Thursday, February 17, 2011

Clarification confusion

Rorate Caeli reports some alarming rumours about a new document being prepared in Rome as a supplement to the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum. This document, a 'clarification', has been flagged up ever since SP came out in 2007.

There are rumours it will be really bad, for those who love the Traditional Mass. It is impossible even to speculate on how this might effect things, however, without seeing the precise wording. It hardly seems possible that a second document could seriously derail the SP, given how SP is worded, but then odd things do happen. And then there are counter-rumours.

I wish I could shed some useful light on all this but I can't. I heartily endorse Fr John Zuhlsdorf's response, however, which I paste in below. And I trust the Abbot of Farnbrough won't mind mind my using this image, which sums up my own feelings, from St Michael's Abbey Press: The Cross stands, while the world turns.

Many people have written to me asking about the rumors that the upcoming Instruction about Summorum Pontificum and asking if the Instruction will undermine the Holy Father’s provisions. I wrote about this Instruction here, and there was considerable discussion about it at that time, toward the end of January.

First, I am not at liberty at the moment to talk about it too much yet. Second, I am thinking and digging. There may be something to the rumors. Or, this may be a fluctus in simpulo.

With that in mind, I will say this, and I think you readers ought to take this to heart.

No matter what I might add to this discussion in the near future, this will be the most important thing I have to contribute.

I warmly invite other Catholic bloggers interested in Summorum Pontificum to pick this up.

If you are concerned about what might happen to Summorum Pontificum, pray and fast. Don’t whine. Don’t panic. Don’t fret. Don’t behave like a suddenly headless chicken.

Do what a committed Catholic warrior would do for a cause that is dear.

  • Go to church and spend time before the Blessed Sacrament every day until this resolves one way or another.
  • Ask Jesus to either stop the Instruction or to make Summorum Pontificum even better.
  • Pray the Rosary for the Holy Father.
  • Ask our Blessed Mother to move the Holy Father to keep Summorum Pontificum strong, to make it even stronger.
  • Pray to the Holy Father’s guardian angels constantly during the day asking them to strengthen him and to weaken his many enemies, some of them very close to him.
  • Fast and offer your hunger – real hunger, don’t fool around if you are going to do this - for the Holy Father’s well-being and firm resolve.

Be prudent about fasting, of course, especially if others rely on you and you have health concerns. But if you are young and healthy, fast.Don’t whine. Don’t fret. Pray and fast. There may be more to do, but start with that. Before you do anything else, start praying and fasting.

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