St. Blog's is burgeoning with posts about the finally-released motu propio of Benedict XVI re: the wider use of the old form of the Roman rite liturgy. I've read the document and the explanatory text, and it seems to me a positive step in the liturgical reform. Commenting about it at this point seems, well, pretty derivative. But I thought I'd provide a roundup of the commentary I've seen that seems most balanced and helpful.

Fr. Z provides some context to the motu proprio, and Fr. Jim Tucker has some good links, including one to an article he wrote with tips for someone hearing the Old Mass for the first time.

I also liked what was posted over at New Liturgical Movement -- by Shawn Tribe -- which is some advice from a priest directed to those who would like to see this extraordinary form of the Roman rite celebrated in their parish:

First, It is important that we start to think of the M.P. as an opportunity to deepen the spiritual life of the Church at the ground level, rather than as a panacea delivered from Rome. Papal documents create possibilities, they do not, in themselves, make things happen. Only those at the ground level can make things happen. And we all, priests and laity, need to take responsiblity for that....

He then provides suggestions for relating to the unsympathetic pastor, the sympathetic pastor who is not familiar with the form and the sympathetic pastor who is ready to make the form available.

I can understand the cautionary tone of priests like Fr. Christopher Phillips, who has had negative experiences with the celebration of the Tridentine liturgy because of the attitude of some parishioners:

We made every effort to incorporate this into our Mass schedule so it would be seen as an integral part of the parish, but those who had requested the rite wished for it to be very much separate. While we provided bulletins for the Mass, including parish announcements, the Tridentine “organizers” made it a point to throw ours away and provide their own. There were attempts to engage other celebrants for the Mass without even mentioning it to me as the pastor of the parish. There were complaints to me if I used any Sacred Hosts from the tabernacle, and people would refuse Holy Communion if I did, because the Hosts “might be from the English Mass.”

I imagine this sort of thing is what Benedict was thinking of when he notes that pastors will need patience and charity when dealing with "social aspects unduly linked to the attitude of the faithful attached to the ancient Latin liturgical tradition."

I also liked Fr. Martin Fox's hopeful but realistic take:

It's going to be a bumpy ride for many years, but unless a future pope rescinds this, or the enthusiasm for old form fades, it seems the re-integration of the two forms of the Roman liturgy is now official policy from the highest level. Will the enthusiasm for the older forms fade? Ironically, they may, precisely as the old and new become better integrated.

In the meantime, there's some mumbling -- from quarters like this and this. But in the first case, it's mostly a monologue -- Joseph O'Leary supplies not only the post, but 90% of the comments... and in the second, well, how do you take someone seriously when they suggest that "Vatican II has been cancelled"? Hopefully the histrionics will dissipate, eventually. In the meantime, I admit I'm experiencing a twinge of Ratzenfreude.

At the very least, I offer a sigh of gratitude that the '70s lituriges may (finally!) be behind us. (Check out the celebration videos at Recapturing Our Catholic Patrimony for a lighthearted look at where we've been).

And I close with an insightful line from Benedict's explanatory letter, which has a bit of wisdom for all of us on the matter of this new document:

I think of a sentence in the Second Letter to the Corinthians, where Paul writes: "Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return … widen your hearts also!" (2 Corinthians 6:11-13). Paul was certainly speaking in another context, but his exhortation can and must touch us too, precisely on this subject. Let us generously open our hearts and make room for everything that the faith itself allows.

UPDATE: Patrick Archbold has created a blog called Summorum Pontificum to track official responses to the motu proprio, diocese-by-diocese, and to provide news and information...