This is the way to go and it is of commonsense! And it fulfills Vatican II and Pope Benedict’s expressed desire that one new Roman Missal flow from the usage of both the old and the new!
What Dom Kemlin does not address is the elephant in the room afflicting the Bugnini Mass. Bishops are forbidding its celebration ad orientem and kneeling at a kneeler or altar railing. While those attached to the Ancient Missal would have to compromise on some things, so too, should those attached to the Bugnini Missal—for them the norm of kneeling for Holy Communion should be made the norm with standing as an option and ad orientem could be accomplished by the traditional altar set-up even when facing the congregation or truly ad orientem. The return to older altars should be made explicit.
As well, the current Roman Calendar needs some adjustments as the Ordinariate’s Calendar already has, such as ember days, the season of Septuagesima and Passiontide. In this context even the modern lectionary needs some tweaking to accommodate Passion Sunday, within the context of Passiontide, as well as Septuagesima!
With these codicils, I endorse this 100%!!!!!
This is copied by way of Google Translation from InfoCatolic;
DOM KEMLIN CALLS FOR EVERY SENSIBILITY TO "TAKE A STEP TOWARD THE OTHER"
One Single Missal, Two Ordinaries: The Formula the Abbot of Solesmes Proposes to the Pope for Liturgical Peace
The Abbot of Solesmes has written to Pope Leo XIV to propose an unprecedented solution to the liturgical war: inserting the old Ordinary of the Mass into the current Roman Missal, so that both forms may coexist within a single book.
(RFC/InfoCatólica) The Abbot of Solesmes, Dom Geoffroy Kemlin, has sent a letter to Pope Leo XIV in which he proposes integrating the old *Ordo Missae* into the current Roman Missal as a means to put an end to the liturgical divisions that have afflicted the Church since the Second Vatican Council.
The initiative—born following a personal meeting with the Pontiff in Rome—seeks to allow both forms of the Latin Rite to coexist within a single missal, thereby avoiding the continued existence of separate liturgical books which, in the Abbot's view, fuels the rift among the faithful.
A Meeting in Rome as the Catalyst
The letter, dated November 12, 2025, was written just days after Dom Kemlin concelebrated with Pope Leo XIV at the Abbey of Sant'Anselmo—the Benedictine headquarters in Rome—on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the dedication of its church. Upon being introduced as the Abbot of Solesmes, the Pontiff exclaimed, "Ah! Solesmes!"—indicating his familiarity with the abbey. That gesture encouraged the monk to address the Pope with a reflection that, in his own words, he had "carried in his heart for a long time." Dom Kemlin presides over the Benedictine Congregation of Solesmes, which encompasses monasteries that celebrate according to both forms of the Roman Rite: Fontgombault Abbey and its foundations maintain the old missal, while Solesmes adopted the post-conciliar reform, retaining Latin and Gregorian chant. "I have experienced this issue in a very personal, very intimate way," the abbot confessed in an interview with RCF. "When I see divisions over this subject, I suffer. The liturgy is intended to foster unity within the Church, not to divide us."
The Proposal: A Single Missal with Two Ordinaries
The solution proposed by Dom Kemlin consists of incorporating the *Vetus Ordo* (the Ordinary of the Mass predating the Second Vatican Council) into the current *Missale Romanum*, while leaving the *Novus Ordo* of Paul VI intact. In this way, both Ordinaries would form part of a single Roman Missal, featuring a unified liturgical calendar. A priest could then opt to use elements from the old rite—such as the prayers at the foot of the altar or the traditional Offertory—without stepping outside the framework of the current missal.
The abbot emphasizes that this proposal is "inclusive" and would require concessions from both sides. The old rite, too, would be enriched: it would be opened up to the use of the vernacular for those who desire it, to concelebration, to the new Eucharistic Prayers, and—above all—to the post-conciliar lectionary, which is "much richer than the old one," thereby providing "a genuine biblical enrichment for the faithful."
Dom Kemlin expressly rules out the approach of merely tweaking Paul VI’s missal to bring it closer to the old one, arguing that such a move "would displease everyone" and run the risk of ending up "not with two missals, but with three." Spiritual Roots, Not Ideological Ones
One of the central points of the letter is the recognition that the majority of the faithful attached to the ancient rite do not act out of ideological motivations, but rather because they "experience within it a strong and authentic spiritual experience that they are unable to find in the new missal." The Abbot invites us to interpret this fact "as a sign of the Spirit" and to approach it "with clear-sightedness."
Dom Kemlin goes further, asserting that the two ordinaries "present notable differences in liturgical 'unction'—in the ways of entering into prayer—and underpin different anthropologies." This observation, far from weakening his proposal, actually grounds it: precisely because the divergence is profound, merely tweaking one of the rites is insufficient; rather, it is necessary to embrace both within a common framework.
Between the Heritage of Solesmes and the Legacy of Benedict XVI
The Abbot frames his initiative within the tradition of Dom Guéranger—the restorer of Benedictine life at Solesmes in the 19th century and the architect behind the return of French dioceses to the Roman Rite. "Following in his footsteps, I have written to the Holy Father," he explains.
Regarding Benedict XVI’s *motu proprio Summorum Pontificum* (2007), Dom Kemlin points out an essential difference: that document permitted the use of the old missal alongside the new one—an approach that "did not diminish the differences." His proposal, conversely, would integrate both *ordinaries* into a single liturgical book. Furthermore, regarding *Traditionis custodes*—promulgated by Pope Francis in 2021 to restrict the use of the earlier rite—the Abbot maintains that his initiative does not contradict it, given that Francis sought precisely to put an end to divisions.
A Monastic Model Exportable to the Entire Church?
Dom Kemlin acknowledges that peaceful coexistence is already a reality within his own congregation: when the Abbots of Fontgombault or Triors visit Solesmes, they celebrate according to the conciliar missal; he, in turn, does the same—using the old rite—when visiting those monasteries. "This unity already exists in *germine* within our congregation. We must share this grace so that it may become a grace for the entire Church," he affirms.
Nevertheless, some observers point out that the letter itself admits to "anthropological" differences between the two forms. This raises the question of whether a unity founded upon the coexistence of two *ordinaries*—each resting on distinct underlying premises—can truly be stable, or whether it might instead serve to make even more visible the very fracture it seeks to heal.
The letter concludes on a note of humility: the Abbot asks for forgiveness for the "boldness" of his initiative and reaffirms Solesmes’ fidelity to the Holy Father. "The aim is not to impose a solution, but rather to propose a path for reflection in order to contribute to healing the liturgical divisions that wound our Mother, the Holy Church."
Letter
PAX ABBEY OF SAINT PETER OF SOLESMES
November 12, 2025
Most Holy Father,
In my capacity as Abbot of Solesmes and President of the Benedictine Congregation of Solesmes, I take the liberty of writing to You to respectfully share some reflections, with the aim of bringing an end to the liturgical strife that is troubling the faithful in France—but also in the United States, England, Germany, and elsewhere.
Dom Guéranger, the restorer of Solesmes in the 19th century, was one of the principal architects of the return of the dioceses of France to the Roman liturgy. Through his work of restoring monastic life—but also through his various writings—he gave rise, in a sense, to the Liturgical Movement, which led to the Constitution *Sacrosanctum Concilium* of the Second Vatican Council and the liturgical reform that followed it. This reform was, therefore, received with gratitude at Solesmes. It was put into practice there without hesitation, yet with the care to remain rooted in tradition—particularly by preserving the use of Latin and Gregorian chant.
Other monasteries within our Congregation—specifically the Abbey of Fontgombault and its subsequent foundations—chose to resume the use of the old Missal, with certain adaptations. This difference in orientation was, initially, a source of tension within our Congregation. However, little by little, we have learned to respect—and even to appreciate—the diverse choices made by one another.
With the aim of getting to know one another better and fostering mutual understanding, we have established a "Commission for Liturgical Unity" within the Congregation, which meets every two months. We have decided to expand our upcoming meeting by inviting representatives of the Augustinian tradition. […]
Most Holy Father, it is often said that those attached to the old rite instrumentalize the Mass, using it as a banner of identity. If, indeed, such behaviors exist, they are far from being the norm. As a fervent advocate of the Rite of Paul VI, I can only attest that the majority of those attached to the old rite are so because they experience within it a strong and authentic spiritual life—one they are unable to find in the new missal. I believe the time has come—if we are to work toward a true return to unity—to acknowledge this with clear-sightedness and to interpret it as a sign of the Spirit. It is, I believe, solely within the *Ordo Missae* of the Missal of Paul VI that those attached to the old rite fail to recognize themselves.
It is, in fact, indisputable that the two *Ordines* (that of Saint Paul VI and that of Saint Pius V) exhibit notable differences regarding liturgical "unction" and the modes of entering into prayer; moreover, they embody distinct anthropologies. For this reason, I do not believe we will succeed in persuading those attached to the *Vetus* to freely embrace the *Novus Ordo*. Consequently, "tweaking" the Missal of Paul VI in one way or another strikes me as inevitable if we are to regain the path toward unity.
One solution, advocated by some, would consist of tweaking the *Ordo Missae* of the Paul VI Missal to make it more similar to the old *Ordo Missae*. I do not believe that is a good solution. In fact, it would displease everyone and would do nothing but create new divisions, with the risk of ending up with not two, but three missals.
For this reason, I would respectfully like to suggest another solution which, in my opinion, could achieve the liturgical peace we so deeply desire.
It would consist simply of inserting the old *Ordo Missae* into the *Missale Romanum*—tweaked, where appropriate, only minimally to bring it into conformity with the Second Vatican Council (specifically by opening it, for those who so desire, to the use of the vernacular, to concelebration, and to the four Eucharistic Prayers)—while simultaneously leaving the new *Ordo Missae* unchanged. The two *Ordos Missae* would thus form part of the single *Missale Romanum*. Rather than dividing and rejecting, this solution would allow for the inclusion and welcoming of those faithful attached to the old Missal, without thereby offending or alienating those attached to the new *Ordo*.
This would make it possible to restore liturgical unity, as the entire Latin Church would utilize a single *Missale Romanum*, with a single calendar. I am convinced that the faithful attached to the *Vetus Ordo* would be satisfied with such a solution and would benefit from all the indisputable contributions of the liturgical reform (new prefaces and Eucharistic Prayers, revised prayers, the Sanctoral Cycle, the cycle of readings, etc.); likewise, the faithful attached to the liturgical reform would see no changes affecting them.
I beg your forgiveness for the boldness of writing to you in this manner to offer these suggestions. The Abbey of Solesmes has always been at the service of the Holy See and of the Pope. Since the time of Dom Guéranger, it has consistently been committed to the service of the liturgy and of the unity of the Church. I would simply like to reiterate our readiness to contribute to healing the liturgical divisions that wound our Mother, the Holy Church.
Entrusting this suggestion to your hands, I assure you, Most Holy Father, of my complete dedication and my daily prayer—as well as that of the entire Congregation of Solesmes—for your ministry in the service of the universal Church.
Fr. Geoffroy Kemlin
