Vatican bans traditional Latin Mass in Bishop Strickland’s former cathedral

The celebration of the traditional Latin Mass in the cathedral of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas (United States), will cease as of December 1, according to an order approved by the Vatican that comes almost a year after Pope Francis removed Bishop Joseph Strickland, one of his most outspoken critics, as bishop of the diocese.

Austin Bishop Joe S. Vasquez, who has served as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Tyler in East Texas since the dramatic ouster of Bishop Strickland on Nov. 11, announced the move in a letter to the parishioners of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler, which has offered a 2:00 pm Sunday Mass in Latin.

A spokesperson for the diocese also confirmed to CNA — EWTN News’ English agency — that Masses celebrated according to the pre-Vatican II liturgical form will also stop at four other parishes: Mary Queen of Heaven in Malakoff, Sacred Heart in Texarkana, St. Francis of Assisi in Gilmer and Sacred Heart in Nacogdoches.

The letter was first obtained by Catholic journalist Diane Montagna, who published it in X over the weekend.

“Following the guidance of the Holy See,” Bishop Vásquez said in a letter dated Nov. 6, “the celebration of the liturgy in accordance with the liturgical books approved by Saint Paul VI and Saint John Paul II in accordance with the Council Vatican II” will no longer be allowed in the cathedral starting in December, but will only be allowed in one parish within the Diocese of Tyler.

The San José Obrero parishentrusted to the care of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP), is the only parish in the diocese authorized to “use the 1952 Missal, according to the provisions of Keepers of Tradition“, he motu proprio that Pope Francis published in 2021 and that drastically restricted the celebration of the traditional Latin Mass around the world.

According to Bishop Vásquez’s letter, the parish of San José Obrero is a “personal parish” established in 2003 to “pastorally care for all those in the diocese who celebrated according to the oldest liturgical forms.”

A spokesperson for the diocese told CNA: “Going forward, as the letter states, St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Tyler, a personal parish entrusted to the FSSP, will continue to serve the faithful of the diocese in accordance with the norms of Keepers of Tradition”.

The letter does not specify why traditional Latin Masses will no longer be celebrated in the cathedral, although it is widely believed that Bishop Strickland’s refusal to fully implement Keepers of Tradition It was a factor that led to his dismissal. The Vatican has not publicly revealed exactly why Pope Francis asked for his resignation.

Bishop Strickland said in an interview with LifeSiteNews a year ago: “I know I did not implement Keepers of Traditions because I cannot starve part of my flock.”

In his letter, Bishop Vásquez indicated that “I recently received a response” from the Vatican after sending a letter to the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on how to implement the motu proprio of the Holy Father in the local Church after the departure of Bishop Strickland.

“While this transition may be difficult for some, my hope is that you open your hearts and move forward on this path with faith and trust,” wrote Bishop Vásquez.

“I pray that you will experience a deeper unity with the entire Church and a greater awareness of the liturgical richness of the ordinary form of the Roman liturgy,” he added.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.