And the News gets Better :)

[Taken from WDTPRS]

There is an interesting piece on Petrus.

My translation and emphases.

Mass in Latin, a "Petrus" exclusice – Msgr. Perl of the [Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei" speaks up: "Too many disobedient bishops and priests, a clarification on the Pope’s Motu Proprio under consideration

by Bruno Volpe

CITTA’ DEL VATICANO - "It is true, we are drafting an instruction-document on the correct interpretation of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, which derestricted the Mass according to the liturgical books of St. Pius V as they were modified by Bl. John XXIII." So did Msgr. Camille Perl, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei" affirm in an exclusive interview with Petrus. He added, "Even though it is not a Congregation, we have received the faculty to prepare this document to define some aspects of the papal Motu Proprio among which, for example, the meaning of "stable group" (gruppo stabile). We have therefore to clear up what is meant by "stable group", precisely how many people have to ask their own parish priest (parroco) to celebrate Mass with the pre-Conciliar rite."

Q: Msgr. Peter, is this instruction needed because of various protests raised by bishops and priests who are contrary to the new norms concerning access to Mass with the Tridentine rite?

"The situation is in the plain sight of everyone. In any event, after the Pope’s Motu Proprio it was reasonable to foresee opposing reactions. Some people showed enthusiasm, others not. Still, it would be enough to consider that the Pope’s Motu Proprio didn’t fall out of the sky, but is the fruit of a long process."

Q: So why do some bishops and many priests not accept it?

You’d have to ask them. Personally, I believe that the problem is of a more general nature. Today, in many spheres of society, the sense of obedience and respect of authority has been lost. Few truly are, so to say, able to obey."

Q: So the Tridentine rite of St. Pius V, characterized by liturgical beauty and spirituality, was never abolished by the Church…

Absolutely not. The Second Vatican Council never canceled out the previous Missal. I hold that Pope Benedict XVI has done well to derestrict it, thus underscoring the value of a patrimony, a jewel of the Church. I don’t want to make comparisons between the Mass of Pope Paul VI and the previous Mass, for that wouldn’t be right. But historically is it not well-advised blot out the value of tradition."

Q: Regarding liturgical abuses, defined as "at the edge of the bearable" by Benedict XVI himself in the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, there are always more…

"You’re telling me!" And no one manages to eliminate them, precisely because, as I was saying, there no longer exists a sense of respect for authority. The liturgy cannot be imposed, but it seems right to affirm that after the Second Vatican Council, and by this I obviously don’t mean to give out any opinion of condemnation, the Mass sometimes was transformed into something emotional, as if its true worth as sacrifice and gift was put aside. It was thought that the new might be better, that the new is always better. This happens also in daily life… new shoes are thought to be better than the old ones…".

Q: Finally, a clarification: The faithful in communion with the Pope and the Church of Rome can assist at Masses of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X or do they incur an excommunication?

"Those who assist at a Mass of the SSPX are absolutely not excommunicated. The liturgy is valid, even if they are considered schismatic. Moreover, the liturgy of the Orthodox is also valid for Catholics."

In a way, the interviewer wasted his precious questions on things that we already know.

About that last point: Msgr. Perl is not saying something in contrast to the Cardinal President of the Commission. He is just saying that even if the SSPXers were schismatic (he isn’t saying they are) Catholics would still be able to go to a Mass without incurring the censure.

Still, the golden nuggets in this interview are these:

• the Commission is considering interpretive guidelines for Summorum Pontificum
• the Commission has competence to issue such guidelines
• that competence supersedes that of individual diocesan bishops
• the Commission interprets the Motu Proprio
• the Commission is very aware of those who are opposing the Motu Proprio ("in plain sight")
  
  

And on the level of Msgr. Perl’s opinion:

• in this day and age few people are capable of true obedience
• many bishops and priests speaking and acting against the Pope’s provisions are showing disobedience
• just because something is newer it is not therefore better

I have known Msgr. Perl well since 1989.

He is a very good man for this position in these times.

I am glad he is speaking his mind about these issues.