04/23/2025
The Legacy of Pope Francis
WHEN THE LATIN MASS LEFT, SO DID HALF THE PARISH
- Top Down Approach from the Vatican Under Francis Wrecked Local Parishes
- Traditionis Custodes’ Assault on the Latin Mass Proved Disastrous
- Saint Mary, Mother of God in Washington Negatively Affected. Why?!
By Truby Chiaviello
It’s hard to lead a parish through poverty, crime, and dwindling attendance.
Harder still when the one source of growth and hope—our weekly Latin Mass—is taken away. That was the experience at my parish, St. Mary Mother of God, the only church in Washington, D.C., that had offered the Traditional Latin Mass for decades. Until it was removed.
In 2021, Pope Francis issued Traditionis Custodes, a motu proprio aimed at severely limiting the use of The Latin Mass.
In response to the Vatican’s urging, our bishop - Archbishop Wilton Gregory - ended the Latin Mass at St. Mary’s. The result? Half our parishioners left. Donations dropped. Our already struggling finances worsened.
Saint Mary Mother of God is one of the oldest parishes in Washington. The church was founded by German immigrants over 175 years ago. Located at 727 Fifth Street in Northwest Washington, Saint Mary’s remains a Gothic beacon of God’s love for much of the neighborhood in and around Chinatown. Through the worst of times, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the summer riots of 2020 and the January assault on the U.S. Capitol that turned the neighborhood into a prison-like fortress, Saint Mary’s survived - thanks in large part to the The Latin Mass.
Yet, after Pope Francis’ decree, the vibrant Catholic culture that had rooted itself in our pews for the Tridentine Rite—the young families, the altar boys, the Gregorian chant—vanished almost overnight.
Many of us asked: Why?
Pope Francis was sincere in his concerns about unity and liturgical harmony. Granted. This is the reason he put forward for restricting The Latin Mass. However, with little to no pastoral discernment at the local level, the pope’s decision had deep unintended consequences. Especially in struggling urban parishes like mine.
A man devoted to the Society of Jesus, Jorge Bergoglio spent much of his priesthood as a teacher of the humanities at various schools managed by the Jesuits. Sometimes, he was called to missionary work in the countryside of Argentina. What he lacked was experience in parish life. He had strong ties to certain churches; yet, he never really lived as a diocesan priest.
Jorge Bergoglio showed his talents on a larger scale when he became a provincial, then archbishop, and finally pope. He never served as a long-term pastor of a single parish. He never had to balance a checkbook with declining offertory. He never had to convince families to stay in the neighborhood despite crime on the streets and needles in the alleyways. He never had to find ways - such as offering The Latin Mass - to inspire worship.
That’s what happened at St. Mary’s.
Many parishes throughout the United States experienced the same set back, as did Saint Mary’s, when The Latin Mass was eliminated by Pope Francis. The Tridentine Rite was never divisive at my parish. It was stabilizing. It drew the faithful from across the city and beyond, many of whom became regular donors, volunteers, and evangelists. We offered one Mass on Sunday in The Tridentine Rite. The other Masses were of the Novus Ordo.
Saint Mary’s offered Mass to appeal to a diverse population. We offered a Mass in the Cantonese language to appeal to Chinese immigrants. We offered the latest Mass - 7:30 p.m. - in the city, the one I attend, because so many of us must work on the weekends. That Latin Mass coexisted peacefully with the Novus Ordo Mass. For us, it was a lifeline—not a liturgical luxury.
What hurt was not just the loss of a Rite. What hurt was the sense that no one—not the chancery, not Rome—asked what this would mean for us. Sure, the archbishop asked for input. We were allowed to make our case one evening. Yet, we knew that the proverbial dye was already case. The Vatican never considered the real-world effects on real parishes with real people.
We remain Catholic. We remain loyal. Yet, we also remain hurt.
If the Church is to grow again, especially in cities and among younger generations, it must listen to those in the trenches—parish priests, lay leaders, and yes, the people in the pews. A top-down approach to liturgy won’t revive the Church. A pastoral one might.
Until then, we carry on. Half in number, but no less faithful.
Editor’s Note: This is part of a series on the legacy of Pope Francis. Coming up: Pope Francis - A Piedmontese Papacy. We will also take a look at the viable candidates to replace Pope Francis. The web site for Saint Mary Mother of God is https://saintmarymotherofgod.org
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