Since late spring, we have known that the Archdiocese of Toronto must implement Traditionis Custodes. Under the instruction of Metropolitan Archbishop Francis Cardinal Leo, the Auxiliary bishops met with Father Russell Asch, chaplain for the traditional liturgy in Scarborough (St. Lawrence the Martyr), Schomberg (St. Patrick’s), and the Toronto Oratory (Holy Family and St. Vincent de Paul), to discuss and set future implementation dates.
Father Asch was required to act in June. The Toronto Oratory continued discussions and is now implementing the instruction effective Sunday, September 20, 2026.
Our good friend, Toronto Catholic Witness, was at Mass yesterday at St. Vincent de Paul and filed the following report.
Let us first take a look at some history.
The Masses at Schomberg and Scarborough have existed for over 40 years under the late Father Liam Gavigan. He had a personal "celebret" and was authorized by the late Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic under the indult permitted according to Ecclesia Dei Afflicta of John Paul II. In the early 1990's, the Oratorians were given charge of a second parish, neighbouring Holy Family, St. Vincent de Paul. A few years later, the Society of St. Pius X purchased a small Baptist church in the next parish from St. Vincent de Paul and opened a Mass Centre. Cardinal Ambrozic approached the Oratorians, who already offered the Novus Ordo sung in Latin at Holy Family, to begin a traditional liturgy at St. Vincent de Paul on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation to draw people away from going to the SSPX. Cardinal Thomas Collins continued and encouraged the growth.
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| The late Very Reverend Jonathan Robinson, Cong. Orat., offering Solemn Mass at Holy Family Church |
Effective next Sunday, September 20, one Mass per month scheduled in the usus antiquior must be said according to the Novus Ordo. At St. Vincent, the old high altar will be used, as it is now, and at Holy Family it must face the people. The Mass at St. Vincent will be simply read, along with the earlier one. At Holy Family, it will be sung in Latin, facing the people, with music according to the new rite, as they did there from arriving in Toronto until changing it to the traditional and evolving to Solemn weekly.
No other sacraments are permitted according to the traditional usage.
All four parishes have sufficient English-language Masses, and at St. Lawrence the Martyr, Italian Masses according to the new rite. There is no demand to remove these from Latin Mass-goers, and no demand from others to remove the Latin Mass. People are free to choose.
A rough calculation of numbers is revealing. At these four Masses and the Society of St. Pius X masses at two locations, there are not more than 1,200 people attending, and that is a generous estimate; it may be less than 1,000.
Let the reader discern.
