The theologian and liturgist Peter Kwasniewski has reacted harshly to the proposal of the abbot of Solesmes, Dom Geoffroy Kemlin, who presented to Pope Leo XIV a possible solution to liturgical tensions through the integration of the traditional Ordo Missae into the Novus Ordo missal.
In a comment published on the social network X, Kwasniewski describes the initiative as profoundly mistaken, questioning both its viability and its understanding of the current liturgical debate, especially from the perspective of the faithful and communities linked to tradition.
We leave below his full comment:
I break my silence on social media to make a brief comment on one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen in the liturgical controversy.
The abbot of Solesmes, Geoffroy Kemlin, has written a letter to Pope Leo XIV proposing what he considers the DEFINITIVE solution to the liturgical wars, namely, inserting the Ordo Missae from the missal of John XXIII as an option in the Novus Ordo missal, and then asking all traditionalists to accept the rest of the Novus Ordo: its prayers, prefaces, additional Eucharistic Prayers, lectionary, calendar, etc.
One Missal for Unity: the Abbot of Solesmes Writes to Leo XIV
With due respect, I must say that this poor abbot—the person in charge of a community, it should be noted, that has not fared nearly as well as traditionalist communities—demonstrates being totally disconnected from where the debate is and has been.
It is as if he had not followed even one of the issues that traditionalists have been delving into for years, no, decades. In fact, as if he had not even read Ratzinger. Nor, contrary to what he claims, do I imagine that the majority of pilgrims on the Chartres pilgrimage would enthusiastically welcome a hybrid rite between the old and the new.
Ironically, his approach lends itself to the criticism of aestheticism: «We have some chant and Latin in our Novus Ordo, so we’re all set.» As if having the skin without the muscles and bones were enough!
I wonder: did he speak seriously? How can one celebrate the ancient rite (as he claims to do) and not realize the profound differences in the prayers, the calendar, the readings, the spirituality, etc.? One would have to wear blindfolds and earplugs. Moreover, all he is asking for is more «optionitis,» which means more disunity, since two people will never be able to agree on a rite if there is no fixed way to celebrate it.
It would be a real disaster if Leo were to carry out this proposal.
On the other hand, it is inconceivable that the liturgical mandarins of Rome would allow the Pope to insert the Vetus Ordo Missae into the standard missal of Paul VI. And with all the synodality and the devolution of rights to episcopal conferences promoted by Francis, it can also be imagined that the majority of conferences, at this point, would flatly refuse to include it in the vernacular missal of Paul VI.
Furthermore, even if an agreement were reached on this measure, years of disputes over the official translation of the Ordo Missae would ensue, as we have seen with other translations into vernacular languages. (Do you remember all the uproar caused by the English translation of the Novus Ordo in 2011? And that was not even remotely as radical as what this abbot proposes).
In summary: this is the stupidest of all stupid proposals. How far the mighty Solesmes has fallen from the glorious days of its founder, Dom Prosper Guéranger, who condemned the liturgical reform of the 1960s in advance in his biting critique of the «antiliturgical heresy»!