Tridentine rumors (again)

Image from Rorate Caeli

Its been a while since I have posted on the subject of the much rumored and yet to be seen Motu Proprio (MP) that will allegedly liberalize the classical Roman Rite of the Mass. Some will recall the blizzard of rumors circulating in the final weeks before the western Easter last year. And one might also recall the keen disappointment felt by so many when those rumors, yet again failed to produce the MP. I said it then and once or twice since then; it's coming. The only question is when and in what form.

Well once again the rumor mill is in high gear. The Italian Press, always a reliable source of information (/sarcasm off), started things rolling with reports that it would be issued sometime between the 25th and Easter. I dismissed those reports as just more hot air in print for two reasons. First the 25th is a major Feast Day in the Latin Church (as also in the Orthodox). The Pope almost never issues documents on a major feast day that might overshadow it. Secondly the reports in the Italian Press named no sources and did not even really refer to sources. They just cryptically referred to "information." That told me that someone in the religion department had nothing else to write about and decided to throw darts at the calendar again for the latest prediction of a date of publication for the MP. Having said all this one day the Italian Press might actually get it right. But if they do I think there is a 50/50 chance that their prediction will be purely accidental. They have predicted the publication date for the MP inaccurately more times than the Jehovah Witnesses have predicted the end of the world.

We know beyond doubt that a document exists that will to some degree liberalize the classical Roman Rite. This has been confirmed by multiple sources and has been directly discussed in the press by members of the Roman Curia and various bishop's conferences. What the MP will actually say in detail is speculation. And thus far predictions about its date of publication are, as far as I can see, purely rumor. My gut feeling tells me that with the Apostolic Exhortation now out of the way the MP would be the next major item on the agenda. Thus I doubt we are talking about an extremely long wait. But as for the exact date, no authoritative source has yet divulged this. It will come when it comes. I know this is agony for some in the Roman Church. But relax and take a deep breath. The behavior of some of the people out there franticly digging for any scrap of a hint no matter what the source strikes me as almost weird. At the least it's like the person expecting an important call who sits staring at the phone all day as if by sheer will they could make it ring.

This document which will certainly rank among the more important papal documents of the last twenty years is coming. It might come tomorrow, or it might come six months from now. Until it arrives just relax and go see a movie or (if your not Orthodox) buy an ice cream cone and read a good book in the park. But really, try to relax a little. I'm as interested as the next person and yes I do check a couple of sources every day or two to see if there is anything new. But some of the reports being passed around that are being described as "news" or "information" relating to the MP are just silly.