Father Ephraem weighs in, with his customary good humor, on the possible Papal document:
My take of the available data is that there is, in fact, a document awaiting signing and publication. Perhaps the abolition of Limbo means that there is nowhere suitable for the Curia to put the Old Mass! (Tee hee!) The Vatican seems to have made quasi official prnouncements about it already. Senior hierarchs have reported conversations with Cardinal Hoyos and others. The most senior vaticanisti have been reporting this for a few days now in the Italian media. There is a good summary on Rorate Caeli blogspot including translations of the French and Italian sources. It seems that the forces of darkness have lost the battle to stop its publication or even water it down significantly. Everything points to the settled will of the Pope in this matter. The document will speak, if the sources are to be believed, of one Roman Rite with two expressions. (This reminds me strangely of Communist China's "One Country Two Systems" doctrine about Hong Kong.) The Pauline Rite will be the ordinary Rite, the Pian Rite will be the extraordinary Rite. (One hopes that the extraordinary rite will become as common as extraordinary ministers in the new rite).
Having had the experience of being attended at the altar by the Indolent Server I can testify to just how extraordinary the Old Rite can be! I recall on a famous occasion nearly suffocating on a blistering Adelaide afternoon because the Indolent Server in an uncharacteristic burst of enthusiasm had positioned the thurible stand in front of a conveniently located fan - designed to prevent the priest from melting, but serving equally in this circumstance to asphyxiate him. Even though it was after the communion, lots of good quality incense was piled on the blazing firebox for no especial reason other than devilment. I mean that literally. The words I uttered after Mass were not as some have suggested vulgar swear words, but rather a rarely used form of the exorcism. That is my story I stick to 'im.
I believe that this "Universal Indult" will be a positive step. There will be no overnight stampede by priests to the sacristy to maniple up, but I do think that many priests are impeded by the ill-will of their superiors in this matter, or simply by the desire to avoid the allegation of illegality, however spurious and trumped up. It can only make the celebration of the Old Mass more common with the flow on effects towards the New Rite proportionally greater.
With his gentle permission.
