A coalition of prominent Catholic and non-Catholic figures from the Americas has penned an open letter to Pope Francis, urging him to halt any further restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass.
The letter, titled “An Open Letter from the Americas to Pope Francis,” was published on July 15.
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco has since endorsed the letter, calling it “an extraordinary statement from some great artists and other cultural influencers about the value and inspiration they have received from the Traditional Latin Mass.” Among the notable signatories are composer Frank La Rocca, theologian Larry Chapp, and actor Eduardo Verástegui.
The letter emphasizes the cultural and spiritual significance of the Traditional Latin Mass, describing it as “a magnificent achievement of civilization and part of the common cultural heritage of humanity.” It warns against depriving future generations of “this source of mystery, beauty, and contemplation of the sacred.”
In a similar vein, Archbishop Cordileone highlighted the importance of beauty in evangelization, saying, “We live in an age when we need to leverage the power of beauty to touch minds, hearts, and souls.”
The signatories, expressing humility and obedience, explained they were conveying their spiritual needs to the Pope, writing, “We come to you with the humility and obedience but also the confidence of children, telling a loving father of our spiritual needs.”
Earlier this month, British celebrities also urged Pope Francis to maintain traditional Latin Mass.
Editorial credit: Thoom / Shutterstock.com
