Practicing what he preaches

The old saying goes that "if I were Pope..." and presumably you'd make it OK to do something that is now verboten. Of course, what you want to legalize would a priori disqualify you from popehood.

But there are some things the pope can do. Fr'instance, you could free the old Mass because you're already saying it in private.

Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news), who recently issued a motu proprio allowing all Catholic priests to celebrate the old Latin Mass, uses the older ritual himself for his private Mass, CWN has learned.

Informed sources at the Vatican have confirmed reports that the Holy Father regularly celebrates Mass using the 1962 Roman Missal.

And this isn't just since he issued the document last week, but has done so since he became pope. That's some mighty startling news.

What if this motu proprio is just the beginning? What if he has plans for a further reform of the Missal of Blessed John XXIII (so cleverly named by Benedetto to disarm the shills of V2).

Can we look forward to the Missal of Benedict XVI? We can only hope.