Motu Proprio

Pope Benedict XVI's long awaited apostolic letter concerning the Mass celebrated according to the 1962 Roman Missal is here.

Here is the text of the Motu Proprio.

Here is the text of the accompanying letter.

Jimmy Akin's comments here.

I have never (unless as an infant and without my knowledge) attended a Mass celebrated under the previous Roman Missal. I do not have any problems with it and I do not understand the arguments put forth against it (namely concern that it will cause division.) However, there is one argument that is for it that does not make sense to me.

Some proponents of having Mass in the older form state that it will cause more reverence in the celebration of the current form of the Mass. It seems to me that any priest who has the knowledge and desire to celebrate the Mass in the older form will probably be interested in reverence already. If that is true then they would be celebrating the current form reverently also. Reverence is a matter of conversion as is anything that has to do with following Christ. Conversion only comes about through God's grace. Whether the older form of the Mass is a way God is instilling reverence back into his people or not we will have to wait and see.