Papal Visit 1

OUR LADY OF FATIMA

CATHOLIC CHURCH

Was the Old Mass interdicted ? - Cardinal Benelli's Response

Cardinal Benelli was a papal secretary to Paul VI later elevated to the Cardinalate in 1977
and was widely considered to be a possible candidate for Paul VI's successor.

In an interview published in August 2001 on the magazine "Kirchliche Umschau", Eric de Saventhem recalls the conversation he and his wife Elisabeth held with Cardinal Benelli around 1976 about the interdiction of the ancient liturgy.

"At the end of the audience - De Saventhem declares - my wife turned to Mgr. Benelli for a last time saying these words: ‘Excellence before parting would you allow me a question to which you should give a clear answer, yes or no?’

‘Of course, madame’ ‘Did the Pope interdict the old mass yes or no, Monsignor?’

After a short hesitation Mgr. Benelli gave this answer: ‘The Pope desires the new mass to be celebrated’.

Smiling but in tears my wife replied: ‘Thank you for the information it is exactly what I expected"