On
the letters pages of the latest edition of The
Tablet, a correspondent notes that "There's something for almost
everyone [in today's Catholic Church], what with the Tridentine/Latin Mass cohort,
the ordinariate, and now the proposed Society of St Pius X personal
prelature." She goes on to suggest that other Catholics need to "grab
a label or two if they are to be noticed and survive", and she observes
that "the Vatican II movement... remains curiously, uniquely, unblessed by
Rome."
I
think this is an excellent point, and it links with a suggestion I've often
made to those who are disgruntled with the current Pope's policies – especially
things like his overtures to the Society of St. Pius X or the promulgation of
the new English translation of the Missal. I suggest that all proponents of 'the
spirit of Vatican II' should come together to form the Society of Pope Paul VI.
The English-speaking members of this society would be particularly
distinguished by their insistence on preserving the purity of the 1973 English
translation, and will hold popular Masses using the Missal of Pope Paul VI,
with the congregations defiantly shouting the time-honoured response, "And
also with you!"
Hopefully,
the leader of this Society will be a bishop; because then, in his concern over
Pope Benedict's policy of appointing conservative bishops everywhere, he will unilaterally
consecrate a few bishops who can preserve the spirit of Vatican II, and thus be
promptly excommunicated. The Society will then spend a few decades on the
fringes of the Church, but enjoying a much higher profile than its numbers would
seem to merit.
Eventually,
a more liberal-leaning Pope will welcome the Society of Pope Paul VI back into
the fold, much to the chagrin of mainstream Catholics, who will see this as a
backwards step.
