Latin mass a looming headache for Catholic parishes
PARIS (Reuters) - Pope Benedict's decision to promote the old Latin mass is a dream come true for delighted Roman Catholic traditionalists and a looming headache for the harried priests now expected to celebrate it.
By issuing his decree on Saturday, Benedict aimed to end a 40-year "culture war" between the overwhelming majority of his 1.1-billion strong Church and a small minority that never accepted the modernising reforms of the Second Vatican Council.
His solution was to allow the long-sidelined traditionalists to ask their local priests to offer the 16th-century liturgy and protest all the way to the Vatican if they don't comply....
Dr. Alan Cairns | 8/3/2009
