Don’t look now, but if there’s not a Traditional Latin Mass in your neighborhood yet, your bishop is probably in open rebellion. This, the opinion of the guy touted to be the next head of the CDWDS, the curial department in charge of liturgy. At least until they peel off the musicians to make another department.

The Rorate Caeli blog has a translated interview. Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige doesn’t mince words:

There have been positive reactions and, it is useless to deny it, criticisms and opposition, even from theologians, liturgists, priests, Bishops, and even Cardinals. I frankly do not understand these rifts, and, why not [say it], rebellion towards the Pope. I invite all, particularly the Shepherds, to obey the Pope, who is the Successor of Peter. The Bishops, in particular, have sworn fidelity to the Pontiff: may they be coherent and faithful to their commitment.

Interesting.

We’re talking about a motu proprio, while certainly not something to be easily dismissed or trifled with, it does have something less than the stature of a conciliar document, which, by the way, said this:

The rite of the Mass is to be revised in such a way that the intrinsic nature and purpose of its several parts, as also the connection between them, may be more clearly manifested, and that devout and active participation by the faithful may be more easily achieved.

For this purpose the rites are to be simplified, due care being taken to preserve their substance; elements which, with the passage of time, came to be duplicated, or were added with but little advantage, are now to be discarded; other elements which have suffered injury through accidents of history are now to be restored to the vigor which they had in the days of the holy Fathers, as may seem useful or necessary. (Sacrosanctum Concilium 50)

Let’s review recent church history a bit:

Who got excommunicated: bishops resisting the TLM or the bishops who were consecrated in 1988 so they could say the TLM whenever they wanted, and ordain more guys to do it, too?

Don’t all raise your hands at once on this one. Think about it first.