Dana Gioia recently noted in a piece in First Things called "The Catholic Writer in America," that "the renewal of the Catholic arts will not come from the Church itself," and that "ecclesiastical indifference … is a great blessing," because "the hierarchy is unlikely to interfere with any cultural awakening" and "won’t even notice an artistic renascence until long after it is fully launched into the world."
This Pope thinks that the most important thing for Catholics right now is to stop squabbling. The best way to demonstrate the truth of your faith is not to argue over it, but to, well, demonstrate it, which the Pope seems to like reminding us means working at being good and kind. As for comparing those of us with a fondness for the Tridentine Rite as making a fashion statement, so what? It's like some official guy in the '50s giving his OK to the greaser hairstyle, which went on to find wide favor. As noted in the piece linked to, uyoung people are also attracted to what is officially known as the Extraordinary Form. I would say about half of those attending Mass at my Latin parish are under 40, and some are quite young. I think a low-key approach is the soundest strategy, and the Pope has deftly got across that we Tridentines are to be cherished.
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