“First of all, it is a deep and mature spiritual reflection on the tradition of the celebrating Church praising and thanking God”: with those words, the Dutch bishops commented Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum” by Benedict XVI. “It is no rejection of the liturgy of the Second Vatican Council, since the two forms are manifestations of the liturgical tradition of the Roman Catholic Church with equal dignity”. The Dutch bishops ask priests, too, “to welcome the requests of the believers who are asking for taking part in the Mass in accordance with the Tridentine Rite. The bishops also express “their hope that the new Papal directives will not produce discontent”. “The majority of the priests – they say – are used to the introduction of the Roman Missal according to the liturgical renewal by the Second Vatican Council, but admit a certain difficulty in the use of the Roman Missal of 1962”. “In this situation, it is important to understand one’s position mutually, by both the believers who ask for this version of the liturgy and the priests who have used the Missal of 1970 up to now, as scheduled. Therefore, it is highly important that also in the new situation the peace of Christ is in the hearts of believers”.
