Motu Proprio coming SOON!

For anyone who hasn't yet heard, the Motu Proprio regarding the celebration of Mass and other sacraments according to the 1962 liturgical books is about to be released publicly. This could come as soon as next Saturday (July 7), according to informed sources.

For those of us who have endured banal liturgies throughout the diocese for years, this is welcome news. The current Latin Mass celebrated at St. Mary's, Muncie, only came about through much prayer and assistance from the Holy See, and was not politely received by our own bishop, William Higi, who fought the implementation of this Mass tooth-and-nail the entire way. Sad, really.

In light of the reality of this upcoming document, I have made the following predictions, at least as to how it will be received here in our own diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana:

1. Bishop Higi will publish a statement regarding the Pope's motu proprio, stating that it is really unnecessary, especially in our diocese. Higi will claim that only a "very small number" of Catholic in our diocese are interested in worshipping according to the traditional liturgies. He will also claim that it is "devisive." I believe he may even comment on his (unwilling) approval of the current traditional Mass at St. Mary's, saying that he has been generous in approving it almost five years ago.

2. Several parish priests will also publish blurbs about the document, saying much of what Bishop Higi will say, in their separate parish bulletins. The vast majority of priests will be against it, and they will make suck-up comments on how the bishop is right, and they always follow his lead. A few handful of priests will comment favorably on the motu proprio, given their own favorable leanings toward tradition and orthodox thought.

3. Comments in some local secular media will focus on absurd beliefs that the old Mass is anti-semitic and against the so-called "spirit of Vatican II." They will march out all of the old dissenters in the Church to prove their point.

4. Strawman arguments will be made by a few about how all traditionalists are neanderthals without any intellectual thought whatsoever. They will speak about the 1% of traditional Catholics who give the movement a bad name as if they represent the vast majority of all tradition-minded Catholics.

5. In the end, nothing will change. Priests who are already opposed to the traditional liturgy will do all in their power to keep it from being celebrated in their parishes, and most orthodox priests who really wouldn't mide celebration the "Tridentine" Mass will be too afraid of enduring the wrath of the bishop if they even think about celebrating it openly in their churches.

Just a little food for thought, as we await in joyful hope the coming of "The Document." For more information on the document, follow these links:

MEETING DISCUSSES "MOTU PROPRIO" ON USE JOHN XXIII'S MISSAL

Pope meets bishops, discusses decision on pre-Vatican II liturgy

The New Liturgical Movement (blog)