Topics: Liturgy law: from the 1984 indult to Traditionis custodesSociety of Saint Pius X (SSPX)
Return to Tradition cites a superseded rule on Orthodox liturgies and the Sunday obligation
Questioning a Pittsburgh diocesan statement that an unauthorised Latin Mass does not fulfil the Sunday obligation, Return to Tradition says the Church allows Eastern Orthodox liturgies to fulfil it. That permission dates from the 1960s and is not current law.
By TradWatch™ staff
2 min read
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Verdicts at a glance
In this brief · 7 sections
On 13 October 2026 Return to Tradition published “Another Priest Joins The SSPX As Fallout Over Secret TLM Rocks The Church” (podcast). Anthony Stine reports on dioceses’ responses to priests joining the Society of St Pius X and on a Diocese of Pittsburgh statement saying that a Latin Mass at an unauthorised chapel does not fulfil the Sunday obligation. Questioning that statement, he makes one claim about Church law that can be checked.
What was said
Statement 1: Anthony Stine
Return to Tradition · October 13, 2026
the church has said under certain circumstances that attending Eastern Orthodox liturgies fulfill your Sunday obligation
In brief: The Church allows attendance at an Eastern Orthodox liturgy to fulfil the Sunday obligation in some circumstances.
Our verdict: MisleadingContains some truth but leaves a false impression.
See the recordThis content is embedded for purposes of commentary, criticism, and news reporting. TradWatch is not affiliated with Return to Tradition. Views quoted are those of the speaker.
Context
The episode’s other reports, on the Knoxville and St Paul–Minneapolis dioceses and the Pittsburgh statement, are attributed to LifeSiteNews and to posts on X; they are not checked here.
On statement 1 · Anthony Stine
He argues that if an Orthodox liturgy can fulfil the obligation, a traditional Latin Mass offered by a priest in good standing should too.
The record
What the sources show, statement by statement.
Verifiable factcan be checked against the sources cited.TradWatch analysisis our interpretation, clearly labelled.Statement 1 · Anthony Stine
The Church allows attendance at an Eastern Orthodox liturgy to fulfil the Sunday obligation in some circumstances.
Verifiable fact A 1967 permission, since replaced
The Holy See’s 1967 Ecumenical Directory allowed Catholics occasionally to fulfil the obligation at an Eastern non-Catholic liturgy. The 1993 Directory that replaced it says Catholics “are obliged to attend Mass” on Sundays and that “even when Catholics participate in … services of other Churches and ecclesial Communities, the obligation of participating at Mass on these days remains” (n. 115, quoted by Jimmy Akin).
Source
- 2
Other
quotes Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism (1993), n. 115
Orthodox Liturgies & Sunday Obligation
Jimmy Akin · March 1, 2005
- 2
Verifiable fact What the Code says
Canon 1248 §1 says the obligation is satisfied by assisting at “a Mass celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite” (Code of Canon Law). Liturgist Fr Edward McNamara notes that some canonists hold this wording ended the older permission (EWTN).
TradWatch analysis The canon also bears on his wider question
The same canon’s wording, “anywhere in a Catholic rite”, is the text those who question the Pittsburgh statement can cite, and whether a bishop can declare that a valid Catholic Mass does not satisfy it is a fair question of law. The comparison with Orthodox liturgies does not help that case, because the permission it relies on is no longer in force.
Source
- 3
Official Church source
CIC can. 1248 §1
Code of Canon Law, cann. 1244–1253
Holy See (vatican.va) · January 25, 1983
- 3
Bottom line
The Orthodox-liturgy permission Return to Tradition cites dates from 1967 and was replaced: the 1993 Directory says the obligation to attend Mass remains. Canon 1248 refers to Mass “in a Catholic rite”, which is the stronger ground for his question about the Pittsburgh statement.
The original
This content is embedded for purposes of commentary, criticism, and news reporting. TradWatch is not affiliated with Return to Tradition. Views quoted are those of the speaker.
Open on YouTubeSources
- 1.Primary sourceCited in statement 1
Another Priest Joins The SSPX As Fallout Over Secret TLM Rocks The Church
Return to Tradition · October 13, 2026
podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/anthony-stine/episodes/Another-Priest-Joins-The…
- 2.OtherCited in statement 1
quotes Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism (1993), n. 115 — Orthodox Liturgies & Sunday Obligation
Jimmy Akin · March 1, 2005
- 3.Official Church sourceCited in statement 1
CIC can. 1248 §1 — Code of Canon Law, cann. 1244–1253
Holy See (vatican.va) · January 25, 1983
vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib4-cann1244-1253_en.h…
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