There is buzz aplenty across the press and the blogspere about the imminent alleged freeing of the Tridentine Rite of the Holy Mass for Roman Catholics.

The Catholic News Services reports: Vatican source says pope to expand use of Tridentine Mass

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI is preparing to expand permission to use the Tridentine Mass, the pre-Vatican II rite favored by traditionalist groups, said an informed Vatican source.

The pope is expected to issue a document “motu proprio,” or on his own initiative, which will address the concerns of “various traditionalists,” said the source, who asked not to be named.

The source said the new permission, or indult, was a papal decision, but was being done in cooperation with agencies of the Roman Curia. He would not elaborate on the extent of the indult, when it would be established or how it would work…

I hope it is true for those who have a love for and a desire for the Rite. I think wider use will benefit the Roman Church in that it will reconnect Rome to its historic patrimony. Hope for more than that at this time is unwarranted.

But, I still have to ask, who will do it?

• The local pastor or associate pastor who had three years of Latin in the minor seminary (that’s a big maybe) and can’t remember a word of it (especially pronunciation)? Even if he can pronounce the words correctly, can he connect the words he is saying with their meaning? Can he connect his intent to the words he’s using?
• The local pastor or associate pastor who has not one iota of an idea of how to properly attire himself (now where did I put those gothic chasubles —“ oh, yeah, I remember I threw them out when we got the rainbow set), follow rubrics, or disconnect himself from the idea of ‘connecting with the people’?
• The local pastor or associate who gets through all this only to have one cadre of parishioners at the throats of another cadre; each calling the bishop’s office to complain? Oh, the bishop will like that so much. That bishop will make a local ‘unwritten’ rule and kill the career of any ‘traditional’ priest who tries this. After all, they tried to get ’em in the seminary —“ and if they did slip through —“ well now is the chance (at least in the U.S.).
• The priest you know from blog such-and-so who received a classical education in Rome (or any other decent seminary), connects to Tradition, and says he will do this? Sure, until his pastor, head of the deanery, or bishop pulls back the reigns because ‘we have to [pick one or more: test the waters, go slow, catechize the people, do a class on rubrics, language, and music, create a local committee to decide where and when…]’

If anyone hopes that this will happen overnight in their local deanery they are sadly mistaken. No books, no training in Latin and the rubrics, no vestments, no training in proper music to accompany the Holy Mass, and altar girls. There is a lot to overcome and it will be a slow slog – again IF this happens.

Hopefully the Tridentine Rite Holy Mass will be available to Roman Catholics who desire it, on the local level, and without a ton of bureaucracy to get there. Hopefully local parishes will implement this. But that is a lot to hope for in the face of a lot of basics that need to be covered first.

I would also consider the danger – some will have their hopes up and run to the local pastor – ‘Oh father, please!’ only to have their hopes dashed. ‘Father, but the Pope said. Well dear he says a lot of things.’

I’m lucky, I have the Traditional Rite in the PNCC, in English, and it has always been there. It’s the pre-1974 beauty I remember from the R.C. parish I grew up in, in a language I can understand.

So to my title, the Tridentine Rite Holy Mass may be made available, but in the U.S. at least, your chance of seeing one won’t be greatly improved (except for tuning in to EWTN). Disintegration happened quickly because rust never sleeps. Repair is done in small steps taken carefully.