I'm sure most bloggers remember the old Disney Cinderella movie, right? I have seen this movie too many times to count because I have two little girls who watch it on a weekly basis. At any rate, I was recently watching this movie with my five year old daughter and we came to the scene when the royal courier comes to the door and announces that the Prince is having a royal ball in which every eligible maiden is commanded to attend. The following scene reminds me of exactly what is being done to the Holy Father's motu proprio Summorum Pontificum right now by many American bishops (including, I should add, the bishop of my own diocese. Click here for an inside scoop of the Bishop of Lansing's take on the MP, and for a look into our diocese in general, click here). Now, a scene from Disney's Cinderella:Courier: By command of the King, every eligible maiden in ordered to attend a royal ball in the Prince's honor tonite.
Cinderella: Why, that means I can go to the ball, too! After all, he did say "every eligible maiden!"
Wicked Stepmother: Why, yes Cinderella you may go; you are part of the family. That is, you may go if you finish all of your chores and find something suitable to wear.
Cinderella: Oh! Thank you, stepmother! (Runs out excitedly to prepare her dress for the evening)
Wicked Stepsisters: (Indignant) Mother! How could you let her go? Do you realize what you just said?
Wicked Stepmother: (chuckling with sinister smile) Yes. I said "if."
Wicked Stepsisters: (smiling evily) Oh! "If!" (cackling fiendishly)
Gus-Gus and Mice: Poor Cinderelli; they not let her go to the ball. They'll fix her; you'll see.
Okay, now let's change some of the names around and see how this applies to the motu proprio:
Pope Benedict: By the command of myself, the Pope, every priest is to be enabled to say the Mass according to the Missal of 1962.
Traditionalist Priest: Why, that means I can say the TLM, too! After all, it did says "every priest."
Bishop: Of course you may say the TLM, Father. That is, if you are competent in Latin and the old liturgical rubrics and can find a stable group of the faithful.
Traditionalist Priest: Oh! Thank you, Your Excellency! (Runs out ot get on Coalition Ecclesia Dei website to order all the TLM supplies)
Diocesan Liturgist: (very angry) Your Excellency! How could you tell him he could do that? This will undermine Vatican II! Do you realize what you just said?
Bishop: (sinister smile) Yes. I said, "if."
Diocesan Liturgist: (smiling fiendishly) Oh. "If." Right.
Traditionalist Laity: Poor Father. He won't get to say the TLM. They'll fix him. You'll see.
What do you think? Is this a valid comparison?
4 comments:
I don't know whether to laugh or to cry.
It is accurate though, is it not?
I don't think EVERY bishop that's talked about reviewing priests for competence is necessarily trying to stifle the old Mass. It seems uncharitable to read that into every episcopal statement. Some it's hard not to (like the infamous "who?"), but in general we should assume the bishops know their places. As I've said before, do you really think Mahoney knows enough about the old Mass to stump priests? And anyway, Mengeling hasn't threatened anything like that, he seems to just be saying he won't grant any more indults. Past September 14th, he doesn't need to. Anyway, I haven't seen the actual letter.
-Gavin
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