Cardinal Eijk Celebrates First Traditional High Mass, Calls It “Unforgettable”

In new interview, the Primate of the Netherlands explains his decision to learn the TLM and says he looks forward to celebrating it again.

ROME, 25 March 2026 — Dutch Cardinal Willem Eijk has described celebrating his first Pontifical High Mass in the traditional Roman rite as an “impressive and unforgettable experience.”

In an interview published today on the Italian blog Messa in Latino, the 72-year-old Metropolitan Archbishop of Utrecht and Primate of the Netherlands explained why he decided to learn the vetus ordo, said he has received considerable positive feedback after doing so, and noted that his first Pontifical High Mass brought together both regular attendees of the Traditional Latin Mass, including large numbers of young people and families, as well as Catholics more accustomed to the Novus Ordo.

The Pontifical High Mass took place on March 15 at Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church in Oss, Netherlands, a parish of the Diocese of ‘s-Hertogenbosch where the traditional Mass is offered every Sunday. Having recently welcomed the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter into his own archdiocese, Cardinal Eijk said he would also “very much like to celebrate Holy Mass there one day.”

With the liturgy likely to be discussed at the consistory of cardinals convened by Pope Leo XIV on June 27–28—and amid speculation that the Holy Father may consider easing restrictions imposed by Traditionis Custodes—Cardinal Eijk’s perspective is expected to carry significant weight.

Here below is the full interview with Cardinal Eijk (in the English original), published with the kind permission of MiL.

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Interview with Cardinal Willem Eijk

by Fr. Marco Begato for ‘Messa in Latino’

What are the spiritual reasons that have led Your Eminence to support this liturgical event?

Since the first Sunday of Advent, the Archdiocese of Utrecht has been home to a community of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter. The community has purchased a church that had been relinquished by one of the archdiocese’s parishes due to a lack of active parishioners and financial resources. I am very pleased that this church will therefore remain a Roman Catholic church. The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter celebrates the liturgy according to the extraordinary form, the Tridentine Rite. I would very much like to celebrate Holy Mass there one day. A few years ago, the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter invited me to confer a diaconate ordination at their seminary in Wigrazbad (Bavaria). At the time, I had to decline this invitation because I was not familiar with the Tridentine Rite. That is why, at the beginning of this year, during a short stay at a monastery of the Institute of Christ the King and High Priest in Germany, I learnt how the Holy Mass is celebrated according to the Tridentine Rite. There, I learnt only the Low Mass of a prelate.

The Eucharistic celebration at the Grote Kerk in Oss was my first Pontifical Holy Mass in the extraordinary form. Fortunately, there is a team of priests there, along with a master of ceremonies and a group of acolytes and altar servers who are familiar with this rite, which made it a truly beautiful ceremony. I found it a very impressive and unforgettable experience. The church was filled with people praying devoutly. Most were young, and there were also many families. There was widespread recourse to the sacrament of penance and reconciliation (confession). The Tridentine Rite is very solemn and offers many moments of silence, thereby providing ample opportunity for personal prayer. The priest celebrates the Eucharist, not as is often claimed ‘with his back to the people’, but facing the altar and thus Christ. This helps those present to consciously turn towards Christ as well.

Was the idea and organization of this ceremony discussed with other priests in the diocese? Or was it simply Your Eminence’s decision?

There is a small group of priests in the Diocese of Den Bosch who celebrate the Tridentine Mass in Oss. These priests were present in any case. Furthermore, there were priests who had come of their own accord: the person responsible for the Tridentine liturgy in the Diocese of Paderborn, who had learnt via a website announcement that I would be celebrating Holy Mass according to the Tridentine rite in Oss; two brothers of St John, who both celebrate Tridentine Masses in one of the churches in the city of Utrecht; and a number of religious priests. Furthermore, there were three priests in the church from whom one could receive the sacrament of penance and reconciliation.

What was the reaction of the faithful? Was there a spiritual interest in this celebration? Did this Mass involve Christians in general or just traditionalist groups?

Those who attended the Eucharistic celebration are very grateful and delighted that I celebrated it according to the Tridentine Rite. I have also received positive feedback by post and via email. We can safely say that there was considerable spiritual interest in this celebration, as evidenced by the large number of attendees, including Germans and Belgians. Among those present were some who always attend a Tridentine Mass, but also Catholics who usually take part in Eucharistic celebrations according to the Novus Ordo.

Was there any interesting reaction from the atheist section of society? Could this Mass have stirred their religious interest?

I have not noticed any sign of interest in this Eucharistic celebration from the atheist section of society. Over the last five years or so, we have seen an increasing number of young people joining the Church each year, or young Catholics who were baptised as children but not raised in a religious household, and who later – usually via social media – come to know the Catholic faith and then embrace it. It is striking that a not inconsiderable number of them find their way to Christ and his Church through the Tridentine liturgy.

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(Photo credit: Roman Mangold)

(Photo credit: Roman Mangold)