Msgr Andrew Wadsworth, executive director of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, criticised Traditionis Custodes, "as full of errors and generalisations" in a series of new social media posts.

In a since-deleted post, Wadsworth likened the motu proprio to "an atomic bomb" that "fell on the Church". He blamed it for making him sick as if it were "a visceral reaction to this wound that has been inflicted on us."

In the same post, Wadsworth, 59, compared himself to an inmate on death row "awaiting news of when his sentence will be carried out." This referred to the uncertainty as to what his home diocese in the UK and the Archdiocese of Washington, where he currently lives, will do regarding the Latin Mass in the future.

Among the posts that Wadsworth has shared since mid-July are lengthy statements and essays critical of the apostolic letter. Some were written by Francis' most consistent critics, such as Cardinals Raymond Burke and Gerhard Müller, the former prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Wadsworth's Facebook page also includes posts like the critical essay from The Spectator that features a political cartoon version of a haughty-looking Francis with the headline, "Pope Francis is losing his culture war."

On July 16, Wadsworth posted a link to the text of Traditionis Custodes. A follower of his responded by commenting with a translation of 1 Peter 5:3: "Never be a dictator over any group that is put in your charge, but be an example that the whole flock can follow."

Wadsworth "liked" the comment.

Wadsworth, a priest of London's Westminster Archdiocese, has served as executive director of the ICEL Secretariat since 2009. Headquartered in Washington, ICEL was originally set up in 1963 by bishops' conferences across various English-speaking countries to aid in the production of English-language liturgical texts following the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

Responding to a priest who had commented on a July 18 post of his depicting a lonely broken heart "emoji," Wadsworth wrote that he had celebrated the Latin Mass since the day after his ordination in 1990.

"Everything that I understand about being a priest is in some sense related to this form of the Mass," he wrote.

Sources

• National Catholic Reporter
• The Spectator

"I, Andrew Raymond Wadsworth, do not wish to belong to the new idolatrous Pachamama Church currently being brought into being," he said on a Facebook post on October 26.

Wadsworth's reference is to the wooden statues showing an indigenous pregnant woman, termed "Pachamama," a goddess revered in the Andes.

The wooden statue was presented to Pope Francis as "Our Lady of the Amazon" and was later stolen and thrown into the Tiber river.

Wadsworth's Facebook post also came with a picture of Jesus on a throne inscribed with "Christus Vincit. Christus Regnat. Christus Imperat" ("Christ conquers. Christ reigns. Christ commands.")

"Is anyone else fed up with these sickening scenes of pagan worship, seemingly organized daily by Canadian Anglican priest in Santa Maria in Traspontina?" said an October 20 post on Wadsworth's account.

The post was accompanied by a photo of indigenous people in the Rome church.

"I am appalled that the Carmelites permit this sacrilege in their church," the post said.

"This is not Christianity but dangerous devil worship. Kyrie Eleison!"

Wadsworth's Facebook account has subsequently been made private.

Wadsworth works for the 11 English speaking bishops' conferences where English is used in the liturgy.

His social medial comments and criticisms of the use of indigenous symbols used at the Amazon synod call into question his impartiality as the lead official in charge of carrying out the English-speaking bishops' wishes on the liturgy, comments Christopher Lamb in The Tablet.

When when asked by The Tablet whether he will continue in his position, Wadsworth did not comment .

"On occasion, I have re-posted on Facebook articles of others, including bishops and cardinals, who offer commentary about some of the issues surrounding the recent Synod," Wadsworth said.

"I believe that to do so is part of the process whereby we can all enter into a dialogue concerning the discussion of serious challenges that the Church faces at this time. You will be aware that a spectrum of opinions is expressed, within the Church, in this respect."

ICEL was created in 1963 to prepare English translations of Latin liturgical books and texts.

Each of the 11 conferences that are full members of ICEL has an elected bishop on the commission.

Bishop Patrick Dunn is New Zealand Bishops' representative on ICEL. He confirmed in a statement for CathNews that Wadsworth's role in ICEL is to coordinate the work surrounding the translation of English speaking liturgical matters.

Dunn said it is not his role to lead.

"Monsignor Wadsworth has every right to have his private views on liturgical practice, but I would not agree with the comments that have been attributed to him," said Dunn.

"He has been outstanding in the work he does for ICEL and my own hope is that he will continue in this role for many years to come."

Source

• NCR
• The Tablet
• Supplied
• Image: St Mary Magdalen Choir Brighton