedly less reach, globally and around Rome.” 

But Ed notes that while Leo’s puzzling pick may be an odd choice to “turn the page” on Gambetti, that Viola has the reputation of being very competent in administrative matters. 

This could mean that the move to St. Peter’s might not have anything to do with Viola’s views on the Usus Antiquor, as Ed notes that the word in Rome was that Leo was prepared to move Makrickas to St. Peter’s & Viola to St. Mary Major.

However, the prevailing opinion is that the Lithuanian Archpriest of the Liberian Basilica turned down the transfer, after only being St. Mary Major Archpriest since July 2025 & serving two years prior as Codjutor cleaning up a major mess of the Basilica’s administration. To be asked to go clean up the mess of another Papal Basilica after only being in your post for one year is not something people would normally say yes to. This resulted in Viola getting St. Peter’s instead.

At the very least, the transfer formally moves Viola & his views on the TLM out of the Curia proper & out of more possible influence, even though he remains inside the Vatican Basilica itself.

The Franciscan Prelate’s opinion on the Tridentine Missal to one side, a final factor that has gone unmentioned by most, yet pointed out by both The Pillar & Andrea Gagliarduci, is that Viola himself celebrates the Mass with particular reverence, with Gagliarcuci outright describing his liturgies as “rigorous” & “impeccable” with The Catholic Traveler noting that Viola has often celebrated Mass ad orientem.

Bishop Guido Marini of Tortona (Left) embracing Archbishop Viola OFM (Right). Credit: C.P. San Marziano Tortona

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What the new Synod Secretariat appointment could signify

Appointing a well-known liturgist such as Sister Elena, with a particular focus on sacred music as Undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops may still be viewed, much like his other liturgical appointments, as an odd move on the part of the Holy Father.

Unless Leo has other plans up the slevee of his cassock.

Pope Leo has not taken any hard stance (or any stance) publicily about Traditionis Custodes, nor has Sister Elena. But, from what the Chicago Pontiff’s own actions have demonstrated, in addition to what is known about his insistance on correct liturgical attention in Peru, this latest move could signify a continued move towards tightening up abuses regarding the celebration of the Missal of Pope Paul VI.

That Sister Elena was not appointed to a position on the Dicastery for Divine Worship & the Discipline of the Sacraments (a Dicastery of which she is neither a member nor consultant), but instead the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, could indicate how Pope Leo intends to use the Synod in regards to bringing about unity among the bishops concerning the Sacred Liturgy moving forward. As Andrea Gagliarduci pointed out concerning the surprise of Viola’s Basilica appointment, it really demonstrates “that the problem isn’t simply interpreting the Pope with old categories. Rather, it’s believing those old categories still hold.”

This, then, becomes another move in how Pope Leo is beginning to shift his Curia into place, & in this case, pointing the Synod of Bishops in a new & very clear liturgical direction.

But in any case, it does not seem that Pope Leo wishes to follow Sister Nathalie Becquart & “sing a new Church into being”, but rather, with the appointment of Sister Elena Massimi, stear the barque of Peter towards “a true path of balence.”

More: https://x.com/walkinghymnal/status/2116358347708313716?s=46&t=IydJ-X8H6c0NM044nYKQ0w

NEWS “A path of balance has not been pursued”: What the appointment of an Italian Musical Liturgist as Undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops could signify

 

“We should ask ourselves whether all this hasn’t actually led to a secularization of the liturgy, distancing itself, without careful discernment, from what came before.”

JOSH MANSFIELD

15 HOURS AGO

On Friday, October 30th, Pope Leo XIV appointed Father Giacomo Costa, S.J. & Sister Elena Massimi, F.M.A. as Undersecretaries of the Synod of Bishops. With these double appointments, the Holy Father replaces Sister Nathalie Becquart as the remaining Synod Undersecretary while at the same time filling the spot he left vacant by his March 2026 appointment of the Spanish Augustinian Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, O.S.A. as Prefect for the Dicastery for the Service of Charity & Papal Almoner.

Photo by Tomasz Zielonka on Unsplash

At the time of this writing, no new assignment has been announced for Sister Becquart. Father Costa, S.J. has been known in the world of the Synod of Bishops for years, & generally considered a solid pair of hands. The Jesuit priest, who until today was a consultor to the Synod’s General Secretariat, served as special Secretary for the Synods on Youth in 2018 & on Syndodality from 2021 to 2024 respectively. He was also the front man for the Ecclesiastical Meeting on Amoris Laetitia earlier this month.

But the name of Sister Elena Massimi, while not known to many in the world of synoding, should at the very least be passively familiar & known to those who run in liturgical music circles. And, as such, is both an intriguing surprise of Leo & could be a possible indication of his next moves.

The author of several books on the post-conciliar liturgical reform, Sister Elena is a member of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, professing final vows in 2009. According to the Bollettino, she is currently a professor of liturgy at the Pontifical Salesian University & “was awarded a doctorate in sacred theology, with a liturgical-pastoral specialization [from] the ‘Santa Giustina’ Institute of Pastoral Liturgy in Padua, part of the Faculty of Theology at the Pontifical University of Saint Anselm in Rome.” She is also President of the Italian Association of Professors and Scholars of Liturgy, a post she was elected to in 2022.

 According to the press release by her Order at the time of her election as President of the APL, the purpose of the Association “is to promote, update, and qualify the study and teaching of the Liturgy in theological Faculties, in Religious Seminaries and Studentates or in other Institutes of Religious Sciences, according to the spirit of Sacrosanctum Concilium 16 and Optatam Totius 16 and the norms of the Ratio Studiorum for Seminaries. It also intends to collaborate, in its specific field, in the promotion of liturgical life in the Italian Church and favor the formation of the clergy in the liturgical field.”

More: https://x.com/walkinghymnal/status/2116358347708313716?s=46&t=IydJ-X8H6c0NM044nYKQ0w

BREAKING: In Peru, Pope Leo XIV defends the family, defends marriage as the union between one man and one woman, defends the rights of the unborn, and denounces gender ideology.

“Human life does not begin in a vacuum.”

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV

TO URUGUAY, ARGENTINA AND PERU
6–17 November 2026

MEETING ON THE CHALLENGES AND HOPES FOR THE FUTURE OF THE PERUVIAN PEOPLE

ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV

Square in front of the Cathedral (Lima)
Thursday, 12 November 2026

[Multimedia]

___________________________________

Dear brothers and sisters, my beloved Peruvian people, good morning!

Thank you for being here and welcoming me with open hearts, as your brother and companion on the journey. You make me feel at home. Thank you. During these days, I wish to walk among you as John the Baptist did, bearing witness to the Light that enlightens everyone: Jesus Christ, the Son of God (cf. Jn1:6-9). Let us listen to the Teacher, who is venerated in a special way in this land under the title of the Lord of Miracles, and welcome what he wishes to say to Peru in these days.

The challenges you have mentioned cannot be addressed in isolation, because the family, cultural diversity, the world of work and the condition of women are all part of the same human reality and are deeply interdependent. The Church’s social doctrine offers us elements for understanding this reality: at the center of every social, economic and political organization must be the human person, created in the image and likeness of God, endowed with infinite dignity and called to live in relationship with others. On this basis, the personal, familial and social good come together as one reality.

The centrality of human dignity is the foundation for other essential principles that should guide personal, family, business and institutional decisions, such as the common good, solidarity and subsidiarity.

Human life does not begin in a vacuum. It is born of the love between a man and a woman who, giving themselves to one another, open themselves to the gift of a new life. A child is the fruit of this communion, not a product, and from the very beginning bears within the mark of the relationship of origin. This most fragile beginning is nurtured in the mother’s womb, the first place of welcome, where the initial bond becomes closeness and protection. According to the Creator’s plan, the human person is conceived and grows within this web of relationships. Thus, the dignity of nascent life finds its proper place in the family.

Enlightened by the Gospel and in harmony with the human sciences, the Church’s Tradition affirms that the family is the first natural society, with rights of its own. This means that the family precedes every written law. The law’s role is simply to recognize and protect it, while public institutions must support the family, not replace it (cf. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 214).

Certainly, as you have said, cultural changes have altered the traditional roles of men and women, who seek to develop new attitudes and ways of life in the family and in society, sometimes by mistaken paths (cf. Aparecida Document, 49). This situation calls us to assert with even greater conviction that God created the human person male and female (cf. Gen 1:27). It is in this union alone that reciprocity and complementarity are expressed, giving rise to fatherhood and motherhood, filiation and fraternity, and everyone’s commitment to a better society.

Nevertheless, living the truth of our identities as male and female does not justify an unequal sharing of domestic responsibilities or the subordination of one spouse to the other. We must continue working to harmonize the roles of men and women in families and affirm that both share the responsibility for building the future of society.

Our faith offers us an understanding of the human person that helps us overcome the tensions that arise when we examine new cultural trends. Christian love teaches us that to love is to serve God and neighbor. This perspective brings out the deeper meaning of being fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, grandchildren or grandparents, fostering dialogue, patience, kindness, forgiveness and mutual service (cf. 1 Cor 13). Deepening our understanding of this is a rich source of spirituality in the home.

Each member of the family is called to contribute, in an original and creative way, the gifts and talents he or she has received. No one is exempt from caring for others, showing gestures of closeness and affection, working responsibly, listening patiently and teaching by example. In this regard, I would like to draw attention to the many mothers who often suffer and feel alone, having to face numerous difficulties in raising their children so that they grow up healthy and become good men and women. I want to offer special thanks to these women — mothers, aunts and grandmothers — who pass on faith and sure hope to future generations with great courage through the example of their lives.

We also know that many families are wounded and divided due to economic problems or emigration. Others are harmed by the intrusion of addictions, such as gambling and betting, alcoholism and drug addiction, abuse or domestic violence. God loves all families, especially those going through crises. To them I want to say: do not give in to difficulties. Look to the example of the Holy Family. It was not easy for them to build a home either. Like many of our families, they too had to maintain their faith and trust in God amid uncertainty and hardship; they had to move to another city and work to support themselves; they had to face loneliness, pain and incomprehension. Yet they also teach us that when God is present in our family, we can grow, keep going, face problems, and stand beside the Cross sharing the joy of faith together.

Another very timely challenge you have mentioned is the impact of digital technology on the family. Recently, in the Encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, I expressed how today’s technology risks replacing real human interaction, exposing family members to distractions and sometimes harmful content. In this regard, an alliance among political leaders, educational institutions and families is essential if we are to solve the problems that arise from this (cf. No. 142).

The sons and daughters of our homes are at the same time the citizens of Peru, the business owners and workers of our cities and countryside. This leads us to the world of business, which is called to be a true protagonist in building up the common good. A business is a society of persons in which capital, management and labor must be ordered toward integral human development (cf. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 338). It is therefore necessary for legitimate authority to help business owners and workers by establishing a just legal framework and ensuring a reasonable balance among work, rest and family life. Fostering stability through sound human and economic relationships within families is a shared responsibility.

When we become aware of this vital interdependence, we discover that the common good is the joint achievement of a greater good (cf. Magnifica Humanitas, 62), so that the wealth and resources of society are not directed exclusively toward the benefit of a few, but contribute to the development of all (cf. ibid., 65).

Within this interdependence, education is a practical instrument for putting principles into practice. Educating our children today in a way that is consistent with their dignity guarantees an honest society tomorrow. In this regard, a State strengthens the foundations of a just and peaceful society when it promotes a social policy centered on the equal dignity of persons, supports families, guarantees an educational policy for the human and intellectual formation of students and pursues a labor policy that protects both the dignity of work and private initiative (cf. ibid., 168).

More: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2026/november/documents/20261112-peru-futuro.html

Dissenters rip Cardinal Ratzinger’s 1986 letter on homosexuality on 40th anniversary

 October 30, 2026

» Continue to this story on National Catholic Reporter 

CWN Editor's Note: Critics of Catholic teaching on homosexuality strongly criticized the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s letter to bishops on the pastoral care of homosexual persons, 40 years after its publication.

At the time, the congregation’s prefect was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005.

“We were horrified when we read it, but I would say we were not surprised,” said Sister Jeannine Gramick, cofounder of New Ways Ministry.

“I was really shocked,” added New Ways Ministry executive director Francis DeBernardo. “It just seemed so un-Catholic to me.”

The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.

Veterans’ Day Flashback

 

Morocco 

A blessed Veterans’ Day to all who served.

“When they choose a Bishop, the most important trait is ‘who does this guy know?’ and Jesus does not have to be on that list of people.”

Fr Joseph Krupp @joeinblack:

It’s a remarkable thing to be a Catholic priest in these days. 

I assume to some extent it’s always been like this but for the most part, we really didn’t know how bad many of our leaders are. 

In the end, a man leaves seminary taken with the idea of Church and the rest of his life is the reality of the Church taking that idea from you and smashing it to pieces.

At core, the problem is that our leaders are selected by our leaders.

When they choose a Bishop, the most important trait is “who does this guy know?” and Jesus does not have to be on that list of people.

This week, we’ve had one Cardinal choose for the second year in a row to give an award to an abortion radical. 

Now we have a cardinal who thinks leading people to Christ is a bad idea. 

Ugh. 

The church is led by all kinds of men: some are saints in the making, some are vaguely aware of the basics of Christianity, some are functional atheists.

A vast majority of them hace two things in common:

1. Absolutely, positively no accountability.

Neither of these Cardinals will face any consequences from their brothers or from the Holy Father.

It’s just not done.

2. Absolutely, positively no long term experience as pastors in churches.

They don’t know the grind. 

They don’t know God’s people. 

They have almost no sense of the reality of the daily life of a Christian; they have no “smell of the sheep” on them.

I’ve been at a critical stage in my life for the last few years, and so much of it centers around the simple reality: I can look at the problem, describe it, bemoan it, try to get the people in charge to see it.

That has born absolutely no fruit. 

What do we do?

We charge forward boldly and with great joy.

Each of us reading this is part of the problem. 

I am part of the problem.

I am a sinner, and I have affection for some of my sin.

But I also have something that you do as well: the grace, joy, and love of Jesus. 

We have the Holy Spirit in us that raised Jesus from the dead.

Each of us reading this has everything we need from God to be a saint.

I mean it. 

We absolutely have to decide to love Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and press forward, knowing that the Good Shepherd is alive and well, guiding us, protecting us, genuinely caring about us.

The problem has been described and complained about ad nauseam. 

Enough. 

Let’s get busy being the answer. 

Let’s get busy being saints. 

“In the heart of the Church, I will be love”

-St. Therese

Women can veil to visit the pope, but …

Women can veil for the Pope, but veiling at Mass is "Divisive" and "traditional" ....

Via Robert Nugent @DecreviD2BC