Some young Catholics are showing a renewed interest in tradition: the Latin Mass, Eucharistic adoration, chant, silence and a more visibly reverent liturgical life. Archbishop Michael McGovern has seen that interest firsthand.
Archbishop McGovern has spoken with young Catholics attached to the traditional Latin Mass and has listened to their concerns. He says many are looking for truth, stability, reverence and something that endures in a culture where so much can feel transitory.
But he also believes the Church must help younger Catholics understand the full history of the liturgy — including why the reforms that followed the Second Vatican Council took place and how the Novus Ordo stands in continuity with the Church’s tradition.
In this episode:
What Archbishop McGovern has learned from Catholics attached to the older liturgy
Whether the Latin Mass has a future
Why he believes the Novus Ordo remains continuous with Catholic tradition
What his ideal celebration of the Mass would look like
Why silence, chant and reverence matter
Why Eucharistic adoration has become so important to younger Catholics
Whether younger priests and seminarians really are becoming more traditional
Archbishop McGovern’s larger argument is that the new interest in tradition should not simply be dismissed or feared. He sees it as part of a deeper search for roots — but believes the answer is ultimately not competing Catholic camps. It is helping a new generation discover the continuity of the Church’s worship and finding unity in the fruits of the Second Vatican Council’s liturgical reform.