A few days ago we referred to Fr. J. Scott Newman's post, “And how would you like your Mass today? 1970 or 1962?” (Random Thoughts, July 10, 2007), in connection with our discussion of "Mershon's response to Fr. J. Scott Newman" (Musings, August 19, 2007). As is typical of Fr. Newman, it is consummately witty and clever ("Hi, I'm Bob, and I'll be your Presider today") and insightful in terms of the political winds within the Catholic world. However, there is one thing about the piece in particular that raises a question for me. Fr. Newman asks: "Will Summorum Pontificum be DOA [dead on arrival] in the same way as Veterum Sapientia [Pope John XXIII's Apostolic Constitution mandating the teaching and preservation of Latin in the Church]?" -- and he answers: "I honestly don’t know, and to tell the truth, I don’t much care one way or the other."
My question concerns this dismissive nonchalance toward a pope's decree. I am nothing more than a simple pew peasant -- to borrow a wonderful locution from Grega, one of my readers -- but I wonder whether such indifference toward a Pope’s Apostolic Letter and the question of whether or not it will have any effect in the Church would not be a trifle inappropriate for any Catholic, let alone a priest. Shouldn’t Catholics, who are taught to pray for the intentions of the Holy Father (sometimes with the added incentive of indulgences, pace Luther), be solicitous of their fulfillment? Shouldn't they be concerned with trying to understand the intentions that animated the Holy Father's Apostolic Letter and with assisting the Pope as far as possible in realizing these intentions? Note that I am not here questioning Fr. Newman's sincere interest in supporting the Pope's initiative in any way he can, any more than I am questioning the accuracy of his liturgical forcasts. I am simply noting a question that arose in my mind as I read his post from the impression it conveyed.
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