Traditionis custodes: Ecclesiological Difficulties

The motu proprio Traditionis custodes reordered the law on celebrating the pre-conciliar Roman liturgical rites. This legislative change, seemingly intended to lead to a "single and identical prayer" or unique liturgical expression of the Roman Rite, relies on an ecclesiological justification concerning the unity and communion of the Church. Analyzing the motu proprio and its elaborations in light of a "three-tier" ecclesiological model rooted in the documents of the Second Vatican Council shows that the unity and communion of no Church in this model is tied to the existence of a unique liturgical expression. Rather, the legislation's justification relies on a pre-conciliar ecclesiological outlook that posits the existence of Churches defined by rites such as a "Church of the Roman Rite." Due to this reliance, the norms have far-reaching negative consequences for the Roman Rite and the wider Church. Legislative actions on liturgical issues within the Latin Church must have a broader ecclesiological context, and the past and present experiences of the other Churches in the Catholic communion show that a vast liturgical diversity already exists in the Church and does so without harm to Catholic unity.