20/08/2026
POPE LEO XIV REMINDS PRIESTS: REMAIN FAITHFUL TO LITURGICAL TEXT, RUBRICS
Pope Leo XIV reminded priests of the importance of remaining faithful to the Church’s approved liturgical texts and rubrics, saying the dignified celebration of the sacred mysteries requires respect for the Church’s norms.
“Moreover, in order to promote the dignified celebration of the sacred mysteries, we must emphasize the need for fidelity to the approved texts and instructions,” the Pope said.
In a letter to Cardinal Arthur Roche, prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Pope Leo particularly emphasized the responsibility of priests and others involved in preparing liturgical celebrations to respect the rites promulgated by Pope St. Paul VI and Pope St. John Paul II.
The Holy Father said such respect must not be reduced to the mere observance of rules.
“It is vital” that fidelity to the rites “springs from an inner attitude of openness and trust in God, manifesting humility before his greatness and sincere fidelity to ecclesial communion,” he said, citing his catechesis on the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium.
The Pope made the remarks in his message to participants of a liturgical conference held at Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon, United States.
He also called for ongoing liturgical formation among both clergy and lay faithful, stressing that it should not be treated as a specialization reserved for a few experts but as an essential disposition of the entire People of God.
Pope Leo said priests, by virtue of Holy Orders, have a particular role as “mystagogues,” guiding the faithful toward a deeper understanding of the sacred mysteries.
The letter was dated June 29 and released by the Holy See on Aug. 14, 2026.
