INDIA: Reception of the MP. Behold the good shepherds.

ASIANews has a good story on the reception of the Motu Proprio in India.  My emphases and comments.

Indian Church welcomes return to Tridentine Mass
Nirmala Carvalho

Mumbai (AsiaNews) – The Indian Church has expressed its satisfaction and hope that it “can take care of the pastoral needs of the community” following Benedict XVI’s Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum released last Saturday. …

According to Mgr Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Mumbai, the Motu Proprio will “have two important purposes.”  [Qui distinguit, bene docet. … He teaches well, who makes distinctions.]

“One very important purpose will be to renew and enrich the liturgy, reclaiming the liturgical form that existed before the Council, which is a great heritage in the history of the church,” said the prelate who is also an expert in Canon Law.

“The Motu Proprio is a sign that the Holy Father wants to make available to the Church all the treasures of the Latin liturgy that have for centuries nourished the spiritual life of so many generations of Catholic faithful.”

“Secondly,” he explained, “it is a response to the pastoral needs of the faithful. In Mumbai, Cardinal Ivan Dias (Gracias’ predecessor) had shown much pastoral sensitivity in allowing the Tridentine Mass. However, there may be practical challenges since there are not that many priests who know Latin.”

On the long run, such an obstacle should be overcome. “In the Archdiocesan Seminary, Latin had already been reintroduced and is being taught; not because of the Motu Proprio, but because knowledge of Latin is essential and important for Ecclesiastical Studies,” Archbishop Gracias said.  [Mirabile dictu!  Yes, without Latin we can’t get past the bare surface of theology, history, law, etc.  Without Latin, we are slaves to what other people tell us texts mean.  Without Latin we miss significant dimensions of the original content.  Latin provides not just information, but a forma mentis.]

Finally, he announced that he would “inform the priests and faithful of this Motu Proprio” and “would exercise pastoral sensitivity in explaining and implementing it in the appropriate way.”

Behold the good shepherds.

They acknowledge the problems, and they see beyond the usual chestnuts of "turning back the clock" and "causing division".

Note the enlighten recognition of the importance of Latin in SEMINARIES.