Folks are speculating that B16 will soon allow the former rite of Mass to be celebrated by priests of the Latin rite without special permission from their bishops.
In fact, folks have been speculating that for a while since Pre-16 was open in stating that he thought greater permission should be given for this.
What’s new is that Cambridge professor Eamonn Duffy has been speculating the same thing, in public, and with the addition of a timetable:
In remarks to the National Conference of Priests of Ireland, Eamonn Duffy said that he thought the Pope would make the policy change in October, during the meeting of the Synod of Bishops. The topic for Synod discussions is the Eucharist.
I wonder if the good professor is being overly optimistic. I fully expect that B16 will make sure that the subject is discussed during the Synod, but I don’t know that he’s prepared to simply make the decision at this point if there is strong opposition to the proposal, much less do I think it’ll be announced during the Synod. That’ll take a while even if he carries through on the plan.
If he does, it could help facilitate a healing with the schismatic SSPX, which might then schism itself, with part coming back to the Church and part not.
Or so one might suppose from the comments of jerkboyrogue Bishop Richard Williamson, who’s already out spinning the issue.
Unfortunately, Bishop Williams seems to have found schism too comfortable a place to be and worries about a loss of prestige if he comes back home.
Pride causes more problems in this world than anything else.
What I would like is a clarification of which liturgical calendar must be followed in parishes which use the old Mass.
Unfortunately, Bishop Williams seems to have found schism too comfortable a place to be and worries about a loss of prestige if he comes back home.
Was he ever home? I thought he was an Anglican convert to the SSPX (though I may be wrong about that).
Mmmm…. Universal indult? I could deal with that. Now how to encourage the priests to learn it and do it.
Everything was fine until I came to “jerkboy” and started laughing. I don’t think I’ve ever heard that one before, not even on the proverbial playground.
“Everything was fine until I came to “jerkboy” and started laughing.”
Jimmy has been reading too much Jeff Miller!
Jerkboy: “I am 2 plus 2 equals 4.”
“You are 2 plus 2 equals 5.”
“Therefore, you are wrong.”
Hard to argue with that logic. But if we take a vote on it, I think us five have the numbers to win.