The Truth Begins to Emerge: Key sections from a hidden report by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) reveal that the world’s bishops overwhelmingly supported the Traditional Mass and warned against the very restrictions ‘Pope’ Francis enacted.

For years, faithful Catholics attached to the ancient Roman liturgy have been told they are a source of division. They have been accused of rejecting the Council and harming the unity of the Church. With the stroke of a pen in Traditionis Custodes, their spiritual life was upended, their communities were scattered, and the Mass of the Ages was relegated to the margins—all based on a supposed consultation of the world’s bishops.

Now, the truth has come to light. A report from veteran Vatican journalist Diane Montagna has unveiled the Vatican’s own “Overall Assessment” of that 2020 consultation. The leaked document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) does not just challenge the foundation of Traditionis Custodes, it demolishes it.

The Contradiction

‘Pope’ Francis claimed he was “constrained” by the requests of the bishops to revoke Summorum Pontificum. The official CDF report reveals the exact opposite to be true. The document states in no uncertain terms that “the majority of bishops who responded to the questionnaire stated that making legislative changes to Summorum Pontificum would cause more harm than good.”

Let that sink in. The very bishops whose alleged concerns were the justification for the crackdown had, in fact, advised against it. They predicted that suppressing the traditional liturgy would “seriously damage the life of the Church” and “recreate the tensions that the document had helped to resolve.”

The official narrative has been turned on its head. The suppression was not a response to the bishops, but an action taken in spite of them.

The Ignored Fruits of Tradition

What did the bishops actually tell the Vatican? The leaked report paints a picture not of problems and division, but of grace and growth. They reported that:

• Young People are Flockng to the Latin Mass: The report confirms “a constant observation made by the bishops is that it is young people who are discovering and choosing this older form of the liturgy.” They are drawn by its “sacredness, seriousness, and solemnity.”
• It is a Source of Vocations and Conversions: The bishops noted the growth of vocations in traditional institutes and that many of the faithful in these communities are “often converts to the Catholic faith or those returning after a time away from the Church.”
• It is a Treasure to be Safeguarded: The bishops most engaged with the issue described the vetus ordo as “a treasure of the Church to be safeguarded and preserved.”

The report reveals that the true source of “disagreements” often stemmed not from the faithful, but from “a minority of bishops” exhibiting “nescience, prejudice and resistance” toward Summorum Pontificum.