The pope recently concluded a four-day apostolic visit to France. He left a number of contradictory impressions. First, I’d like to highlight the visual and aural aspects of the visit. Singing the Salve Regina with a multitude before the backdrop of the facade of Notre Dame,  walking past religious sisters, all in habits, the pope exhibited restrained dignity.  Inside Notre Dame,  he knelt before a “modernistic” tabernacle set up on the original medieval altar at the end of the choir and then reverenced the Crown of Thorns brought to France by St. Louis, while the choir sang music of Monteverdi. 

Then came the prayer vigil for “young people.”  What of the tableaux of saints presented there: St. Irenaeus, St. Blandina, St. Genevieve, St. Joan of Arc (riding in on a horse!), St. Francis de Sales, St. Jean Vianney,  a procession of Marian statues (commemorating,  among other apparitions, Lourdes,) and finally “mission saints” of more recent times, including St. Therese of Lisieux, and Charles de Foucauld (riding on bicycles or “classic” cars!). The music included chant, Duruflé’s Ubi Caritas et Amor, the Salve Regina (sung by the young people attending) and, accompanying the procession of Marian statues, Chez nous soyez Reine(just as one hears on the Chartres pilgrimage of Our Lady of Christendom!)

The pope visited the Catholic University of Paris:

“As he arrives at the Catholic University of Paris, Pope Leo XIV pauses to pray at the site of the brutal massacre at the Carmes monastery during the French Revolution, which is marked by the Latin expression “Hic ceciderunt” (Here they fell). On September 2, 1792, a revolutionary mob summarily executed around 115 Catholic priests and Bishops, many of whom refused to submit to the Civil Constitution of the Clergy and were beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1926.”  Vatican News, X.com (9/26/2026)

Such gestures, images and music break radically with the style of more recent Vatican events, particularly those attempting to appeal to “youth.” One recalls, for example, under Pope Francis the disgraceful scenes from the 2013 World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro. The images of Pope Leo’s visit are also hardly consistent with the Catholic progressive party line on evangelization!  For in the Church’s post-Vatican II culture, is it not an article of faith that modern man had to be approached in his own language – with images, art and liturgy of his own and radically different from those of the past? What we saw in Paris was a long litany of no-no’s for the likes of the National Catholic Reporter – or the mainstream Catholic media in France.

Some have taken these scenes and the multitudes in attendance at the papal masses as evidence of the health or at least of the resurrection of the Catholic Church in France.  Among these enthusiasts seems to be Pope Leo himself. A closer view, however, yields a far less rosy picture. First, the size of the throngs in attendance at papal masses is no sign of the health of the Church. Let us remember that in 1978 -1980 (and well beyond) Pope John Paul II was able to routinely mobilize immense crowds at his masses.  Over the last 48 years we have seen how little long-term effect those events actually had (for example, in Ireland). 

Second,  the youth vigil was, after all, a show. It closely resembled the Olympic spectacles that ultimately date back to Leni Riefenstahl’s 1938 film Olympia. Admittedly, what we saw in Paris last week resembled much more the impressive, edifying ceremonies of the Athens and Beijing Olympics – each a celebration a nation’s history and accomplishments, rather than the travesties in Paris two years ago. Nevertheless, the logic of a show, however well done, is entirely different from reality – or from prayer.

Third, aside from the success of these events, the only factual support of this allegedly rediscovered health of the French Catholic Church is one number, taken out of context: the recent uptick in adult converts. It contrasts with almost every other statistic,  which are disastrous. 

The substance of what Leo said was much more ambiguous than what was seen.  The utterances of the Pope were often vague, nonspecific – even contradictory.  Pope Leo did condemn, strongly and directly, in words and accompanied by symbolic gestures, legal euthanasia, recently introduced in France. Yet at the same time he praised the principles of the Enlightenment and slogans associated with the French Revolution. But it is pursuant to those principles that abortion, same-sex marriage and now euthanasia have been legalized and even celebrated in France. And didn’t those principles incite the massacres whose victims the Pope later commemorated on this visit?  

Similarly, the Pope made visits to UNESCO in Paris and then to Metz (the latter representing symbolically the European Union), paying homage to the secular establishment in Europe.  Indeed, it seems the Catholic Church is seeking to “canonize” the EU by promoting the supposed sanctity of Robert Schuman. The Pope did speak out against the drift to war and arms races. But it is this very European Union which is currently funding the conflict in Ukraine and inciting in the West war hysteria against Russia. And by advocating simplistic pacifism and disarmament – apparently unilateral – as the basis for contesting the rhetoric of war, the Pope prevents his massage from being taken seriously.    

Catholic traditionalists, as such, received little or no no attention or consideration during this trip – despite the imaginative interpretations of some commentators. (The Pope did meet with some students of a private (traditionalist?) Catholic school in Metz.) The Pope seemed to deny that a “systemic”  problem of sexual abuse exists in the Catholic Church, calling abuse “first and foremost a human problem.”  After disclaiming any intent to act as a politician, the Pope entered squarely into secular politics by endorsing the view that a right-wing, non-establishment political party in Germany is “not an authentic expression of Christianity.” Does the Pope then believe that the mainstream political parties of Europe, such as those of France, which advocate and implement abortion, same-sex marriage and euthanasia are ”authentic expressions of Christianity?” 1)

And how does this visit square with the Pope’s own actions (or more often, lack of action)? For example, to avoid further scandal  Fr. Marko Rupnik’s mosaics had to be covered up on his visit to Lourdes  – but Leo has been stalling for a year and a half the trial of the same Rupnik. And the persecution of traditionalists throughout the world  – the violation of liberty of conscience – continues, at times with the direct participation of the Vatican. 

Thus,  this apostolic journey left us with some beautiful images and music – and at times encouraging words.  Even a successful papal visit, however, is not going to turn around decades of institutionalized problems. But does what we saw and heard just perhaps indicate that at least the French Catholic Church itself – which presumably was the main organizer of these events –  is seeking some accommodation with “conservatives” and even traditionalists?  As for Pope Leo, if what he saw only has convinced him that there are no structural and spiritual problems in the Catholic Church,  the results of this journey have been anything but positive. We would hope, however, that by participating in the events of this visit he has perceived the inspiring power of Catholic tradition.  A perception that may lead to the beginnings of a real, not a virtual restoration of the Faith.

1. This was especially apparent in Pope Leo’s in-flight news conference after the visit –  a technique copied from his predecessor. Silere non Possum has provided an extremely valuable account of the conference, showing how the Vatican manipulates communication. Six correspondents got to speak. Two represented semiofficial distributors of Vatican news: I. Media and Le Pelerin. Two were from mainstream secular media: ANSA (a kind of Italian AP) and El Pais of Spain (center-left). And finally, there were the reporters from the Catholic progressive establishment: the National Catholic Reporterand KNA ( the news agency of the Catholic Church in Germany). (“Leo XIV, ‘systemic’ abuse and the other issues he addressed on the flight from Metz.”Silere non Possum (9/28/2026)

. 

On the occasion of the feast of the Dedication of St. Michael the Archangel, Solemn Vespers in the traditional form were celebrated at the church of St. Margaret of Cortona in Riverdale, the Bronx, New York City. Cardinal Ernest Simoni assisted.

On 24 December 1963, (Ernest Simoni) was imprisoned by the Communist authorities after offering a Mass for the repose of assassinated US President John F. Kennedy. Simoni was tortured and even offered marriage to leave his faith.^[3] He was sentenced to death by firing squad, but ultimately spent 28 years at penal labour after his sentence was converted into a prison term: 18 years working in various mines, followed by a decade in Shkodër‘s sewage canals. ( “Ernest Simoni,” wikipedia.org (accessed 9/29/2026))

St. Margaret of Cortona church, circa 1965, is a time capsule of late “Cardinal Spellman-style.” (note the presence of a modernistic altar rail). Fr. Sean Connolly, the pastor of St. Margaret’s, assures us the parish is now engaged on a thorough restoration of this church.

(Above) Fr. Sean Connolly, pastor of St Margaret of Cortona, served as assistant priest.

(Above) Charles Weaver led the schola.

(Above and below) Fr. Joseph Falciano, FSSP, was the celebrant. Kai Breskin was the Master of Ceremonies.

Afterwards, Cardinal Simoni met a large and enthusiastic gathering of the faithful in the parish hall. Many were his fellow countrymen.

Congratulations are due to the parish of St. Margaret of Cortona and Fr. Sean Connolly for making possible such a splendid liturgy!

PS: From the printed program: “The Church of St. Margaret of Cortona is also exceptionally grateful to the Society of St. Hugh of Cluny for sponsoring this event and assisting with the planning and preparation required.”

Yesterday was the final day of the 31st annual Pilgrimage for the Restoration at the Shrine of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville, New York. It was a very wet weekend, yet the pilgrims persevered. Perhaps this was emblematic for the history of this pilgrimage as well. Who could have foreseen 31 years ago the many twists and turns this pilgrimage has had to live through? 

When I first encountered it, the pilgrimage was an exuberant, spontaneous gathering of enthusiasts for restoring the traditional mass and the culture of “Christendom” – however that could be achieved. Later, it became a more organized, multi-day event. At several points in the course of its existence, it seemed that the Pilgrimage for the Restoration might be on its last legs. By 2013 it had declined in numbers to some 250 participants. The relationship with ecclesiastical authorities  (up to 2015, the Jesuit order) had its ups and downs; by 2013 the concluding Mass of the pilgrimage had been excluded from the great shrine of the North American martyrs. In 2020 and 2021 COVID restrictions meant the pilgrimage could not take place in New York State at all and a replacement pilgrimage had to be organized in Pennsylvania. There were changes in the administration and ownership of the shrine itself, which at one point looked like it might close. Yet through it all, the pilgrimage survived and even seems to have regained momentum the last few years. Does it not resemble in this regard its role model, the Chartres Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Christendom?

I am pleased to report that the Pilgrimage for the Restoration appears to be in excellent health. The pilgrims themselves, of course. had braved the elements to testify to their beliefs by their presence. It was overwhelmingly a younger crowd. I would guess that there may have been 1000 or more pilgrims  – a number I have not seen since before 2003. Logistics seemed very well organized. The Mass itself was beautiful; in particular the schola of the pilgrimage has achieved a high level of proficiency. Its singing established a consistently reverent and serene ambiance throughout the Mass.  And a bishop was sitting in choir….

(Above) Preaching fom the “stockade” surrounding the high altar – and above the altar at which this Mass was celebrated.

(Above) The schola.

From the Parish Bulletin ( 9/20/2026) :

So that is the end of the matter for now – as usual, with no explanation. I anticipated that actions of this kind were likely in the wake of Pope Leo’s refusal to permit a Traditional Mass in St Peter’s in connection with the Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage. The Archdiocese of Toronto led the way (and it is now reported that the restrictions imposed on the Traditional Mass there directly involved the Vatican).

From a reader:

Fr. John Perricone, who has been serving this Mass the last few months, this Sunday will be serving the 11 AM Mass in West Orange at St. Anthony of Padua Church (Institute of Christ the King).

At St. Michael Church, 211 Harbor Road, Staten Island

An important update to our post of August 27: The Fate of the Churches around Penn Station (and the Port Authority Bus Terminal) III. St. John the Baptist church has now been closed.

St. John the Baptist will remain temporarily closed “until further notice” as your safety is considered by the Diocese. Further Details to come.

Bulletin of Holy Cross/St. John the Baptist, christinthecity.nyc (9/20/2026)

See also:

IMPORTANT! St. John the Baptist church will be temorarily closed this week for a comprehensive architectural inspection.

Bulletin of Holy Cross/St. John the Baptist, christinthecity.nyc(9/6/2026)

The church has remained closed since then.

My thanks to a perceptive reader!

New York Catholic church bulletins are an unending source of enlightenment. Our Saviour’s church, in the same issue of their bulletin that announced significant changes to the parish music program, had this to say:

One of the most striking religious buildings in our neighborhood is St. Vartan’s Cathedral of the ArmenianApostolic Orthodox Church on second Avenue. Its beautiful dome and inviting plaza are a wonderful presence and blessing.

As with all religious buildings (including our own at Our Saviour and Sacred Hearts) they need constant upkeep andsometime major repairs. This is now the case with St. Vartan’s. You can see what they need to do on their website. Asa result, their congregation will not be able to worship at St. Vartan’s Cathedral for the next 15-18 months.

Several months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting with His Grace Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan, Primate of The EasternDiocese of the Armenian Church in America and Fr. Davit Karamyan, Cathedral Vicar of St. Vartan’s Cathedral todiscuss how our parish of Our Saviour might be able to accommodate their needs for worship space.

While there are certain differences in polity and doctrine, there is alignment in mission: “The mission of theArmenian Apostolic Orthodox Church is to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and to proclaim its message of salvation”

I am pleased that we will be offering the Church of Our Saviour on Sunday afternoons for their Badarak (Divine Liturgy / Holy Mass) during the time of their renovation. (Fortunately, or maybe providentially, our own Sunday Mass schedule at the Church – 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. – permits ample time in between for their worship.

Hopefully, this time will provide opportunities for our congregations to better know each other. Please join me in welcoming one of our neighboring Christian communities to our Church beginning this week.

Msgr. Kevin Sullivan

Pastoral Administrator

(my bolding – SC)

Now certainly the Armenian liturgy is beautiful. And it is certainly more Christian than anything you will see or hear at St. Francis Xavier or St. Paul the Apostle (to mention just two parishes in Manhattan). However:

Msgr. Kevin Sullivan, parish administrator, seems to have a very broad, “liberal” understanding of “differences in polity and doctrine.” By Msgr. Sullivan’s definition, there is “alignment” with everyone calling himself Christian in some sense. I don’t know what Cardinal Newman, whose New York shrine is in Our Saviour’s, would think of the parish administrator’s formulation. (I believe Our Saviour’s has been without a formal pastor or parish priest for years.)

Second, I don’t know the rules, if any, governing the long-term hosting of other denominations in a Catholic church today. Certainly, the late Pope Francis was very liberal in that regard in Rome at least for one-time events. And Our Saviour’s parish in its current condition seems to have a lot of spare time available to host the Armenians for 15-18 months.

Third, I would contrast the bolded language in the bulletin above with the treatment by the Church of the FSSPX and of Catholic traditionalists in general. As for the FSSPX, Pope Leo seems to make the alleged “schism” (“differences in polity”) of fundamental importance, even the only issue. FSSPX pilgrimages have been barred from Lourdes, among other places. As for other traditionalists, a traditional Mass that used to be celebrated at Our Saviour’s was summarily cancelled in 2013. They remain otherwise subject to severe restrictions throughout the world – Traditionis Custodes seeks to bar them from parish churches (like Our Saviour’s).

Fourth, I would recall to our readers the expulsion by the archdiocese of the Catholic Armenians from their cathedral of St. Ann (in order to demolish it in 2005 and sell the property to NYU.) (A regular Traditional Mass was de facto terminated too).

PS: Perhaps I am unduly or excessively suspicious – but I wonder if there could be another motivation involved here: that the Armenians are paying rent?

(Above) Our Saviour’s church after several years of simplifications to the art and furnishings. (photo 9/30/2019)

Earlier this year, the success of the Dominicans at St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Joseph’s in the Village – and, apparently, that of the Legion at St. Patrick’s old cathedral – in attracting Catholic “young adults” seems to have aroused the jealousy of the archdiocesan secular clergy. For in those media reports it was mentioned that nearby “archdiocesan” “mainstream” churches stood empty. That is certainly my perception too. Now the parish of Our Saviour’s – excuse me, Our Saviour & Sacred Hearts – seeks to address the situation by new musical offerings:

This initiative is part of the parish revitalization campaign, Building Parish Life: Enhancing Faith, Generosity, and Service, and seeks to offer a distinctive and welcoming prayerful experience, particularly for young adults in their 20s and 30s who have made Our Saviour their faith community.

Of course, Our Saviour’s had been a vital parish until the archdiocese deliberately destroyed it from 2013 onward.

What is the new initiative?

The Choir of Our Saviour & Sacred Hearts returns for the 2026–27 season, singing at the Sunday 5:00 p.m. Mass. Beginning Sunday, September 27, the 5:00 p.m. Mass will also introduce music drawing on the traditions of the Taizé Community in France, with simple, repeated songs and moments of contemplation intended to create an even more prayerful and contemplative experience.

…

The music of Taizé will complement rather than replace the beautiful musical traditions already part of the 5:00 p.m.Mass. Based in Burgundy, France, the Taizé Community is an ecumenical community known for prayer, song, and biblical reflection. Its simple meditative style of prayer has inspired communities around the world. At Our Saviour, we are drawing from this tradition while shaping a Sunday liturgy that belongs to our own parish and responds to the spiritual needs of our community.

Source: The bulletin of the parish of Our Saviour (9/20/2026)

The parish’s music director, Buck McDaniel, was more explicit in the previous parish bulletin of 9/13/2026. Or was it merely a slip of the tongue?:

I am delighted that our liturgical music program will be making an important contribution to the parish revitalizationcampaign: Building Parish Life: Enhancing Faith, Generosity, and Service.

At the Sunday 5:00 p.m. Mass, already well attended particularly by young adults, we will be introducing music that draws on the traditions of the Taizé Community in France to create an even more prayerful and contemplative experience. We are abandoning the beautiful music traditions currently used at this liturgy, but adding some new elements.

Through simple, repeated songs and moments of contemplation, we hope to create a distinctive welcoming prayerfulexperience, particularly for young adults in their 20s and 30s, who have come to New York to live and work, and are making the Church of Our Saviour their faith community. (NB: Those of all ages are most welcome!) (My bolding – SC)

Now Taizé and its music seem to be functioning today for the Church establishment as a hoped-for attraction to the younger generation. Which will succeed – the traditional music of the Church, that once was championed at Our Saviour’s and today is being at least partially rediscovered at St. Vincent Ferrer and elewhere? Or the “simple, repeated songs” (how Conciliar and how dull!) of Taizé? I have my opinion on the matter…..

On the developments at Our Saviour’s after 2013 see “Two Churches, Two Traditional Masses and ‘Making all Things New,’ “ The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny (6/18/2016). For a summary of recent developments in the religious order churches see “Young Catholics: Field Work in Manhattan,” The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny (4/8/2026)

The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny is honored to sponsor Solemn First Vespers for the Feast of the Dedication of St. Michael the Archangel at St. Margaret of Cortona Church in the Bronx, with His Eminence Ernst Cardinal Simoni.

A reception will follow in the gymnasium with an opportunity to greet the Cardinal.