This interview in my opinion places a check mark in the negative column of how good of a pope we can expect Pope Leo to be. I’m still in “wait and see mode,” observing also the check marks in the positive column. Yet he speaks as if doctrine on homosexuality and women’s ordination could in theory change.
Best interpretation is it is an ambiguous philosophical statement to correct liberals to change their attitudes before discussing doctrine. Very hard to think he could believe in the possibility of the Church changing those teachings, but many will read him as being open to it.
Also, in my opinion his comments on the TLM were vague and not helpful for TLM attendees. He said he wants to end polarization over the issue by submitting the issue to “synodality.” Red flag.
The conciliar reform of the Mass and modernism has created the polarization, not traditionalists objecting to this liturgical reform based on their fidelity to Catholic doctrine. Were we to be petrified into silence, we would still be partly blamed for the polarization for adhering to Tradition.
And unless one disregards their rights and succumbs to narcissistic bullying by those in authority, traditionalists responding with polemical critiques, with the exception of a tiny handful of crazed bloggers and YouTubers who turn it into a LARPING video game to gain points and $$$, traditionalists are not CAUSING the polarization. We are responding to it proportionally, Holy Father.
True, especially in the US, some can politicize their defense of the TLM more as an Americanist alt right culture war against liberalism in Church and society, than a stance of faith. But overall that is not the root of the polar divide around the world.
It is a divide between the ancient and venerable Roman rite and everything that comes with it, and a rite that diverges from the teachings of the Council of Trent on the nature of the Mass. The interview shows the pope’s diplomacy to both sides and centrist priority of ending polarization and disunity, but being silent on the truth of the TLM and the persecution of faithful Catholics.
Yet we, knowing the basis of unity in charity is unity in the truth, in the doctrine of the Faith, hope that at least one step the kind , diplomatic Pope Leo will take in restoring unity in doctrine, and therefore true unity in the Church founded on the Faith itself, is to end the persecution of Latin Mass Catholics and undo the draconian, traumatizing Traditionis Custodes as soon as possible.
Liturgical leftists are not currently in a state of grave pain and suffering over this issue. Families and individuals devoted to the Latin Mass, now with no or very limited access to the Mass of the Saints are because of TC (70% of traditionalists attended a diocesan TLM, most without access to the FSSP, Institute, or SSPX). They are the ones right now greatly suffering.
As an aside, it would mean major check marks in the positive column if it can be verified that Pope Leo was offering the TLM, and if he will explicitly uphold Pope Benedict’s liturgical teaching in Summorum Pontificum that the TLM remains a vital part of the Church’s praxis. Christine Niles and Patrick Madrid, for what their reporting is worth, themselves verified through sources in Rome the pope did say before the TLM in private. Also, it is said he was very much in support of Pope Benedict’s theological analysis. So time will tell.