A couple of websites devoted to the revival and even restoration of the unreformed rite of Mass have recently offered statistical surveys of the number of places where the Tridentine rite is celebrated. The first of them, found here, claims to give figures for thirty countries, including the US and seventeen European countries, and finds a total of 1,444 such places, with this further breakdown:- 340 offer the old rite during the week, and not on Sunday- 313 offer it on Sundays, but irregularly, not every week;- 324 offer it every Sunday, but not between 9:00 and 12:00;- 467 offer it every Sunday between 9:00 and 12:00.In addition to these, 690 places were found where the unreformed rite is celebrated by members of the Priestly Society of St. Piux X, the Lefebvrite group. Adding the figures, one comes to a grand total of 2,134 places, in thirty countries.The other estimate, found here, draws upon Wikkimissa, a site that gives information on where the unreformed rite is celebrated, and claims to provide worldwide figures: The grand totals are these: 875 places where the unreformed rite is celebrated every Sunday, and 732 where it is celebrated less regularly, to which can be added the figures for the Lefebvrite and allied groups: 290 and 92 similarly divided. The total figures, worldwide, are 1,326 regular Sunday Masses, 988 less regular celebrations, 2,314 in all.The figures for the US are: regular Sunday Masses, 306, less regularly, 183, Lefebvrites on Sunday, 72, Lefebvrites less regularly, 22. Grand total:regularly on Sunday, 378, less regularly, 205 .The numbers given by the two surveysdont match, but in either case, it would seem that it is in a very minute number of places that the unreformed rite is being used. I can think of no reason why either of these two efforts would have had any interest in undercounting.By the way, the national episcopates were asked by Pope Benedict to submit a report on the matter three years after the motu proprio went into effect. Does anyone know if the US bishops submitted one, and, if so, whether it is available?

Rev. Joseph A. Komonchak, professor emeritus of the School of Theology and Religious Studies at the Catholic University of America, is a retired priest of the Archdiocese of New York.

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