Paix liturgique

The letter from Paix Liturgique of January 29 (Paix Liturgique France) reprinted an article by Father Claude Barthe, “Trad-Liberalism and Catholic Integralism”, in which he responded to criticisms of his book “Les Sept Sacrements d’hier à aujourd’hui. Bref Examen critique des nouveaux rituels des sacrements” (Contretemps, 2025).

I would like to return to the key idea of this new “Brief Critical Study”, which, in addition to its precise critique of the new sacraments of Paul VI’s reform, defends the following idea: the liturgy prior to Vatican II forms a coherent whole: if the old missal is used, the other books must also be used. As Saint Francis de Sales said (Introduction to the Devout Life, Chapter 14 of Part 2), the sacrifice and sacrament of the Mass is the heart and sun of the Christian religion, it can be said that it is, in fact, the sun of the other sacraments. All the parts are held together in the liturgy and respond to one another around the center, the Eucharist, and all the other sacraments are ordered to it. “Absolutely speaking, the sacrament of the Eucharist is the greatest of all the sacraments,” wrote St. Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica, IIIa, q. 65, a. 3); “this is made clear by considering the relation of the sacraments to one another. For all the other sacraments seem to be ordained to this one as to their end. For it is manifest that the sacrament of order is ordained to the consecration of the Eucharist: and the sacrament of Baptism to the reception of the Eucharist: while a man is perfected by Confirmation, so as not to fear to abstain from this sacrament. By Penance and Extreme Unction man is prepared to receive the Body of Christ worthily. And Matrimony at least in its signification, touches this sacrament; in so far as it signifies the union of Christ with the Church, of which union the Eucharist is a figure." It was only a logical consequence that the weakening of the signification of the Mass was to be followed by that of the other sacraments.

To the diminution of the liturgical expression of the sacrifice of the Mass corresponds, for each new sacrament, to varying degrees, a diminution of signification. The entire new baptismal rite weakens the aspect of Christ's struggle against the devil, who enslaves the soul because of original sin, which contaminates it; the new rite for the anointing of the sick devalues the sacrament of Extreme Unction, reducing it to a celebration for the elderly; the new marriage rite falls into excessively verbose formulas and empties the consecratory blessing of the bride. The new rite of ordination impoverishes the very symbolism of the ceremony y which the priest is concerned and suppresses priestly progression through minor orders and the subdiaconate.

Since Traditionis Custodes, we have witnessed an offensive set afoot by our pastors under the following motto: “We are quite ready to grant you the Tridentine Mass, but we strictly forbid the traditional sacraments." Well, just as we said “no!” when they tried to forbid the Mass, we say “no!” to this prohibition of the traditional sacraments.

Therefore, we must not and will not let go of anything since we must preserve everything: the Mass and the sacraments. Father Barthe further observes that the defenders of the traditional liturgy are currently a minority within the Church. An apparent minority, because although they may seem the weakest, they benefit, with God’s help, from the supreme strength of their just cause, judged according to the criteria of the sense of faith. And in this theoretically unequal struggle, though a minority, they benefit from the bad conscience of the “moderns” and their deep-seated sense of illegitimacy. Proof of this is the recent document by Cardinal Roche, Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship, intended to initiate a debate on the liturgy at the last consistory of cardinals, which is presented from beginning to end as a defense of the reformed liturgy implicitly directed against the defenders of the traditional liturgy.

Defending the traditional liturgy in its entirety. At stake is the preservation of the entire doctrinal message it conveys. Those who, encouraged by their sense of faith, support the Tridentine Mass and sacraments, the priests who celebrate them, the couples preparing for marriage, and the parents requesting baptism and confirmation for their children, they all participate in the restoration of the entire liturgy, which will undoubtedly be the backbone of a future ecclesial restoration.

It is this faith and active hope that we profess with God's help and the assistance of the Blessed Virgin Mary through our vigils while praying our rosaries in Paris, at 10 rue du Cloître-Notre-Dame, Monday through Friday, from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m.; at Saint-Georges de La Villette, 114 avenue Simon Bolivar, on Wednesdays and Fridays at 5:00 p.m.; and in front of Notre-Dame du Travail, on Sundays at 6:15 p.m.