Pope Approves Wider use of Latin Mass
Roman Catholic priests will now be able to celebrate the Latin Mass without the approval of a local bishop, so long as a "stable group of faithful" requests it.
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The Latin, or Tridentine rite contains a prayer that is read on Good Friday calling for the conversion of Jews. The U.S.-based Anti-Defamation League has criticized Benedict's decision, calling it a "theological setback" and a "body blow to Catholic-Jewish relations."
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Benedict's move is widely seen as an attempt to reach out to an ultra-traditionalist and schismatic group, the Society of St. Pius X, and bring it back into the Vatican's fold.
I'm really beginning to dislike this guy. Say what you will about John Paul II, but at least when he made changes to Church doctrine, he generally moved in the right direction. Probably the most laudable thing he did was to improve the relationship between the Catholic Church and other denominations and faiths.
Pope Ratz is apparently supposed to be a "caretaker Pope"; someone who is supposed to serve for a couple of years and not make any major policy desicions in order to allow the legacy of the previous Pope time to settle in. Instead, he seems determined to turn the clock back as much as possible in this area. So far, he's managed to piss off Muslims and Native Americans, and now he's looking to reach out to a group widely known for anti-Semitism.
Given that the Vatican II reforms were undertaken in part to deflect criticism from the actions of a particular Catholic who took anti-Semitism to its greatest level in history, it is a rather impolitic move for a man who grew up in Germany in the 30's and 40's. Unfortunately, it is also entirely in line with many of the other actions he's taken so far.
