A group of faithful traveling through Italy accompanied by a priest of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP) denounces having encountered obstacles to celebrating the traditional liturgy in some of the country’s shrines.
According to Rorate Caeli, the refusals occurred in San Giovanni Rotondo, Assisi, and, initially, also in Loreto. The pilgrims claim that the authorizations were rejected or withdrawn once the responsible parties of the places of worship became aware that the planned celebrations corresponded to the traditional Mass according to the 1962 Missal.
The complaint adds to the incident that occurred in Ávila, where a group of pilgrims from the United States ensured that they received a refusal from the bishop of Ávila to celebrate the traditional Mass during a pilgrimage, after being told that «that Mass is prohibited in this diocese».
A Mass celebrated in the basement of a hotel
According to the published account, the first difficulty occurred in the San Giovanni Rotondo shrine, which is closely linked to Saint Padre Pio.
The pilgrims claim that they were not allowed to celebrate the traditional Mass in the shrine’s facilities, so they eventually had to attend the celebration in the basement of a hotel.
Subsequently, the group moved to Loreto. There also encountered an initial refusal, although the priest accompanying the pilgrimage finally persuaded the local authorities that he had the permissions necessary to celebrate the liturgy.
Assisi and a new refusal to the traditional Mass
The third situation complained of took place in de Saint Francis Basílica in Assisi.
According to the pilgrims, they also were not authorized to celebrate the traditional Mass at there. The group claims furthermore that, while they communication the refusal, they could observe an orthodox celebration in de recinto.
The organizers claim that the three situations had a common element: the refusal came after it was explicitly informed that it was celebrations according to the traditional form of the Roman rite.
A station of «dialogue and listening» in Loreto
Among the details reported by the pilgrims also includes a striking scene during their visit to Loreto<|eos|>