Last Sunday, after the Latin Mass, we had our monthly Sunday Social, where we have a potluck and talk amongst ourselves.
So I heard a lot of speculation about what the Pope would do regarding the TLM. Most of this, I thought, was simply not going to happen. I even said that I didn’t think this would happen and that likely what would happen is that the Pope would give Diocesan bishops control over it.
Not that I think the new Motu Proprio is very prudential. I find it odd when there is dissent in other quarters of the Church that it is usually met with the long game of dialogue and listening together being proposed—kicking the ball down the road.
I joked earlier on Twitter “The new Motu Proprio name is Traditionis custodes. Which means `Throw oil on fire’”
The attitudes the Pope complains about in his letter are real ones. However, I do not believe they are the majority opinions in the TLM Community. I have never personally met someone who rejected VII. Most of the TLM goers I know also attend daily Ordinary Form Masses. Gripes about the implementation of VII, sure. Yes, this is anecdotal evidence from personal experience. However, I am not comfortable with all the attitudes I encounter, along with some beliefs. Some things I hear are just demonstrably false or often have more charitable explanations. In other words, these are people just like the people I meet in all circumstances.
I find the most annoying is that when you get a new bishop, you don’t know what he will do. It would be within his authority to suppress permission in his diocese, not a good situation. Still, if the TLM is suppressed in my diocese when my bishop retires shortly – I am not going to go crazy and rail against him. Sure, I have the option of going to the Ordinariate Mass instead, but even if I didn’t. I would rather be thankful that I still had access to Jesus in Mass regardless. Of course, I would have firm opinions about this, but I would not want to lose my peace.
I also know about myself that I could move in a radical traditionalist trajectory. That is a temptation for me I fight with, although more so before than now. I try to hold myself as a Glad Trad and see the examples of those with more extremists opinions as a warning to where I could head.
