They are a hindrance that one must get rid of as soon as possible.
There are some details in the document that cause expressions of incredulity. For example, it says: "Moreover, this celebration [referring to the traditional Mass] should not be included in the parish Mass schedule, since only the faithful who are part of the group participate in it. Finally, it should not coincide with the pastoral activities of the parish community." A documented discrimination, lest the "normal" faithful catch the traditionalist virus. The faithful of this "group" must remain isolated and shielded, avoiding any contact with the normal people. And I recall that, just five days ago, the Vatican apologized for having caused pain to the LGBT community for removing from its official page a link to a site of that "group" that defends the rights of homosexuals. The poor things had felt discriminated against. I wonder if the cardinals of the Curia or Pope Francis do not perceive the pain they cause to the Catholic faithful who prefer the traditional liturgy and who also feel discriminated against by provisions such as these. We do not expect a public apology as the LGBT did; much less do we expect them to include links to traditionalist sites on the Vatican's official website. We are content if they will not persecute us and let us continue to exist.
Regarding the document itself, unfortunately it will not affect the faithful of Spain or Hispanic America too much, since, in this portion of the globe, these cruelties had already been perpetrated by the bishops many years ago. It will not be very noticeable. The damage could be notable and considerable in France, Great Britain, and the United States, where the traditionalist movement is strong and has many years of history. The question is to see how far it will be obeyed. So much chatter about synodality may give the bishops arguments to put their foot down or to pretend to be distracted. Many of them sincerely appreciate the traditionalist faithful and their priests, and know that they are not contagious or harmful, but custodians of the Catholic faith. If they are sincere and act out of an eagerness to shepherd the sheep entrusted to them, it is likely that these provisions will be heeded but not obeyed. And let Bishop Roche send the Vatican gendarmerie to enforce them.
According to Fr. Claude Barthe, the most serious and complex problem will be in the seminaries of the Ecclesia Dei religious communities, since the document explicitly forbids the use of the Pontificale Romanum prior to the liturgical reform. That is, it forbids conferring the sacraments of confirmation and holy orders according to the traditional rite. And the many seminarians who fill those seminaries are there because they wish to be ordained with that rite, and then wish to celebrate it. Banning the traditional Pontificale Romanum is a shot in the heart of these communities (rumor has it that other shots will be fired in February). Considering this, Fr. Barthe insists that the duty is to resist an unjust law. And I agree. It will be those in charge of these institutes who, advised by those in the know, will begin the resistance in the way that can be most effective.
Some final thoughts:
1. The situation today is certainly much worse than it was a year ago. But it is much better than what we had for decades under the pontificates of Paul VI and John Paul II. It is worth bearing this in mind.
2. In my opinion, the fundamentalists of Vatican II -- like Bishop Viola, secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and executioner of all these evils, together with his advisor Andrea Grillo -- woke up too late. The traditionalist movement is too numerous to be dispersed by force of documents and the bishops have had many years to see the fruits of the traditional liturgy in their faithful.
3. This document only fuels the fire. The pax liturgica that Pope Benedict had achieved has been broken, and there will be war. And war causes damage, serious damage in many cases, and no bishop with Catholic faith will want bloody wars in his dioceses. We will have to bear the rain and hope that Bergoglio dies as soon as possible. I am hopeful that his successor, whoever he may be, will return to the pax Benedictina, if not out of conviction, at least so as not to see his pontificate stained with blood.
4. When, a few days ago, Cardinal Burke announced with great fanfare that his return to public life would be with a series of pontifical Masses and traditional ceremonies, it caught my attention. The oven was not ready for hot buns, and yet he dared to speak and act according to his conscience. A man who saw the face of death and who was about to cross the Lethe, is no longer the same (I say this, but I have not had the experience. And I know several who had it, and remained as bad and sinful as before.) But maybe the cardinal will dare to stand up and, for example, celebrate a priestly ordination following the traditional Pontificale. What could happen? Would Bergoglio, the king of mercies, dare to do so? The same one who granted permission to the priests of the FSSPX to celebrate the sacraments of marriage and penance according to the traditional ritual, would he suspend a cardinal of Santa Romana Chiesa for an analogous act? What would happen if such a thing happened? It would create a new Lefebvre, and that does not suit anyone, least of all him.
