In statements collected by LifeSiteNews, the Swiss bishop Marian Eleganti stated that the liturgical reforms following the Second Vatican Council were a «reckless experiment» that has failed. Born in 1955, he recalled how as a child he served Mass first in the traditional rite and then in the so-called “Novus Ordo”, being a direct witness to the destruction of Gothic altars in his parish and the “desacralization” of the sacred space.
The Fracture in Ecclesial Life
The prelate recounted that from his youth he observed tensions between progressives and traditionalists, the emergence of new pastoral figures, and the decline in priestly vocations. Over the decades, he stated that the promised “springtime of the Church” never arrived, but rather «an indescribable decline in the practice and knowledge of the faith, accompanied by liturgical arbitrariness» occurred.
Criticism of the Liturgical Reform
Msgr. Eleganti denounced that the post-conciliar reform meant «a violent and provisional reconstruction» of the bimillennial liturgy, also influenced by ecumenical criteria and external pressures. As he pointed out to LifeSiteNews, it was a process «imposed in an elitist and disruptive manner by the Roman Liturgical Commission and promulgated by Paul VI», with painful consequences for the unity of the Mystical Body of Christ.
Urgency of an Honest Examination
The bishop emphasized the need for a «rigorous, non-ideological, and honest» re-evaluation of the reforms. He warned that parish communities are languishing, temples are emptying, and young people, for the most part, no longer participate. In his view, «progressivism has led the Church to a dead end», while new generations feel increasingly attracted to tradition.
The Liturgy, Heart of the Faith
For Msgr. Eleganti, the future of Catholicism depends on recovering the sacrality of worship: «The Church lives or dies in the liturgy. There the faith and Christian life are decided». In the face of a fruitless path, the prelate concluded that it is time to «change direction» and return to tradition.