What Does The Prayer Really Say?
W D T P R S

Many people want to express their gratitude to someone for the provisions of Summorum Pontificum.

It costs almost nothing to write a note of appreciation.

I suggest you write a very brief, VERY brief note to

His Holiness
Benedict XVI
Palazzo Apostolico
00120 Vatican City

Tips for writing to the Pope to thank him:

1) one side of one sheet of paper
2) unless your penmanship is perfect, type or word processor
3) don’t say anything negative about anyone
4) in two lines, express why you love the older liturgy and ho you participate
5) in one line promise prayers for His Holiness and some work of mercy do will do for him and his intentions

Start with "Dear Holy Father," or "Most Holy Father", and address him as "Your Holiness".

Also write to the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei", who shouldered the burden of the M.P. and will so in the future.

Here there are two good possibilities:

His Eminence
Dario Card. Castrillon Hoyos
President
Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei"
Palazzo del Sant’Uffizio
00120 Vatican City

Start with "Your Eminence," and address him as such.

Tips

1) one side of one sheet of paper
2) unless your penmanship is perfect, type or word processor
3) express your hopes for the fruits of the document
4) say how you concretely participate NOW in the older rite, and where, and how many people come
5) do not say disrespectful things of the bishop or priests
6) don’t say what you think the MP OUGHT to have been
7) express your support of prayers for his difficult role

Also, for all these years, the point man in the Commission has been the long-suffering

Msgr. Camille Perl
Secretary
Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei"
Palazzo del Sant’Uffizio
00120 Vatican City

Start with "Dear Monsignor" or "Reverend Monsignor".

While curial officials don’t look for recognition, Msgr. Perl has been in the Commission from the beginning.  I think he would be touched by kind notes.

1) one side of one sheet of paper, or a greeting nice card
2) good penmanship, type or word processor
3) tell him some little prayer or work of mercy you will perform for his intention
4) express your support of prayers everyone in the office

And for Msgr. Perl, you can tell him Fr. Z sent you!  o{];¬)

For the Commission, you might do this right away, before the August curial recess.

For all of the above, don’t try to be flowery or overly formal.  Just be respectful and sincere…. and brief.  They get enough long flowery formal stuff during the day.

REMEMBER: When you think about the M.P., if there is something you don’t like about it, don’t spoil the situation by falling into the trap of seeing