Benedict, a quintessential realist, will probably be among the few who understand right away that his ruling is not terribly earth-shattering. Sources close to the pope I have spoken to say his modest ambition is that over time, the old Mass will exert a \u201cgravitational pull\u201d\u009d on the new one, drawing it toward greater sobriety and reverence.<\/p>\n
Perhaps \u201d\u201d although it\u2019s equally possible that traditionally minded Catholics will now have a broader \u201copt out\u201d\u009d clause, making them less likely to pester priests and bishops about what they see as the defects of the new Mass.<\/p>\n
In any event, the real impact of Benedict\u2019s ruling is likely to be measured in small changes over a long arc of time, not in upheavals or revolutions. That reality, however, will do little to lower the rhetorical volume. If only we could convince the activists to slug it out in Latin, leaving the rest of us blissfully oblivious, then we might have something.<\/p>\n