Saturday, March 24, 2007

More news stories on the MP

While some, as came out here recently, are frustrated with speculative discussion and reports on the Motu Proprio, there is indeed genuine value and interest in documenting these, not only from more traditional authors and sources (let alone Curial sources) but particularly from the progressivist sources.

Let's be clear, I'm not suggesting the progressivists have any further "in" to the Pope's intentions than anyone else. Where interest lay in their reporting is that they cannot be accused of "wishful thinking" as they aren't likely to be terribly enthusiastic about the prospect of the MP. At best they might be apathetic.

Let's be even further clear: nothing further is truly and certainly known at this point than it was one month ago or one year ago. So why report? Well, it must be remembered that there are also folks who do not even accept that this MP will be published. They are determined to believe it either never existed, or it was long since abandoned by the Pope. As such, these stories do contain an important bit of affirmation: namely that a variety of sources, from a variety of perspectives across the ecclesiological specturm, know of the MP, and all believe it will be published, and possibly quite soon.

The value of these reports, which may give us no further, or definitive "facts" should at very least help to give people not only hope, but a sense joyful anticipation.

In that vein, Rorate Caeli documented for the record the following story from a journal they describe as a progressive French journal -- the journal is named "Golias". I can't comment upon the journal myself or where it falls in the spectrum, but it is hopefully re-assuring for those who worry about the Motu Proprio somehow being "scuttled" that even more progressive sources seem resigned not only to its existence but its eventual (and possibly imminent) release.

Here is the story in translation provided by Rorate Caeli and here is the link to the original March 23rd Editorial by Golias. It contains an interesting bit of speculation on their part about the January promulgation date that we heard about around Christmas.

The Motu Proprio on the Latin Mass soon available

....

Our information concerning the imminent publication of the motu proprio which would allow for a much wider use of the pre-Conciliar rite make us believe that it could take place before Easter.The document will be published before the end of Lent: [or, rather,] in any event, Pope Benedict would be determined [to have it published].
...
This "motu proprio" should have appeared at the end of January. The opposition of a certain number of prelates was what prompted Benedict XVI to be patient. Among the opponents to this "motu proprio", Cardinals Karl Lehmann, Jean-Pierre Ricard (forced by his brothers of the French episcopate, being himself [personally] quite favorable to it), Jean-Marie Lustiger, Godfreed Danneels, Giovanni Battista Re should be particularly mentioned... The opposition to this project does not follow the usual criteria of conservatism. The archbishop of Paris, André Vingt-Trois, is very hostile to the project itself, though he is counted among the conservatives. Other prelates, such as Angelo Bagnasco, archbishop of Genoa and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, are, on the contrary, favorable to it.
...

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