Traditional Latin Mass Celebrated at St. Peter's in Rome
The new Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Archbishop Franceso Marchisano, when he took possession of his charge continued the policy of his predecessor Cardinal Noe of refusing to allow the celebration of the traditional Mass in St. Peter's. Due to that, Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos obtained in an audience with the Pope, a command from the Holy Father that the Traditional Mass must be allowed in St. Peter's. This command from the Pope is contained in a document called rescripto exaudienza.
It appears that some priests in charge of the sacristy of St. Peter are far from happy about the Pope's intervention, and are creating some bureaucratic difficulties. They are claiming that they do not have the 1962 missal, in spite of the fact that the edition published by Roman Catholic Books is available in four bookstores in Rome. A member of the Curia is donating four copies of the 1962 missal to the Sacristy of St. Peter, so that the priests that are responsible for the sacristy will not have that excuse. If a priest brings his own missal they try to verify that it is the 1962 edition. They are also requesting from all priests who wish to offer Mass according to the 1962 Missal to produce a celebret which is issued by the Ecclesia Dei Commission. While the Commission has the authority to issue celebrets without authorisation by a diocesan bishop, it has issued few if any since 1989.
It is to be hoped that as the number of priests wishing to celebrate according to the 1962 Missal increases these petty restrictions will decrease.