The Church is under attack from all sides and seems to be at war with herself. The latest decrees by Pope Francis have stifled celebration of the extraordinary form of the Mass. All Catholics should be offended by these clear attempts to remove tradition from the living church.

Some faithful have created a petition to serve Pope Francis.

Dear Pope Francis,

We, the undersigned, fervently appeal to Your Holiness for the preservation of the Traditional Latin Mass (usus antiquior) and the accompanying Sacraments.

The Traditional Latin Mass has helped many to find their home in the Catholic Church. It has given many a renewed purpose in life and has illuminated many souls with the light of God’s love. Please, Holy Father, help these souls continue to feel at home in the Catholic Church.

The ancient liturgy is breathtaking in its beauty and serves to lift the hearts of countless souls to God. It attracts diverse and often marginalized Catholics, including many young people and families. Prayerful participation in the Traditional Latin Mass has led many into a profound and sincere relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church.

We appeal to you on behalf of the countless souls – priests, religious, and lay faithful of all ages and cultures – who suffer greatly and feel excluded and abandoned by their shepherds when the Traditional Liturgical Rites are restricted or prohibited. We pray that room may be found for the preservation of the Traditional Liturgical Rites in the Catholic Church, known for her beautiful diversity of liturgies that serve to unite the Faithful across boundaries, cultures, and centuries.

We humbly request that diocesan priests may continue to provide the Traditional Liturgical Rites to the faithful who ask for them. We appeal for the freedom of bishops to choose how to ordain new priests and confirm their flocks. We implore you also to allow the “Ecclesia Dei” communities to continue to serve the People of God as they have for the past thirty-three years, faithful to their constitutions and founding documents. They have pledged their lives for this, trusting in the support of the Church and her Pastors to live the charism approved and affirmed by Pope Saint John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. Please, do not allow their trust to be violated, their faithfulness to be rejected, and their flocks to be forsaken.

We, the undersigned, are Catholics and non-Catholics alike, united by our support for diversity of liturgical expression in the Catholic Church.

We place this petition under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church and St. Joseph, Protector of the Holy Church.

You can sign the petition to preserve the Latin Mass here:

Mass of the Ages: