Those hoping for a white horse over various liturgical practices (e.g. abuses), may be saddened by recent comments of the Pope's "chief liturgist" which indicate that the Holy Father will offer "suggestions" rather than formal papal directives. It was suggested that "the culture of the church should be shaped before implementing legislation", but one might rightly ask: Can't you shape the Church's culture faster with legislation? A good father should set down appropriate rules to provide a proper framework, should he not? Once a child goes outside those bounds, there should be correction not mere "suggestion". Otherwise, who is really in charge?
In fact, recent Church history shows that certain papal directives (e.g. Summorum Pontificum) are already met with resistance. How much more so if the Pope puts forth mere "suggestions"? Did St. Peter or St. Paul offer mere "suggestions", especially in the face of a crisis? No, they offered clear directives, as any good leader should. Otherwise, what is the point of having leadership at all if everyone is ultimately free to do as they wish?
Besides, the corrections themselves are a "no-brainer" - they better serve God and are good for the well-being of the laity. So what if they ruffle the feathers of some liberal bishops or misguided laity? Those who don't like the (long overdue) corrections may be the very same people who caused much of the situation the first place due to their disobedience. Why must the rest of the Church continue suffering due to lack of appropriate formal directives on these matters?
Unfortunately, the papal liturgist also spoke of supposed "mutual enrichment" of the so-called "two forms of the Roman rite" and claimed that both forms now "look upon one another with great serenity." Not sure where he got that idea, but in any event, please don't "enrich" the TLM by the NO! It seems providential that the TLM was protected from such "enrichment" for the last four decades and certainly doesn't need such "enrichment" now, especially by a rite which has resulted in about 70% of Catholics no longer believing in the Real Presence - a main tenet of the Catholic faith, and one with serious consequences...
"For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself." (St. Paul, 1 Cor. 11:29)
Related: The Traditional Latin ('Tridentine') Mass vs. the New (Novus Ordo) Mass
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