One concerns the actual document on the "Traditional Latin Mass". This form of Mass was in effect, and the only Mass celebrated in the Western Church up until 1962. Then the Second Vatican Council met and we adopted the Mass we call the Novus Ordo which is the Mass celebrated most times in most Catholic Churches.
However, the Traditional Latin Mass was at one time suppressed and only allowed if the bishop of a diocese gave permission. Until recently, that was the norm until the Pope allowed competent priests to celebrate the TLM without prior bishop approval. Now we have Universae Ecclesiae which clarifies the Pope's directives.
Read more here and here.
The other story is that in England and Wales, the bishops are re-instituting FISH on Fridays! The statement reads:
".....in accordance with the mind of the whole Church, the Bishops' Conference wishes to remind all Catholics in England and Wales of the obligation of Friday Penance,” the bishops continued. “The Bishops have decided to re-establish the practice that this should be fulfilled by abstaining from meat. Those who cannot or choose not to eat meat as part of their normal diet should abstain from some other food of which they regularly partake.”
“Many may wish to go beyond this simple act of common witness and mark each Friday with a time of prayer and further self-sacrifice. In all these ways we unite our sacrifices to the sacrifice of Christ, who gave up his very life for our salvation.”
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=10330
Our diocese so far is not offering Latin Mass but there is some interest. Of course, the instruction for abstinence in the USA is not the same as that of England and Wales. So you can still have a big beefy burger on Friday...if your conscience allows!
In the by and by, I suppose I better start getting my "deduxerants" and "adduxerants" all ready for at least one Latin Mass in the future. I already do the fish thing. Is there anything better than HAVING to have catfish once a week?
